Secret Service probes unusual homework

[Khephra]

SAN FRANCISCO, California (Reuters) -- A California teacher got a lesson of his own after his unusual assignment, to write an apparently threatening letter to an elected official, made him the subject of a U.S. Secret Service investigation.

Michael Ballou, a part-time lecturer at Santa Rosa Junior College, claimed he was only trying to help his students understand why more people did not become involved in the political process when he instructed them to send an e-mail to an elected official including the words "kill the president, kill the president," a school official said.

But when one student in the class took the assignment seriously, his parents contacted the FBI, who alerted the Secret Service, said Doug Garrison, the school's executive dean.

more............

http://www.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/07/11/life.threat.reut/index.html

[JitterbugPerfume]

1. That was a real

DUMBASS thing to do

[alarimer]

2. It doesn't make any sense

What do threatening letters have to do with people not getting involved?

[BiggJawn]

3. More clueless than Van Dreissen...

What a Marroon!

"Part-time" lecturer...Lemme guess, a Grad Student, right?

[DUreader]

4. Something seems to be missing from this story

Doesn't quite 'add up'