I'm definitely sympathetic to OP, but perhaps he should have had better control of his classroom. Maybe it wasn't even the content but how he presented it? All the people rushing into "censorship" nonsense. If the professor doesn't like it, he can ask him to stop.

#23: That's why I stated that they COULD be inapproriate. We don't know for sure. It could be that OP is a religious nut and its not about demons at all but he sees it that way and thus is trying to ban it for all I know. Just stating one point of view.

I don't think it's OP's choice on if the student is mentally ill, my teacher thought the same thing about me when I read some stories to the class, and I just made them deal with it

In my opinion, writing about same things constantly is a sign of something being wrong or sick humor. Isn't creative writing about using different topics?

Writing about the same things constantly. Okay so JK Rowling has something wrong with her and Nicholas Sparks, Jane Austen, Poe, Suzanne Colins, etc etc. people write about what inspires their imagination. If you look at a persons works they are similar in their own ways

Please don't pull famous people into this, this has nothing to do with them kthnx. Book series are different from what I meant but it seems nobody gets me so I'll shut up.

Every artist has their own unique style, the wonderful thing about creating art is that you can express yourself with no censorship ...... OP doesn't sound like much of an art teacher if she is going to forbid a student from expressing themselves and I think that student is absolutely amazing for standing up for their work

I hope he went to the principal

But it isn't school appropriate

BoriquaLove293 - No, he wasn't. Now, 10 years later, he is a computer engineer interested in arts. He has a stable relationship and is a happy, outgoing person. You cannot assume that just because someone is interested in unconventional things, they should be sent to the principal or somewhere else. If the boy had shown other signs of mental anguish, he probably would have been referred to someone. But drawing one picture or writing some poems are not valid signs of definite mental problems.

#74, I thought that the phrase "I hope he went to the principal" was actually for the student to go himself and ask the principal to change his grade on the project. Not sure what the intended meaning was, but that was my take on it.

They meant they hoped he went to the principal to tell on the teacher.

Sorry, BoriquaLove, completely misunderstood what you were saying :)

Fail any student who presents his poems. Regardless of whether op was right in saying he couldnlt present, there are proper channels to go through for these things.

It doesn't say anywhere that it's a creative writing course. It could be a business/ professional writing course, or a formal essay writing course, in which case demon poetry would be highly inappropriate and OP would be correct in asking the student to stop. Not necessarily saying that's the case, just saying we can't assume things with no details.

If it were a business/professional writing course or a formal essay writing course, I don't think the other students would be writing and reading the poems.

You don't write poems for business writing, for the record.

But the point of art, at least to me, is to get an emotional response and make you think about stuff that you wouldn't necessarily think up yourself, which also includes our dark side as humans. If people wanted to leave, then that's their choice, but I don't think they should've stopped her from reading the stories.

Threaten the student for plagarism because of the content? Please go back into the hole you crawled out of and don't give advise. The people that walked out were probably religiius nutcases in your school.

Obviously I don't intend for OP to actually get them in trouble for plagiarism; just kinda use it to shut them up

@26, I agree with you, however when speaking of certain dark topics (such as suicide + depression) it can really trigger a student. While the writer may have a clear thought process on the topic and be able to speak freely of it, someone else may not be ready to work through those ideas yet.

If you bothered to read my comment I said OP could use the plagiarism argument because the students are copying and presenting another student's work. Not just because it was about demons.

#27, he wasn't saying OP should threaten to fail the kid for plagiarism because of the content of his stories, he was saying OP should threaten to fail all the other kids who copied that kid's stories just to get back at the prof. And while I don't think that's the best course of action, he is right that it is an option, because that is indeed plagiarism, and all those students would have been warned that a failing grade is a probable consequence of plagiarizing.

I agree, there's expressing yourself creatively and then there's coming out with the same old stuff each week just because you like disturbing/upsetting people. I would've thought writers need a bit of flexibility and understanding of who they're writing for anyway.

While I sympathize with people who've been traumatized, why should their comfort outweigh the right of the rest of a class to a challenging and thought provoking education?

I am so tired of this generation being so afraid of "triggers." As someone with PTSD, it is MY responsibility to be aware of my triggers and remove myself if need be. It is NOT the responsibility of the artist (or situation) to cater to my triggers/trauma. Art should never, ever be censored or dampened because someone might be "triggered." Good God, people, grow up and take responsibility for yourself. Be aware of your own emotional triggers and deal with them accordingly, don't make others have to change their art/work for you.

You do realize for it to be considered plagarism they would need to CLAIM it as their own? Fail.

I think its a good thing people are starting to realise their opinion on subjects they know little about might not be as important as those who have actually experienced it, but it's unfortunate the whole 'trigger' concept is often simply used to berate other people.

Oh **** you Steeph Art is suppose to make you uncomfortable sometimes. Paintings like The Slave Ship poems by the likes of Poe they are suppose to make you feel uncomfortable. I don't give a **** if it triggers someone.Cause guess what that is not my responsibility as a writer if someone has triggers guess what any therapist worth their salt tells that person it is their responsibility not the worlds to deal with it.

But at the same time if its disturbing just to be disturbing its not art just trash. Art should educate. When you read/see/hear art it should convey emotions and ideas that teach about the content and further discussion about it. Not just freak people out. Besides that art does need some censorship to make sure that it is only consumed by appropriate audiences.

Who gets to decide if it's disturbing just to be disturbing? Me? You? I guarantee we'll have very different ideas of what should be acceptable.

You misunderstand me I never said that they can't write disturbing things just that any art regardless of if its happy, sad, or creepy is only art if it causes the viewer to either learn something about themselves or to think critically about the subject of the art.

What is art to one may be trash to others. So the op may not have considered it art and so banned it. The important thing now is will op let it be presented since the other students seem to view it as art?