Student Expeled from art school for quoting Sweeney Todd

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!

Updated On: 12/26/07 at 01:03 PM

The rest of the story aside...

Epiphany?

ETA: Darn, you edited.

---

Updated On: 12/26/07 at 01:08 PM

Appeal.

There is always a higher governing board.

This is an arts school I have a hard time believing that there is no one there familiar with Sweeney Todd.

In any case, be prepared to present the notebook and a copy of the song.

---

I agree. Have a copy of the recording with you and the notebook. (If you still have the notebook) Out of curiosity, which part of the lyrics did you have written down?

---

I don't think this is a matter of knowing where it came from but what was written. The school could ask why he chose to write those particular lyrics. I think some of this gets a bit out of hand. I posted my review of the movie in another thread and quoted Toby's final lines in the show. When I looked at the post, a word had been automatically turned to asteriks. Why? I have no clue.

---

They're on high alert, aren't they? Jesus Christ!

---

I have a hard time believing that those in charge at this arts school read these lyrics, which name "Sweeney" and "Mrs. Lovett," and accused you of writing a death threat.

---

I think it's a bad idea to write the lyrics of that song, but I also think that the school is overreacting.

---

Actually, the daughter of a woman that I went to school with wrote down lyrics to Corpse Bride in her notebook and the teacher called her mom in for a parent/teacher conference.

They don't want any more school shootings/suicides/homicides in the near future, so I don't blame them for being worried. I'm honestly just baffled over the fact that she wrote those lyrics and professors of art didn't know it was from Sweeney Todd. It's not as though she wrote "dear ____, I'm going to kill you after school"

---

Updated On: 12/26/07 at 04:17 PM

Geez, are you trying to battle winston for having the most misspellings in one post?

---

How did she know you were writing somthing like that. Was it just her timing? I was too bored one day and decided to write down lyrics to a Stephen Lynch song "Special Ed" and was very careful to not have anyone see the notebook.

---

I too am a fan of the misspellings from a person who wasn't paying attention in their English class...

Find your local NBC website and email the story in. They're amazing.