Prometheus 6

Besides, isn't Iran on Asia? Russia? North Korea? Viet Nam?

China?

Although students were warned that they couldn't threaten anyone in their writings, Lee said he assumed those parameters were removed when the teacher told the class to take 30 minutes and write whatever came to mind -- without worrying about censorship.

"She told us to exaggerate our feelings," Lee said, standing outside his home in northwest suburban Cary. "So I did."

Exaggeration or not, the school principal contacted Cary police, who arrested Lee, an A-student and athlete, while he walked to school on Tuesday. He was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor that carries up to 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine.

Essay just a story, teen says
Cary-Grove senior fights for right to go back to school; Marines revoke his enlistment
By Carolyn Starks, Tribune staff reporter; Tribune staff reporter Liam Ford contributed to this report
April 28, 2007

Like many misunderstood writers, a Cary-Grove High School senior arrested for turning in a provocative class essay offered an "author's note" Friday by way of explanation.

In it, Allen Lee said his reference to "shooting everyone" and "having sex with the dead bodies" was not a personal statement but words a character in a story might say, which explained why the sentence was in quotations.