Student Expeled from art school for quoting Sweeney Todd

[Jonathan]

ME!

This is a true story, and I am trying to just get some other responses from people.

I was, last year, accepted into one of the most prestigious residential High Schools for the arts in the United States (It will remain nameless), for drama.

I started in August, and I was loving it. My girlfriend was also there for drama, and I thought are relationship was going great.

Then, about 2 months ago she broke up with me. And I was spiraled downhill for a while, then got back up.

She on the other hand, could not take the guilt, so she stared to look for ways to get me expelled.

And she found one.

About one month ago, I was in English class, and I was writing the lyrics to Sweeney Todd's Epiphany in my notebook (my private notebook), but out of boredom.

All of a sudden, she snatches to note book from me and reads it.

Then she storms out of the room, with the book.

The next thing I know, I am in the director of student services office, and I am being accused of witting a "death threat" to my ex-girlfriend, and the rest of the school.

I explained to them calmly what I was doing, and I thought that they understood.

So, they told me that they where going to send me home until Sunday (This happened on a Wednesday), and It was going to be all excused absentees, and my future at the school was not in jeopardy at all.

Then Friday night, they call and tell me I am expelled, for a death threat.

I have just now come out about this story, out of fear of getting in more trouble.

And I just wanted to know, from the Broadway community, WHAT DO I DO NOW?


And, For those of you who do not know the lyrics:

Todd: No I had him!
His throat was there beneath my hand.
I had swear I had him!
His throat was there and now he'll never come again.
Mrs. Lovett: Easy now, hush love hush
I keep telling you -
Todd: When? Why do I wait?
You told me to wait -
Now he'll never come again.
There's a hole in the world like a great black pit
And it's filled with people who are filled with ****
And the vermin of the world inhabit it.
But not for long...

They all deserve to die.
Tell you why, Mrs. Lovett, tell you why.
Because in all of the whole human race
Mrs Lovett, there are two kinds of men and only two
There's the one they put in his proper place
And the one with his foot in the other one's face
Look at me, Mrs Lovett, look at you.

Now we all deserve to die
Tell you why, Mrs. Lovett, tell you why.
Because the lives of the wicked should be made brief
For the rest of us death will be a relief
We all deserve to die.

And I'll never see Joanna
No I'll never hold my girl to me - finished!
(shouted) Alright! You sir, you sir, how about a shave?
Come and visit your good friend Sweeney.
You sir, you sir? Welcome to the grave.

I will have vengenance.
I will have salvation.
(shouted) Who sir, you sir?
No one in the chair, come on! Come on!
Sweeney's waiting. I want you bleeders.
You sir - anybody.
Gentlemen don't be shy!

Not one man, no, no ten men.
Not a hundred can assuage me -
I will have you!
And I will get him back even as he gloats
In the meantime I'll practice on dishonorable throats.
And my Lucy lies in ashes
And I'll never see my girl again.

But the work waits!
I'm alive at last!
And I'm full of joy!

 

[Katzi428]

Jonathan...I'm sorry this happened to you!
Your ex girlfriend had no earthly right to take something that was yours and yours alone! Did you try to tell the director of student services that it was from Sweeney Todd? Try to get them to understand that it wasn't a death threat to your girlfriend.

 

[Jonathan]

Thanks for you so much for the kind words Katzi428.

I talked with student services for almost an hour, and I thought we had come to a good understanding.

Then, unfortuntly, it came at the horrid time that the mall shooting had happend.

And it got blown up by the dean

 

[Beauregard]

Oh dear me...I can see why it would be, well, alarming to see something like that written in someone's notebook. If they don't understand the concept of Sweeny Todd then it would look like something very frightening.

When I am bored in class I write, "I AM SANE!" over and over and over and over again in my notebook. If someone took that from me, people would probably be worried. But it's just my little joke with myself.

I seriously cannot see why, after you had explained, they would still expell you. I'd say this is a clear case for an appeal.

 

[Jonathan]

I think im going to write to Mr. Sondheim!

 

[D'Snowth]

Don't mind Mike, Jonathan, he likes to rub salt in people's wounds.

 

[Teheheman]

I see both sides in this. I see your side where it was YOUR property, and it had nothing to do with her at all. Plus, she broke up with YOU, so she shouldn't be ticked at you. BUT, I see their side where it could be construde as a death threat. Even though it's quoting a movie, some people could say that you were doing that as a death threat. But, if I were you, I'd sue the school. That's just me, I'm sue happy lol.

Daniel

 

[Beauregard]

I'm with Daniel...sue the school, sell the movie rights, make a musical based on a musical!

 

[Jonathan]

I have retyped the story a little but clearer,

and maybe this can spread some better light on the matter.

I was writting down the lyrics to the song Epiphany from the musical SWEENEY TODD in a notebook.

Elizabeth, my ex-girlfriend had been telling her friends for a month that she was looking for a reason to get me sent home.

So, Looking over my shoulder, she read's the notebook.

She took the notebook to the head of student life, and told him that I was making a death threat to her, and the rest of the campus.

The next thing I know, I am in the director of student services office, and I am being accused of witting a "death threat" to my ex-girlfriend, and the rest of the school.

I explained to them calmly what I was doing. I had my iPod alarm clock on shuffle, and I was woken up to the song. It was still stuck in my head. And I thought that they understood.

So, they told me that they where going to send me home until Sunday (This happened on a Wednesday), and It was going to be all excused absentees, and my future at the school was not in jeopardy at all.

Then Friday night, they call and tell me I am expelled, for a death threat.

They had my "trial" without me there to defend myself. I could not present my story, only Elizabeth could.


That, my friends, Is the full story

 

[Teheheman]

That's not right, having a trial without the person to defend themselves. I'd sue em and tell em that your right to a fair "trial" was not fulfilled(or whatever they call it) for them not to have your side of the story, and then suspending you without your side, you should do something about it.

Daniel