Schoolboy Arrested for Making a Clock

[Leonardo]

IMO...profiling is a good thing.

First of all...the kid has a briefcase sized object in his backpack...it contains all sorts of wires and a digital counter...WTF would you think this was if you found it lying on the side of the road...a CLOCK..!!! I think not...

It wasn't lying on the side of the road, it was in a classroom full of kids and the teacher asked what it was. Therefore the teacher didn't have to "guess what it was".

Everyone is so worried about hurting this kids feelings because he is Muslim....but noone said they thought it was a bomb because he is Muslim...it's because it looks like a F&^%ing BOMB..!!!!

I've seen fake bombs in movies, and the clock the kid made doesn't really resemble those very much. It a couple of wires, a circuit board and a digital display in a small, otherwise empty, case. If you want to argue that plastic explosive could be hidden in the lining of the case, however...

If this was a Black kid they would cry racism...because he is Muslim it is profiling...if he's a white kid...everyone would say "oh thank goodness...he could have blown up the school. "..."

Racism and 'racial profiling' are essentially the same thing, or one is a subset of the other anyway.

And you completely missed the point of 'profiling' in your little rant.

They had pipe bombs at Columbine, didn't they?

I wasn't sure about this, so I read up again on the incident and you're right, they did. I would suggest the situations were just a little (immense understatement) different, however.

[Leonardo]

School attacks, period. The 'with bombs' is your addition.

Certainly, you are aware that there is a precedent of attacks, made on school grounds. Certainly that, combined with school protocols would make any school staff want to not take any chances. Schools take a ZERO Tolerance to any sort of percieved threat. That is ALREADY an overreaction. They want to take assumption out of it completely. They want to err on the side of caution.

But it's not the end of the world. It's a good learning lesson for everyone. But, I can understand the fear and paranoia that would lead to this mistake.

Ahmed will most likely get to visit the White House over the deal, he's not scarred for life. I'm sorry it happened to the kid, but this is the reality of school life now.

I see, and you as an American proud of your freedoms, your liberties, etc are quite okay with that?

[supervike]

I see, and you as an American proud of your freedoms, your liberties, etc are quite okay with that?

Absolutely not. I wish kids didn't have to go through a metal detector to get to class. I wish there weren't drills in schools for an 'active shooter' on campus. But, in the post-columbine, sandy hook, etc. et al. that is a reality for school districts.

I wish I didn't have to lock my house at night, or tell my kids there are neighborhoods they just shouldn't drive through at night. But, those things are real. I don't have the power to change any of it, despite my best wishes.

Again, I think the school staff over reacted...but my point is that I am not surprised that they did. It's understandable in todays climate. Racism, or actually Bigotry in this case may have played a role, possibly, but I still think it's the culture of the paranoia we live in. This is an unfortunate mistake, not a crazed witch hunt.

[lightly]

I'm a little suspicious of why the kid thought he had to put it in a small briefcase.. that sorta looks like a bomb you might see on tv.

Did he and possibly some encouraging friends think it might be funny ? I was a teenage boy once is why i ask.

As for the school's reaction.. i think it was a grand overreaction and probably on purpose. Administrators love to "send a message" that "this sort of thing won't be tolerated .

[+and-then]

I'm a little suspicious of why the kid thought he had to put it in a small briefcase.. that sorta looks like a bomb you might see on tv.

Did he and possibly some encouraging friends think it might be funny ? I was a teenage boy once is why i ask.

As for the school's reaction.. i think it was a grand overreaction and probably on purpose. Administrators love to "send a message" that "this sort of thing won't be tolerated .

The cuffing and perp walk were too over the top. He should have been disciplined by requiring a paper on terror methods and consequences. He would have gotten educated and the problem been solved easily. Too many people looking to be offended and too many people freaking out over miniscule issues. I wonder how draconian it's going to get when bombs start going off at sporting events and malls?

[ShadowSot]

IMO...profiling is a good thing.

First of all...the kid has a briefcase sized object in his backpack...it contains all sorts of wires and a digital counter...WTF would you think this was if you found it lying on the side of the road...a CLOCK..!!! I think not...

Everyone is so worried about hurting this kids feelings because he is Muslim....but noone said they thought it was a bomb because he is Muslim...it's because it looks like a F&^%ing BOMB..!!!!

If this was a Black kid they would cry racism...because he is Muslim it is profiling...if he's a white kid...everyone would say "oh thank goodness...he could have blown up the school. "..." they should put his parents in jail and throw him out of school."...." What was he thinking bringing that to class."..." After all the school shootings and such he should have known better."....these are the kinds of things people would be saying...IF it was a white kid.

I'm so sick of this PC world we live in today...

The size thing keeps popping up.

The kid was using a pencil case, not a briefcase, as a hardcase to protect the clock project he was working on.

People seriously watch to many movies when it comes to explisive devices.

[dmurdock36]

ok the picture the media is showing is not the way is not the way it is I saw a picture of this so called clock and it looks to me like he was trying to make it look like a bomb and when the officers asked him about it he didn't tell them it was just a clock so they had no way of knowing what it was until they had a chance to examine it, sounds to me like the kid was trying to stir up trouble and it worked.

[truthseeker68]

The size thing keeps popping up.

The kid was using a pencil case, not a briefcase, as a hardcase to protect the clock project he was working on.

People seriously watch to many movies when it comes to explisive devices.

Ummm...the pictures of this thing are all over the media...it's a small briefcase...not a little pencil case.

[truthseeker68]

It wasn't lying on the side of the road, it was in a classroom full of kids and the teacher asked what it was. Therefore the teacher didn't have to "guess what it was".

The statement I made "IF" it was lying on the side of the road...regardless of the example it still could be mistaken for a bomb.

I've seen fake bombs in movies, and the clock the kid made doesn't really resemble those very much. It a couple of wires, a circuit board and a digital display in a small, otherwise empty, case. If you want to argue that plastic explosive could be hidden in the lining of the case, however...

Simply because YOU can recognize a REAL vs FAKE bomb does not negate the resemblance to a bomb.

Racism and 'racial profiling' are essentially the same thing, or one is a subset of the other anyway.

And you completely missed the point of 'profiling' in your little rant.

Fair enough...but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.

You have no real argument to the fact that everything I said is the truth of the matter. because these school officials did what they were supposed to do...everyone is upset...WHY..?? because he's Muslim...no other reason. If he was Blakc...the Blacklivesmatter movement would say the police used excessive force when they handcuffed the boy....I'll even go so far as to say if it was a white girl...they would have something to complain about. But...if it was a white male...my statements in the previous post still hold true.

I wasn't sure about this, so I read up again on the incident and you're right, they did. I would suggest the situations were just a little (immense understatement) different, however.

Different in what way..?? because this kid is Muslim..??? No difference IMO.

Sorry...it added my statements to the quotes..??? Not very good at this...

Edited September 17, 2015 by truthseeker68

[aquatus1]

Ummm...the pictures of this thing are all over the media...it's a small briefcase...not a little pencil case.

It is a pencil case. I posted a link to it.

Here's another picture of the exact same case with a spiderman logo, instead of the faux leather:

It comes in a variety of colors and materials, but they are all pencil cases. Heck, you can buy them in multi-packs:

Edited September 17, 2015 by aquatus1

[Big Jim]

We have the luxury of nitpicking this thing apart over several days, from the comfort of home, already knowing it wasn't a bomb. The teachers had a second or two to make a decision. This wasn't the only focus of their attention. They had policies to adhere to. Right or wrong, in the back of their mind was "better not mess this up". In the slight panic that ensued, I don't imagine anyone cared about the kid's race. I may be wrong, but we'd have to examine the history of this kid at that school to determine if he was ever singled out because he was a Muslim. If that same device had been found in any number of public locations the reaction of the authorities would have been the same. I just don't see the bomb squad standing around debating the merits of its construction. "That's not a briefcase, that's just a pencil case. Bombs never come in pencil cases, let's go home." If kids can get suspended for anything that looks like a gun, no matter how remotely, then how is it over reacting to do the same thing for something that looks even a little like a bomb?

[Leo Krupe]

Perhaps, since we live in a post 9/11-post Columbine-post Sandy Hook-post Sugarplum Fairy world, it wouldn't be outrageous if teachers had some sort of training to spot bombs? Or spot and how to deal with people who show signs of instability? Or should they just watch Schwarzengger's "Commando" again?

From what I've come across, this Ahmed kid was not making a bomb, nor was he intending it as a "dry run," or mentally/emotionally unstable, or anything else other than what he seems to be: a very, very bright 14-year old boy who's interested in different disciplines of science.

The school officials overreacted, and badly. Be suspicious of something unknown? Sure, but investigate rationally, not instantly think "bomb!!!!!!!!!!!!" That's foolish, irrational, and frankly, I expect more from educators.

It's this kind of behavior (on the part of the school and law enforcement) that makes me ashamed to be an American.

[Leonardo]

It is a pencil case. I posted a link to it.

Here's another picture of the exact same case with a spiderman logo, instead of the faux leather:

It comes in a variety of colors and materials, but they are all pencil cases. Heck, you can buy them in multi-packs:

Those pencil cases look suspiciously like IEDs.

BAN 'EM ALL!

[Leo Krupe]

Those pencil cases look suspiciously like IEDs.

BAN 'EM ALL!

But what if the other students had them?

The only good pencil case is a dead pencil case!

[aquatus1]

We have the luxury of nitpicking this thing apart over several days, from the comfort of home, already knowing it wasn't a bomb. The teachers had a second or two to make a decision.

No, they didn't. If they thought it was a bomb, the teacher should be fired for casually confiscating it and walking down the hall with it, letting the bomb-maker go to their next class. If they thought it was a bomb, the school should have been evacuated. No one, not even the teachers, claimed they thought it was a real, actual, bomb. There was no sense of urgency at all.

This wasn't the only focus of their attention. They had policies to adhere to. Right or wrong, in the back of their mind was "better not mess this up".

That's pretty much the main argument, asides from race. Policies like that, with the sole purpose of protecting the school from litigation (as opposed to protecting the students and staff), end up replacing common sense, and result in 14-year old science nerds being arrested and accused of terrorism.

In the slight panic that ensued, I don't imagine anyone cared about the kid's race. I may be wrong, but we'd have to examine the history of this kid at that school to determine if he was ever singled out because he was a Muslim. If that same device had been found in any number of public locations the reaction of the authorities would have been the same.

Probably, yes, finding an abandoned package in a public location with wires and a timer would and should lead to that sort of reaction.

Finding one is the backpack sitting next to the owner, and only noticing it because it beeped and the teacher wanted to know what it was, on the other hand, is an entirely different scenario. When a schoolchild is proudly showing off his latest invention and telling you it is a digital clock, thinking "Bomb!" is not a reasonable reaction.

I just don't see the bomb squad standing around debating the merits of its construction. "That's not a briefcase, that's just a pencil case. Bombs never come in pencil cases, let's go home."

I agree. The bomb squad would have been more along the lines of "Are you kidding me? This is a freaking pencil case. There's barely enough space in here for the wires. Where are the explosives supposed to go? Seriously? This looks like a bomb to people?"

You don't really need to be in the bomb squad to understand that it isn't the presence of a timer that indicates the existence of a bomb. If you don't have any explosives (or if there isn't any actual physical place to put explosives), then chances are good it isn't a bomb. At that point, you have given yourself a ton of options that you didn't have if you just decided "wires=bomb"

If kids can get suspended for anything that looks like a gun, no matter how remotely, then how is it over reacting to do the same thing for something that looks even a little like a bomb?

It isn't the suspension that is offending people. It is the accusation of terrorism and the public arrest of an openly Islamic 14-year old child with an active interest in science and engineering, in a city that has a mayor who publicly promotes anti-Islamic propaganda.

The thing of it is that we have reports of white children bringing in projects to school and getting praised for it on a regular basis. Then we have reports of non-white children bringing in projects and getting in trouble for it. The imbalance is pretty difficult to ignore if you happen to be non-white.

[aquatus1]

You don't have to be an explosives specialists to understand that this:

...is likely not an IED.

Edited September 17, 2015 by aquatus1

[ninjadude]

A clock, in a briefcase, that pretty much looked like a bomb. The world is different now folks and we just have to accept it.

that's one of the craziest things I've read here. It resembled in bomb in no way at all. The world is NOT different. I accept nothing. Except that a lot of people have fertile imaginations.

[aquatus1]

**Sing-along** One of these things is not like the other...

*Come on, can you tell me which one?*

[Michelle]

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — A 10th-grader in Maine has been suspended for 10 days for having a bright yellow squirt gun.

The Sun Journal (http://bit.ly/Qg2BFn) says the teen was suspended in accordance with Lewiston High School policy after the toy fell out of his backpack. The student wasn't identified.

School Superintendent Bill Webster tells the newspaper that the suspension could be reduced and that administrators "will work to balance the discipline with the facts of the case."

He also says that water pistols, even ones that don't look like guns, can be disruptive.

Across the country, schools are grappling with the issue of how to handle weapons, both real and fake. Some students have been suspended simply for pointing their fingers in the shape of a gun.

http://www.huffingto...n_n_5167095.htm

Why aren't all of the other cases making national news? Come on....you can't tell the difference between a a yellow, plastic squirt gun and the real thing? There have been so many instances of schools calling the police on kids, even in grade school. I can only think of one reason they are pushing this one.

Edited September 18, 2015 by Michelle

[Frank Merton]

If you have a "no tolerance" rule about guns, and a kid brings a water pistol to school, he obviously is defying the rule in order to push the envelope and see what he can get away with. It has to be dealt with, although with a little grown-up humor I would hope.

I don't know how you go about having a "no tolerance" rule about briefcases and pencil boxes.

[Frank Merton]

It all kinda reminds me of the rule I had in American college where they had a necktie and jacket rule at the dining hall. Guys would go there with nicely tied tie and jacket and no shirt. You have to expect people to push the envelope when they see rules they think are silly.

[BiffSplitkins]

For everyone that has searched and posted photos of briefcase bombs. Just know this; you are probably now being monitored by the Department of Homeland Security.

[questionmark]

For everyone that has searched and posted photos of briefcase bombs. Just know this; you are probably now being monitored by the Department of Homeland Security.

And they have probably bugged your apartment by now for telling us!

[Doc Socks Junior]

Except that the cute sing along doesn't actually make any sense. Because the pencil case wasn't filled with pencils. And it didn't have a cute picture of Spiderman on it.

Ridicule is a great way to knock out opposing arguments though. A+ effort in that regard.

[aquatus1]

I know, because I posted a picture of the actual clock the kid built.

And yet, people insisted on calling it a briefcase. Even after I pointed out it was tiny. And I posted various picture of how tiny it was. And finally I posted picture of how actual briefcase bombs look, and how the pencil case is not even the size of most of the explosive material in those bombs.

Cry me a river about ridicule. Even when I am mocking, I still provide support for my argument. All the other side has been providing is incorrect information.