Moral Outrage
Okay, so here's the email I wrote to my creative writing teacher:
I mean no disrespect to your methods or your profession, and what I intend is not malice. I would like to say that I have been eager to take a creative writing course since I entered college, and that writing is what I want to do with my life.
I just wanted to bring to your attention that your conduct in class on the 26th personally offended and honestly hurt me. I am in utter disbelief over your complete disregard for my basic rights and feelings as a student, and as a writer. The fact that you gave away my poem as an assignment to be dissected by the entire class is outrageous. You had no right to do that. I understand that your creative writing class is a workshop in which we are supposed to exchange our ideas and give each other constructive criticism. Having my fellow classmates offer suggestions and input is perfectly acceptable, in fact I was looking forward to having unbiased, impartial opinions to work with. But to hand them MY poem, that I wrote, that I own, and tell them to take it apart and rearrange it however they see fit? I find that to be unacceptable. It has my name on it, and was constructed with my heart and soul. I know I am not a published author, but what I created is still mine and mine alone. You asked me to shorten my poem and I intend to, but the other students have no right to do so. I never gave permission for strangers to re-write a poem I created from my own feelings. I know that perhaps you feel this is a constructive exercise, but you only assigned my poem to be re-worked by the group, and no one else's, which singles me out. Not to say that I feel an entire group swapping of poetry is any less insulting than assigning a single person's. As someone who has been writing for the greater majority of my life, I cannot see it as anything other than insulting, hurtful, and just not right. I would never tamper with another person's work, other than to proofread or offer suggestions. To cut apart and rearrange the actual text of someone else's poem is out of the question. In addition, you undermined me in front of a respected professional, which was only further humiliating.
I am sure you meant no disrespect , but I can only ask that you understand my feelings and offer me an apology, and a recant of the assignment. I will re-work my poem as you assigned, taking every idea you suggested into account, but I should be the ONLY one who can do such a thing.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
XXXXXXXXXXX
All I can do now is wait and hope he understands instead of hating me.
I mean no disrespect to your methods or your profession, and what I intend is not malice. I would like to say that I have been eager to take a creative writing course since I entered college, and that writing is what I want to do with my life.
I just wanted to bring to your attention that your conduct in class on the 26th personally offended and honestly hurt me. I am in utter disbelief over your complete disregard for my basic rights and feelings as a student, and as a writer. The fact that you gave away my poem as an assignment to be dissected by the entire class is outrageous. You had no right to do that. I understand that your creative writing class is a workshop in which we are supposed to exchange our ideas and give each other constructive criticism. Having my fellow classmates offer suggestions and input is perfectly acceptable, in fact I was looking forward to having unbiased, impartial opinions to work with. But to hand them MY poem, that I wrote, that I own, and tell them to take it apart and rearrange it however they see fit? I find that to be unacceptable. It has my name on it, and was constructed with my heart and soul. I know I am not a published author, but what I created is still mine and mine alone. You asked me to shorten my poem and I intend to, but the other students have no right to do so. I never gave permission for strangers to re-write a poem I created from my own feelings. I know that perhaps you feel this is a constructive exercise, but you only assigned my poem to be re-worked by the group, and no one else's, which singles me out. Not to say that I feel an entire group swapping of poetry is any less insulting than assigning a single person's. As someone who has been writing for the greater majority of my life, I cannot see it as anything other than insulting, hurtful, and just not right. I would never tamper with another person's work, other than to proofread or offer suggestions. To cut apart and rearrange the actual text of someone else's poem is out of the question. In addition, you undermined me in front of a respected professional, which was only further humiliating.
I am sure you meant no disrespect , but I can only ask that you understand my feelings and offer me an apology, and a recant of the assignment. I will re-work my poem as you assigned, taking every idea you suggested into account, but I should be the ONLY one who can do such a thing.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
XXXXXXXXXXX
All I can do now is wait and hope he understands instead of hating me.