abcmommy Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 No one thought this was a bomb. They thought the kid was a terrorist. If they had thought this was a bomb the school would have been evacuated and the "device" isolated and the bomb squad called. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I'm simply saying that, from what I have read, they couldn't determine his intent. That is what they have said, but their explanations haven't made sense. Kid had two, maybe three, strikes against him from the outset. 1.) He looks Middle Eastern. 2.) His name is Middle Eastern sounding. 3.) He is Muslim (I do not know if he is, but have read some things people have said that indicates so). This is racism. They say they couldn't determine his intent, but how hard is it to infer that he made a clock when he tells anyone who asks that it is a clock. He was proud of his clock for goodness sake. He wasn't trying to make anyone think it wasn't exactly what he said it was: a clock. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I was thinking this...thank heaven it wasn't my teen. He'd have mouthed off, I have no doubt. I probably would have too. From your lovely picture I assuming you are not, and I am assuming your teen is not a black Muslim living in Texas. He may only be 14, but he's old enough to know what was on the line and what the real problem was. He knew he didn't have the luxury of mouthing off. I don't really have a better word to describe it but that. Poor kid is prob going to spend the rest of his life with his name setting off automatic frisk warnings every time he tries to get on a plane. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I have a pretty, white, girly-girl 16 yo. She is sciency, and I could see her taking something to school to show off. Do I really believe the cops that they would have hauled a little white girl off to jail? No way. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I have to say that in today's climate of mass school killings, that a teacher who didn't have the wherewithal to know exactly what the object was should have erred on the side of safety and reported it. (I wouldn't know, for instance.) So I don't fault the teacher. I do fault the police. They WERE aware that it was not a bomb and they charged him with making hoax bomb in the absence of any threat. THAT is egregious. And so very sad. It is very hard not to jump to the conclusion that had he been a nerdy (I mean that nicely) boy named Sam that there would have been no charges. I do hope that the charges are dropped, apologies are made, policies are changed, and some disciplinary measures are taken such as would happen in a lawsuit via monetary damages. I agree the teacher should have reported it if there was any question, because if the opposite happened and it turned out it WASN'T reported you can bet all hell would break loose in terms of screeching about how derelict the teacher way in not reporting something so *obviously* suspicious. That's exactly how that would play out. The police were the ones at fault in this, that poor kid :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I agree the teacher should have reported it if there was any question, because if the opposite happened and it turned out it WASN'T reported you can bet all hell would break loose in terms of screeching about how derelict the teacher way in not reporting something so *obviously* suspicious. That's exactly how that would play out. The police were the ones at fault in this, that poor kid :( You mean if a teacher didn't call the police on a kid who made a clock and brought it to school? If so, I believe there would be no issue at all. It simply wouldn't be news. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I agree the teacher should have reported it if there was any question, because if the opposite happened and it turned out it WASN'T reported you can bet all hell would break loose in terms of screeching about how derelict the teacher way in not reporting something so *obviously* suspicious. That's exactly how that would play out. The police were the ones at fault in this, that poor kid :( You don't think the teacher should have listened when he said it was a clock, and then glanced at it to see for him/herself that it was a clock, and then gone on about their teaching? I don't understand why a teacher should report a clock. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Here is what I read: Engineering teacher told him not to show it to anyone else, but did not think that it was a hoax (one of the staff members on the school district's payroll, inside that same campus). English teacher asked about what it was when it beeped in her class - and confiscated it and kept it for hours (until this kid's 6th period at school) at which time he was taken to the police. Please note the following stupidity: 1. if the English teacher thought it was a bomb, s/he should have run as fast as possible and sounded the alarm to evacuate ASAP, which s/he did NOT do.I did not pick that up. Now I understand why people are blaming the English teacher. Before, I thought she contacted the principal right away out of concern that it was a bomb. 2. If the principal and the police thought it was a hoax, the very fact that this kid had showed it earlier to his Engineering teacher who DID NOT think that it was a hoax or a bomb should have let this child walk away at that point. 3. Handcuffing a child wearing a NASA T-shirt and saying that he bought a STEM project to show his Engineering teacher who did not object to the project at all is even more stupid. I think it is ridiculous that he was arrested at all. However, once they decide to arrest, as far as I know, they always use handcuffs as SOP. 4. Acting like nothing bad happened because they did not press charges is worse than all of the above.For the record, I think what happened is awful. I think that the English teacher is also to blame equally. Perhaps you were just quoting me on the English teacher thing, but in case you weren't answers in text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I have a pretty, white, girly-girl 16 yo. She is sciency, and I could see her taking something to school to show off. Do I really believe the cops that they would have hauled a little white girl off to jail? No way. While I do agree with you... Holy crap. Don't give the idiots ideas that they have to do this to three other kids to prove they aren't racist for the one kid. School will end up like TSA at the airport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 You don't think the teacher should have listened when he said it was a clock, and then glanced at it to see for him/herself that it was a clock, and then gone on about their teaching? I don't understand why a teacher should report a clock. It would make more sense to report a backpack. Seems those are more popular bomb holders than clocks these days. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I really hope this situation ultimately helps Ahmed get out of that crappy school, whether that means a scholarship to a private school or enough GoFundMe money to enable his family to move to an area with better schools and a less Islamophobic atmosphere (Irving's mayor made national news for her inflammatory remarks). I worry that if he has to go back to that school he will not only be bullied by other students, but unfairly treated by teachers who are unhappy about this story making their school and community look bad. :( 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I really hope this situation ultimately helps Ahmed get out of that crappy school, whether that means a scholarship to a private school or enough GoFundMe money to enable his family to move to an area with better schools and a less Islamophobic atmosphere (Irving's mayor made national news for her inflammatory remarks). I worry that if he has to go back to that school he will not only be bullied by other students, but unfairly treated by teachers who are unhappy about this story making their school and community look bad. :( He got invited by Google, Facebook and Box.com to visit them in silicon valley. I am sure that he will get an awesome summer internship with one of them and eventually go to work for them. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 That's how I feel when I hear the pop tart story. You let people that stupid have access to your children?? I would literally be outside with a sign, protesting stupid teachers. This is the elementary school my grandsons will eventually attend: Boy suspended for using finger as a gun Unbelievable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 No one builds a hoax bomb with the intent of fooling people and terrorizing them and then proudly shows it to his teachers. 25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Letter from school to parents. http://www.scribd.com/mobile/doc/281348805/parentletter-suspiciouslookingitematmacarthur http://www.vox.com/2015/9/16/9336557/ahmed-mohamed-clock-school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Letter from school to parents. http://www.scribd.com/mobile/doc/281348805/parentletter-suspiciouslookingitematmacarthur Oh for.... They just keep digging the hole deeper and deeper... 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 When I was in high school, someone used play-doh to attach a watch face and some wires to a water fountain. A teacher saw it and reported it. The school was immediately evacuated and the bomb squad was called in. We were sent home. If the teacher in Ahmed's school truly thought that it might possibly be a bomb, this is what should have occurred. Was it overkill to call in the bomb squad for play-doh, wires, and a watch face. Maybe. But, mostly, we were thankful that it wasn't a real bomb. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 From Twitter: President Obama @POTUSCool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 No, I'm not excusing them. I'm simply saying that, from what I have read, they couldn't determine his intent. Identifying something isn't the same as saying what you intended to do with the item. Does that mean they were right? No, it means that they don't have their act together and didn't ask the right questions. It's a stupid communication issue tainted by some presuppositions made by at least one officer (I indicated this in my previous post). None of this excuses the cops behavior. It's just how I'm seeing things - a big communication issue along with a credibility issue caused a big problem for the teen and now for the school and the police department. I imagine his intent was to tell time. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I was thinking this...thank heaven it wasn't my teen. He'd have mouthed off, I have no doubt. I probably would have too. My DS (or any of my DC for that matter) probably would have sarcastically said that it was a bomb... Maybe we should sit down and discuss when humor isn't appropriate? :lol: This story seems like so many people along the way failed to use common sense. Somewhere along the line, someone should have figured it out...but they didn't. :huh: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Letter from school to parents. http://www.scribd.com/mobile/doc/281348805/parentletter-suspiciouslookingitematmacarthur http://www.vox.com/2015/9/16/9336557/ahmed-mohamed-clock-school I love the part that says if there's a threat to the students, they'll take "immediate and necessary precautions..." Immediate meaning within six hours or so, I guess. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I imagine his intent was to tell time. I know, right? He made a clock. How dare that school let dark skinned teen boys learn dangerous stuff like rudimentary circuitry and telling time. That's the problem with teaching those people to read. They get ideas. And expectations. His intent was to learn something. What audacity. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I imagine his intent was to tell time. Maybe he thought the interrogators had already proven themselves unable to comprehend wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff. Seriously, though, I am so proud of that kid. He just kept repeating the truth and asking for his parents. Such composure and grace through the whole thing. 32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 The letter says parents should remind students not to bring prohibited items to school. So...clocks, then? 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 My DS (or any of my DC for that matter) probably would have sarcastically said that it was a bomb... Maybe we should sit down and discuss when humor isn't appropriate? :lol: This story seems like so many people along the way failed to use common sense. Somewhere along the line, someone should have figured it out...but they didn't. :huh: Ah, the great state of Texas. Where the teachers can carry guns but the students can't carry clocks. :leaving: 22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 The letter says parents should remind students not to bring prohibited items to school. So...clocks, then? The principal can say anything is prohibited at his or her discretion. It may not have been prohibited when you took it to school in the morning, but it can be by the afternoon. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I was thinking he's probably too smart for that school system anyway, so I vote for his parents to homeschool him. (Tongue slightly in cheek.) :D 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 My DS (or any of my DC for that matter) probably would have sarcastically said that it was a bomb... Maybe we should sit down and discuss when humor isn't appropriate? :lol: This story seems like so many people along the way failed to use common sense. Somewhere along the line, someone should have figured it out...but they didn't. :huh: Yes. THAT level of collective dumb is really rather terrifying, isn't it? And yes. I am discussing this with my kids. I just told my son maybe I shouldn't let him make boxed Mac and cheese bc well... There's heat...mixing things... you just never know... It looks like Mac and cheese... But it could be a bomb! Omg. What is his intent with this?! To feed other kids? No! He's going to poison us all!! *feign fainting in horror* Uh. That's not what I said mom. You're being nuts. Then keep your mouth shut when being questioned by authority. Because authority can be crazy and dumb sometimes. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3 ladybugs Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I am sorry but I can't read all 3 pages of this thread right now. Did anyone see where or if the school was evacuated because of this said "bomb" if that is what they thought it was. I can't find any mention of that. When I was in high school (20 years ago, just had our 20 year class reunion), there was a "bomb" threat that was sort of the same idea. Some kid tied a watch to something that was pipe like and put it in his locker. Stupid thing to do even then. At some point the watch started ticking and after some kid in a neighboring class complained long enough, the principle gets into the locker and pulls out the device. He brings it to the office and the school is evacuated. Then a bomb squad comes out and determines that it isn't a bomb. I forget what happened after that point to any of the players involved. I just thought it was odd that the school wasn't evacuated. I also thought it was odd that this is such a big story when the kid admits that he was nervous to bring it to school. That should have been his first clue that maybe he shouldn't have. Though in our world, just the photos or video of this could have been enough to get him arrested. :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Wouldn't it be fun if all the students brought in their own digital clocks to school tomorrow? Just, you know, hanging around their necks with a lanyard or stacked on top of their books as they travel from room to room. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I haven't read all responses either, but I hope more and more doors open for this kid! He's going to the While House. Great. I'd love to see him set up with a scholarship. And clearly he needs a better school! Poor kid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 No one builds a hoax bomb with the intent of fooling people and terrorizing them and then proudly shows it to his teachers. +1 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I know, right? He made a clock. How dare that school let dark skinned teen boys learn dangerous stuff like rudimentary circuitry and telling time. That's the problem with teaching those people to read. They get ideas. And expectations. His intent was to learn something. What audacity. Totally off topic, but I just noticed your new signature. You must know that story is going down in board history. :lol: 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Wouldn't it be fun if all the students brought in their own digital clocks to school tomorrow? Just, you know, hanging around their necks with a lanyard or stacked on top of their books as they travel from room to room. Oh wow. I think that would be a wonderful show of solidarity for their fellow classmate. I would encourage that. It's a wonderful idea. Someone who has a twitter account needs to tweet it and hope the teens in his school take off with it. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I am sorry but I can't read all 3 pages of this thread right now. Did anyone see where or if the school was evacuated because of this said "bomb" if that is what they thought it was. I can't find any mention of that. You found no mention because they did not evacuate. In fact, the English teacher kept the clock with her for several hours before calling police. They never actually thought it was a bomb. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I am sorry but I can't read all 3 pages of this thread right now. Did anyone see where or if the school was evacuated because of this said "bomb" if that is what they thought it was. I can't find any mention of that. When I was in high school (20 years ago, just had our 20 year class reunion), there was a "bomb" threat that was sort of the same idea. Some kid tied a watch to something that was pipe like and put it in his locker. Stupid thing to do even then. At some point the watch started ticking and after some kid in a neighboring class complained long enough, the principle gets into the locker and pulls out the device. He brings it to the office and the school is evacuated. Then a bomb squad comes out and determines that it isn't a bomb. I forget what happened after that point to any of the players involved. I just thought it was odd that the school wasn't evacuated. I also thought it was odd that this is such a big story when the kid admits that he was nervous to bring it to school. That should have been his first clue that maybe he shouldn't have. Though in our world, just the photos or video of this could have been enough to get him arrested. :rolleyes: I've read multiple articles on this. Nowhere have I read that he was nervous to bring it to school or thought it might not be ok. I read that he was feeling a bit out of place in high school and that his school lacks the robotics club that his middle school had. He brought it in to show it off to his engineering teacher. That's the behavior of a kid seeking approval and a sense of place in a new school, not the behavior of a kid bent on pulling a hoax. Not only was it not a bad idea to take this to school, any halfway decent school should have stuff like this for their students to use and play with. It's called education. My own son has a large amount of similar parts and supplies- Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Mindstorms. He took a class this summer which used huge Vex IQ sets. Quick! Call the cops. 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Does anyone else read crap like this and think, "Good heavens. If they think that about that - they'd call in the military if they saw my homeschool?" 😳 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Ok, so I guess we all have to add the following of the list of stuff to drill into our kids: If the police are questioning you, don't say anything except that you want your parents and your lawyer present. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 When I was in high school, someone used play-doh to attach a watch face and some wires to a water fountain. A teacher saw it and reported it. The school was immediately evacuated and the bomb squad was called in. We were sent home. If the teacher in Ahmed's school truly thought that it might possibly be a bomb, this is what should have occurred. Was it overkill to call in the bomb squad for play-doh, wires, and a watch face. Maybe. But, mostly, we were thankful that it wasn't a real bomb. I am sorry but I can't read all 3 pages of this thread right now. Did anyone see where or if the school was evacuated because of this said "bomb" if that is what they thought it was. I can't find any mention of that. When I was in high school (20 years ago, just had our 20 year class reunion), there was a "bomb" threat that was sort of the same idea. Some kid tied a watch to something that was pipe like and put it in his locker. Stupid thing to do even then. At some point the watch started ticking and after some kid in a neighboring class complained long enough, the principle gets into the locker and pulls out the device. He brings it to the office and the school is evacuated. Then a bomb squad comes out and determines that it isn't a bomb. I forget what happened after that point to any of the players involved. I just thought it was odd that the school wasn't evacuated. I also thought it was odd that this is such a big story when the kid admits that he was nervous to bring it to school. That should have been his first clue that maybe he shouldn't have. Though in our world, just the photos or video of this could have been enough to get him arrested. :rolleyes: 3 Ladybugs, when I first started reading your story, I thought maybe we had gone to the same high school. Apparently this was a thing in the 90s? :huh: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 He got invited by Google, Facebook and Box.com to visit them in silicon valley. I am sure that he will get an awesome summer internship with one of them and eventually go to work for them. I also saw an invite from 3M and a few others I'm forgetting. Wouldn't it be fun if all the students brought in their own digital clocks to school tomorrow? Just, you know, hanging around their necks with a lanyard or stacked on top of their books as they travel from room to room. You mean like this, right? :D 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 Does anyone else read crap like this and think, "Good heavens. If they think that about that - they'd call in the military if they saw my homeschool?" 😳 This reminded me of an article I posted a while back about makers and tinkerers drawing suspicion from neighbors and others because of the things they make in their garages. I'll see if I can find it. I think it dealt more with chemistry experiments than electronics IIRC, though. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3 ladybugs Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I've read multiple articles on this. Nowhere have I read that he was nervous to bring it to school or thought it might not be ok. I read that he was feeling a bit out of place in high school and that his school lacks the robotics club that his middle school had. He brought it in to show it off to his engineering teacher. That's the behavior of a kid seeking approval and a sense of place in a new school, not the behavior of a kid bent on pulling a hoax. Not only was it not a bad idea to take this to school, any halfway decent school should have stuff like this for their students to use and play with. It's called education. My own son has a large amount of similar parts and supplies- Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Mindstorms. He took a class this summer which used huge Vex IQ sets. Quick! Call the cops. I watched the video on this story: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/09/16/14-year-old-muslim-student-detained-interrogated-on-charges-of-making-hoax-bomb-he-says-theres-much-more-to-the-story/He says that he closed the schoolbox with a wire because he knew a lock would look suspicious. To me that tells me that he knew that this could be seen as bad. 3 Ladybugs, when I first started reading your story, I thought maybe we had gone to the same high school. Apparently this was a thing in the 90s? :huh: I went to school in southwest Washington state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Kid had two, maybe three, strikes against him from the outset. 1.) He looks Middle Eastern. 2.) His name is Middle Eastern sounding. 3.) He is Muslim (I do not know if he is, but have read some things people have said that indicates so). Three strikes. He is in fact Muslim (from a tweet he posted thanking everyone for the support). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I went to school in southwest Washington state. Pennsylvania. So it wasn't even regional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Also from the news story Plum Crazy linked (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-charges-muslim-teen-clockbomb-mix-33803800). Beth Van Duyne is the mayor of Irving. "Van Duyne earlier this year led an endorsement by Irving leaders of a state bill meant to forbid judges from using foreign laws in rulings. She claimed imams were "bypassing American courts" by offering mediation." :banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 There used to be (maybe still is, I haven't looked) a blog about zero tolerance policies in schools. What's really frightening is how often stuff like this happens. Zero tolerance policies mean no thinking by administrators and yet totally relies on their perceptions of any given situation. Thus, you end up with a zero tolerance policy that includes electronic science projects. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookValley. Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I watched the video on this story: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/09/16/14-year-old-muslim-student-detained-interrogated-on-charges-of-making-hoax-bomb-he-says-theres-much-more-to-the-story/He says that he closed the schoolbox with a wire because he knew a lock would look suspicious. To me that tells me that he knew that this could be seen as bad. I went to school in southwest Washington state. Or...that he was definitely not interested in making anything that looked remotely like a bomb? Because he was making a clock. To show off to his engineering teacher. Not a hoax bomb. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 You don't think the teacher should have listened when he said it was a clock, and then glanced at it to see for him/herself that it was a clock, and then gone on about their teaching? I don't understand why a teacher should report a clock. If she/he thought it looked suspicious, despite what the student claimed, I think reporting it to the main office and letting them talk with the student is a better CYA move than not. Calling the police directly seemed a bit over the top, but if this had ended differently I can absolutely picture all the drama had the teacher NOT said something when they were unsure. Any mystery device with electronics on it is fairly suspicious - if it was placed on a bench at a park or dropped off on a counter I'd be totally unsurprised to see it called in, even if nobody knew who did it. I think it is pretty clear the whole thing was escalated way, way beyond what it needed to be, but given that I, myself, faced a three day suspension for giving a friend Tylenol, talking to the principal and having them verify with the student that the device is indeed safe and what they say it is seems fair. Calling the cops was ridiculous, and their treatment of the whole thing was even worse. I can see why the teacher did it, though, and it has nothing to do with the kid being Muslim. I also think the clock is super nifty and wish he had talked it over with the school and been allowed to go on without drama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I just watched Ahmed's press conference. What a sweet, smart, articulate kid! He wants to go to MIT and be on Shark Tank. :) He's handling all the attention remarkably well. :thumbup1: 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 In Jane's world, the repercussion of this event would involve sending the teachers at Ahmed's school and the law enforcement officers of his community to remedial science classes. Really, the level of science illiteracy in this country is frightening! Editing fix: repercussion! But some of you knew what I meant. Thanks! 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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