Updates on McLaw & How to Resolve Conflict

The Atlantic updated their article. At last, a good reporter. Thank you, Jeffrey Goldberg. Through no fault of the writer, the article clarifies some things, but not others. He is trying to get to the bottom of this.

Despite all the articles boldly claiming the contrary based on their reading into the lawyer's statement, the school's reaction was, in part, due to parents complaining about the books: "But some citizens did react to [the books], there were citizen complaints based on the book..." which doesn't surprise me. The original article wrote: "some parents tell WBOC they are concerned about safety." Yeah, they were. They probably prepared for the 2012 Mayan Armageddon, too.*

"McLaw had built a model of a school building in his home" -- "a" model, not any particular school, so it was likely research as well. It is not uncommon for writers to build a large database of information about a subject, draw maps, etc. to make sure the world they create is credible. Evidence dismissed.

I'm not sure about this: "asked an administrator to move classrooms, to one near the 'point of ingress and egress' of the school." That is bizarre although it gets more confusing why he would talk about his mother in this context.

One crime he is clearly guilty of: He is too enamored with $4 words**. Probably he should serve hard time in the halls of academia.* That may cure him.

Update updated: A response from McLaw himself this time. 

"I used to be in architecture and engineering. And as a result of that, as a hobby I built miniatures. And I built a miniature of a cruise ship, a miniature of a house, and a miniature school. Now given the situation, they have only focused on the miniature school,"

How did they get a hold of this model? Anyway, it seems even less incriminating than it wasn't to begin with.

It'd be nice to read the actual letter. I'm guessing the recipients didn't understand it due to McLaw's penchant** for $4 words. Maybe, if the letter comes out (not that it should or has to), I will side with those who messed up McLaw's life. But right now, their story is contradictory and incoherent.

* Jokes. 
** I use them, too, sparingly.

Conflict Resolution:

I am not opposed to parents defending their children. The passionate parent sometimes attacks while uninformed. Here's a simple resolution process that has been around for millennia: 

1. Ask your kid to resolve it. Have them call their teacher if need be. You may never need to get involved.
2. Gather information. Get your kid to say everything he knows. Ask, "Why did your teacher do/say that? Did you do something that caused this? What are you leaving out? You know I'm going to ask your teacher, so you'd better tell me everything."
3. Discuss the situation with teacher and your kid (try to understand where your kid's teacher is coming from). 
4. If it's not resolved, go up the chain: Principal, Superintendent, Board. 

Skipping steps in the conflict resolution process may cause unnecessary problems.

More about Education and the McLaw Affair

When I posted a few days ago, I was worried the story wasn't getting enough attention.  That has changed as the news has gone viral.

J D Wolverton makes good points about how McLaw is not a threat.

The Atlantic covered the story:  In Maryland, a Soviet-Style Punishment for a Novelist

A petition is circling at Change.org to reinstate and apologize to him publicly.

Tananarive Due ‏wrote my sentiments best (she should have written the petition): 

 "@DrHenryVWagner Is there more to the #PatrickMcLaw story than #writing a #scifi novel? If not, please reinstate him"

If there isn't anything else, hopefully everyone involved apologizes and feels shame for their mistreatment for this poor man.

UPDATE:  From the LA Times:

"It didn't start with the books and it didn't end with the books.... McLaw's letter... combined with complaints of alleged harassment and an alleged possible crime from various jurisdictions."   

Then where did the journalist get his information?  He made it appear that police turned up nothing.  Either someone led the journalist to believe that it was solely about the books, or the journalist made up the story.

Here's the original:

"He's a man with many names, and the books he has written have raised the concerns of the Dorchester County Board of Education and the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office."

So two things raised concerns, according to the original:  He used an alias and he wrote a book that has a school shooting in it.  The juxtaposition of the next two lines places the blame of the leave of absence on the books:

"he wrote two fictional books about the largest school shooting in the country's history set in the future. Now, Patrick McLaw is placed on leave."

The author spoke to Dorchester County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Wagner and Dorchester Sheriff James Phillips.  How did he get the story wrong?

In other, related news--demonstrating a similar mindless craziness that can infect the American education system--PTA members plant drugs on another.

Teacher and writer-hopeful is whisked away to an unknown location because he wrote fiction.

This poor guy--Patrick McLaw, a middle school teacher--wrote a story set in the future about a school shooting. The opening reads like a classic detective scenario, and the detective is mourning the losses. It is not glorifying. The school not only took McLaw's job, but also banned him from setting foot in any public school and sent him to a mental institution. The book is fictional. Did anyone actually read his book first?*

He does need an editor. Adjectives, adverbs, and Latinate words abound. If he had had a good editor, the negative attention might have brought in a horde of readers.

I do wonder if he wanted some sort of attention. His pen name, Dr. K. S. Voltaer [Que es Voltaire? or what is Voltaire] alludes to Voltaire, who caused not a little scandal with his books. Candide questioned the common assumption of the day that everything happens for the best--prevalent despite the book of Job that explicitly states otherwise (some still hold this view). In the book, Candide, terrible things happen by chance, yet everyone persists in the folly of this perspective.

I hope people help this man stand back on his feet. And get him an editor.

* Granted, I have not either except the openings of his two novels, but from the sample, they seem a serious effort at fiction, not at glorifying destruction. Plus, he's written two books, which shows dedication to the craft at the least.