School encouraged pupil to write 'suicide note'

[Locutus]

What we've got here is, failure to communicate.


via Fark

If you have your middle school students write mock 'suicide notes' as a creative writing exercise, make sure you tell the students to inform their parents it isn't real. Some parents may react badly otherwise


A school has apologised after asking a pupil to write a farewell letter to his mother, who was left fearing he would commit suicide.

Wesley Walker, 14, was told to write to his mother as if he had a terminal illness and only had a few hours to live.

But when he handed the note to his mother Vicki, she believed it was a suicide letter and thought her son was going to hang himself.

The letter, seen by the BBC, said: "I am writing this letter to say goodbye and thank you for giving me life and don't cry I don't want you to be sad I want you to remember the fun times and the happy times."

Wesley added: "I know I have been a pain at the best of times but I am with nan and grandad now."

He also asked his mother to give his Xbox console and games to his father, leaving her everything else.



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School encouraged pupil to write 'suicide note' - Telegraph

 

[SLM]

Wow! What a fun and creative project!

And 14 year old Wesley should have known better than to do this to his Mom.

"He handed it to me one evening and then just went upstairs to bed."

 

[TenPenny]

It sounds like an interesting writing exercise, but you have to wonder at the kid who would give it to his mother without explanation. Obviously, he's not very bright, or else he did it deliberately to get a rise out of her, and my money is on the latter. The only one at fault here is the kid.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Wow! What a fun and creative project!

And 14 year old Wesley should have known better than to do this to his Mom.

Sounds like a typical teenager thing to me -- not really paying attention to context.

Writing exercise sounds dubious in educational value.

 

[The Old Medic]

Just goes to show that idiotic teachers exist in every country. I could possibly see this topic being used in a College class, but not one with 13-15 year old kids. This teacher is about 3 bricks short of a load.

 

[WLDB]

or else he did it deliberately to get a rise out of her, and my money is on the latter. The only one at fault here is the kid.

At 14 I might have done that for a laugh. Kids are cruel.

Also at 14 I could have written a much better letter. Who the hell mentions a game console in a suicide note?

 

[gerryh]

title is misleading. It wasn't a suicide note, it was a "good bye" note from someone that is terminally ill. Read the article. I agree the kid probably gave it to his Mom the way he did to get a rise.

It was a creative writing assignment, teachers not to blame.

 

[TenPenny]

His writing is on par with an 8 year olds.

 

[gerryh]

His writing is on par with his age.