https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:12:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293729 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 12:50:01 +0000 littlebug 2293729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I heard an interview with Ahmed yesterday on NPR and he said that now he feels afraid to do projects like this and share them with his teachers/classmates. The over-reactions of these adults have potentially squealched a smart young kid's creative and scientific drive to push himself to learn new things. THAT is sad.</p> <p>If the engineering teacher had concerns, she should have voiced them to him from the get-go and offered to keep the clock in her classroom. But she didn't. So it started beeping in English class, causing that teacher to become concerned. I do understand that. I understand involving the principal. I don't understand calling the police and I REALLY don't understand the police taking him into a room with 5 or 6 officers who proceeded to interrogate him, without his parents or any other adult representation. That is completely inappropriate, and if I were his parents, I'd be pressing charges.</p> <p>In my gut I believe this is racially motivated, at least a lot of the over-reaction is. I think it is also driven by the time in which we live. When I was a freshman in high school (22 years ago), a kid in my class (of Middle Eastern decent) stood on top of a table in the middle of the cafeteria, raised his bookpack over his head, and yelled, "I've got a bomb in my backpack!" I'm pretty sure he received a couple of days of in-school suspension. Most of us just laughed at him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293724 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 12:47:01 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2293724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: my schools were a lot less strict. Metal detectors were not consistently used (my Junior High and one HS I went to had them) and we definitely didn't have to sign in things we brought from home that were outside the scope of books, notebooks, and pens. Besides not bringing weapons (knives/ guns/ razor blades) or drugs and now maybe cell phones to school I can't imagine what else may be on a specific preapproved/ unapproved list. One time I brought in a large framed picture of my aunt to show my science teacher because I thought the two may want to go on a date and it never occured to me to stop off at the administration office to sign it in. If I had dropped this thing there would have been glass everywhere and could have potentially cut someone causing actual harm. Make up doesn't facilitate learning, but I don't know any girls that were suspended for applying it or sharing it or showing it off in school. </p> <p>I get what you're saying about bringing projects unprompted, but I have a feeling that this particular project would not have gone over well on the English teacher's classroom no matter when it was brought in. Besides when it comes to special projects wouldn't just the subject's teacher and maybe the administrator who overseas lesson plans have been the only ones to know what was definitely going on? One of my English teachers had us dress up like the figures we wrote papers about. I was Lena Horne and changed into a sequined floor length gown for my presentation. I doubt my math teacher would have been aware of my other teacher's assignment had I worn that in her class room too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293697 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 12:20:23 +0000 Mrs D 2293697@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I think this would come back to my general question - was it a "bring your project to school day" or not. If this was an unprompted show-and-tell by the boy I do not think its inappropriate that his actions be viewed as "not following the rules". Their are many other "what if" scenarios of harmless things he could bring into a school that would put other kids at risk. In the schools I attended - if you wanted to bring something in to show off in school you signed up for it and were granted approval. (We also went through metal detectors though so this would have been caught then.) It certainly does not warrant suspension but I dont think him being told by an authority figure why what he did was not right is wrong in this case. That is how children learn - it doesnt mean he did it maliciously or to cause harm to anyone but that does not mean it is not a learning situation. And I hope the media does not teach him that the error in his action starts with his race or ethnicity. At the end of the day he did bring an un-approved object into a school...its ok to teach him the more appropriate way to have handled the situation...without punishing him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293688 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 12:15:00 +0000 Maysprout 2293688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had bomb threats all the time in high school and were cleared out of the classrooms. This was handled poorly by police and administrators but I can absolutely see teachers being nervous about it at the hs I went to, kids did bring weapons sometimes. The response was way too over the top but that thing looks sketchy.</p> <p>Edit: I looked at the story and not just the picture now. It was a pencil case and not a briefcase and they didn't evacuate the school, so it seems like they didn't even think it was a bomb. They were just trying to harrass him for bringing in what they deemed a mock bomb. Yeah it's good the school is getting mocked and bad attention. They went over the top for something that at no point they thought was an actual threat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293678 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 12:08:51 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2293678@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: what do you mean, "the seriousness of his actions?" I don't see why the child should be shamed or faulted for bringing in his invention. Just because an authority figure thinks it's a bomb hoax doesn't make it so. I'm very much in the camp if-you-see-something-say-something like this teacher did, but what happened after to the student was not right. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293662 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 11:57:49 +0000 Mrs D 2293662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First and foremost - arresting him and everything after realizing it was not a bomb is ridiculous. I could understand in a less intense manner perhaps taking him somewhere for questioning to teach him the seriousness of his actions.</p> <p>I have read some on this - but have not seen anywhere if there was a reason for him to be bringing a project in that day. The answer to that would change my thoughts on this a bit.</p> <p>However, I have to say I support the teacher. The device looks suspect (sorry - lack of any engineering/techy skills here) and in this sad day and age we live in of attacks on schools and innocent locations all the time I simply cannot fault the teacher. Also - I think it is extremely unfair to assume it had anything to do with race - again a sign of the sad times we live in. It bothers me when people automatically assume the worst of others...we have no idea what this teacher was thinking other than it alarmed her. She has responsibilities for other children and I am ok with her feeling the situation required further investigation. What if it had been a bomb and she had done nothing? Then what?</p> <p>I find it frustrating how the police ultimately reacted - and the way they have made themselves look. I am bothered that the engineering teacher didnt have a brain and think "its a 14 year old kid with a 'cool' thing - clearly he is going to show it around" and done the right thing which is warn other teachers/principal "hey - I saw Ahmed, he brought in a clock...it looks suspicious but I inspected it and it is a clock - just a heads up"...</p> <p>I'm sad the whole thing happened. I am sad for the boy. I am sad for the teacher who is rightly or wrongly being judged. And I am disappointed in the police. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293589 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 11:08:43 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2293589@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The way it was handled after the principal was notified is absurd. This kid should not have been arrested and should never have been detained or questioned without his parents and/or a lawyer present. And WTF is up with the school suspending him for 3 days? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293491 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 10:21:13 +0000 MrsSCB 2293491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: You've got to be kidding me....that is absurd. Because briefcase = bomb? Does that guy live in a Die Hard movie? I've actually been thinking the fact that the police said it looked like a "movie bomb" made this whole story even more stupid. Don't they think someone actually trying to detonate a bomb would be a bit more discreet?</p> <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: That is also ridiculous. People are crazy. And one of them could be our president? Yikes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293267 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 08:40:04 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2293267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: yes! I think Jindal was asked first, but every one of them (just four) wanted to be on record and Graham finished it up with that gem. The question was posed as how do we end discrimination. I thought the same thing as you- the kid is an American. Great way for "hyphenated" Americans to feel even more like they aren't part of this country. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293241 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 08:28:26 +0000 daniellemybelle 2293241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I want to move to Outer Space. I posted the cute video of Ahmed's dad being a dad and listing all the things Ahmed fixed for him like his phone and his car.</p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/attn/videos/925579204144206/" rel="nofollow">https://www.facebook.com/attn/videos/925579204144206/</a></p> <p>And then of course I had to get into a comment back &amp; forth with someone who said he "knew what he was doing because he put it in a briefcase" and that this fits the "oppressed minority narrative." Cool. Deeeeelete. Unfriend. Move to Mars. Bye. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293191 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 08:00:36 +0000 Anagram 2293191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not to defend this situation at all (because I think it's ridiculous and indefensible), but to shed some light on the mentality of that school district...</p> <p>It's a pretty rough area. Well, it's not ALL rough, but a lot of it is rough. They are all Title 1, low income schools. When I worked at a different school nearby, we had a boy bring a gun to school with the intention of killing another boy for gang initiation, and JUST BY CHANCE, the gun was found in a random locker search.</p> <p>Yes, these are the types of schools where random locker searches are done. And random drug dog searches (often. Like once a week). Each school has 2 full time security officers AND a full time police officer (a real police officer). My very first year, I had 1 kid in an ankle monitor because of juvenile assault charges and another kid who had a restraining order against a 3rd student.</p> <p>There was a gang shooting at point blank range in the middle of the hallway in one of this town's other High Schools about 10 years ago. So....tensions run high there. Fights and violence are all too common. So probably these teachers were a little too keen to see a problem where there wasn't one.</p> <p>It's unfortunate all around--that this poor kiddo who just wanted to impress his teachers was caught in the crosshairs of a system where teachers feel unsafe and quick to point fingers, where other kids are living such violent, unstable lives. ugh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293174 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 07:51:26 +0000 MrsSCB 2293174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: did they really talk about "usual middle eastern teens"?! Wtf? :shocked: As far as I'm aware, this kid is a U.S. Citizen. I've seen people comment that this happened because "those are the people who use bombs." So what about Timothy McVeigh? Ted Kaczynski? Or the Atlanta Olympics bomber? Or the kids at Columbine who made explosives? I could go on... I'm tired of people trying to defend their prejudice with stereotypes that don't even hold water. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293135 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 07:16:30 +0000 irene 2293135@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel so bad for the kid but I do agree with your husband. Unfortunately if my son's name is that I also would say hey it is probably not a good idea to bring it to school and give it to your teacher. </p> <p>It is a very unfortunate misunderstanding, I think. if the kid has been going there for a while and bring that to school and they arrested him then I'd say hey that's really out of line. But that kid is new and you just don't know. And that thing does look like a bomb lol (how does a bomb look like anyway?). If I were the teacher / principal, I probably won't call the cops though.... maybe talk to the child and call his parents..? I am disappointed at the suspension though...</p> <p>I am thinking, if an Asian kid bring this in to school, he'd probably be OK and be praised. Racial profiling is a very unfortunate fact of life especially we are living in the age of ISIS and the middle east unrest. I am really happy that the kid gets invited to White House though. That's a very very nice make up for it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293125 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 07:08:39 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2293125@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: the memo gets revised all the time: Muslim kids can't bring science projects with wires and we already know black kids can't wear hoodies in the rain...different rules.</p> <p>@TrailRunner: @ms.line: this isn't the first time a child has been cuffed in school and every time it happens just ticks me off. Detaining a kid with by an armed police office is traumatic enough, why are they cuffing them too?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293122 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 07:01:38 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2293122@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: As much as I would love to say my husband was ridiculous with his final comment, I can't. The tennis pro that was tackled to the ground outside of a Manhattan hotel really shook him up. In all of the other examples of police excessive force on black males he couldn't see that happening to him because each person was doing something wrong or had some criminal past. His comment illustrates more the different rules there are for people in America and what he plans to do to decrease the chances of false accusations and arrest for our own kids.</p> <p>Last night at the first Republican debate this incident came up and the candidates' responses were so dissappointing. Everyone just played into the stereotypes of what "usual Middle Eastern teens" are up to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293118 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 06:55:26 +0000 daniellemybelle 2293118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This whole situation has me completely incensed. Firstly, I hate that this kid who was bright, inventive, optimistic and proud of himself - exemplifying all the things that we should want from an American kid - was proven, nope, you are a brown kid first and foremost. The cop said to him, "Yep - that's who I thought it was." ANGER.</p> <p>Secondly, the subsequent excuse making has been, well, inexcusable. The school put out a statement saying parents should not allow their kids to bring prohibited items to school to prevent this from happening. I'm sorry - did I miss the part in the student handbook that says: "Only bring super cool inventions that use electrical circuits if you don't have a Muslim name"? </p> <p>And the mayor made a statement about being proud that the school puts safety first. If they really thought there was a bomb threat, is a bunch of cops sitting around looking at it, talking about it looking like a "movie bomb" and interrogating a minor without his parents how you honestly put safety first? If you think there is a bomb, isn't there an evacuation plan!? Makes zero sense and they should all be completely embarrassed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293087 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 06:17:08 +0000 Adira 2293087@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The whole situation is ridiculous and wasn't handled well. If the Engineering Teacher saw it and realized that it might LOOK suspicious, she should've been the one to do something about it. Instead of saying "Don't show anyone else," she should have said something more like "To be on the safe side so you don't get in trouble for having something suspicious, let me hold onto it until the end of the day." DONE.</p> <p>And WTF is with the police? He told them it was a clock and they didn't like that answer so they arrested him?? Was he supposed to be like "Oh, you're right, it's a bomb." Gahhh. AND he was apparently suspended! This whole thing makes me ragey. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2293041 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 23:28:10 +0000 lamariniere 2293041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I saw that, and then I saw this. <a href="http://m.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/09/obama-ahmed-mohamed-clock" rel="nofollow">http://m.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/09/obama-ahmed-mohamed-clock</a> </p> [attach=3467/15/nut0ey.338x600.image.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292943 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 20:41:37 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 2292943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Could the police not tell that it wasn't a bomb?<br /> I mean, the cops were called, they arrived at the school, they apparently looked at the device....would they not have known that there were no explosives in it? Was handcuffing the kid really necessary?</p> <p>Regardless of how diverse the school/area is, I think that race probably DID have an effect on how it was handled. But what is 100% affected by his race is the media coverage/public outcry about the event. We won't know if it would have gone down differently if the kid had been a super-white John Smith...but either way, its pretty unfair to the kid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292821 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 18:16:28 +0000 ms.line 2292821@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TrailRunner: Exactly, even if there was some suspicion (which was certainly racially-motivated), they freaking cuffed this poor kid in his own school building! Such bullshit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292819 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 18:13:38 +0000 catomd00 2292819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Given the picture of the device I don't fault the school for calling the police, but it was completely inappropriate for him to be placed under arrest. It is a little ridiculous that the engineering teacher saw it and was not concerned but told him not to show anyone else, but then when another teacher saw it they didn't have the engineering teacher vet it. He never threatened anyone or anything, the police knew it was harmless yet they were still considering charging him with a hoax bomb. Yes I would say prejudices are absolutely getting in the way of good judgement. It's disgusting actually. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292815 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:59:59 +0000 TrailRunner 2292815@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I get the initial concern., and I do believe it is a teacher's responsibility to report anything that may seem suspicious. The way it was handled past the teacher reporting it is appalling at best. He should have NEVER been placed under arrest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292813 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:58:50 +0000 Raindrop 2292813@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just finished reading this. To be honest that clock kind of did look like a b0mb. I'm sorry to say. </p> <p>I'm an engineer and I know he has all the wires going all around for wiring the device the motherboard and all that but it looks pretty haphazard (which is normal he's a kid) but I can totally seeing a teacher freaking out, coupled with racism. </p> <p>Calling the police was a bit extreme but in the day and age of so many school shooting I want to think that the teacher was just being safe.</p> <p>I mean here's a picture of it... I think it not being on probably makes it look even more like a b0mb. </p> [attach=2890/15/nusl62.542x600.CPCZQ2wVEAA99NW.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292809 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:57:31 +0000 MrsSCB 2292809@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pickle: I read that he showed it to his engineering teacher who said it was cool but that he might not want to show anyone else. Then it started beeping during his English class, so that teacher asked to see it. She's the one who reported him. It would have been nice if the engineering teacher had vouched for him, but maybe there wasn't opportunity. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292803 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:49:53 +0000 blackbird 2292803@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first thought was that it is SO cool that he did that. Then I face palmed. Freaking A </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292802 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:49:51 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 2292802@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I were his parents I would be raising hell. This should never have happened. I read somewhere that he showed it to his engineering teacher. Why should a homemade object in an engineering class ever be a cause for concern? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292801 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:45:42 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2292801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I am glad you made a mistake and posted a random link. Just reading that made me giggle and this story otherwise is so depressing! Did you see what president Obama tweeted about it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292800 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:45:03 +0000 Truth Bombs 2292800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think this story and your husband's comment are clear proof that prejudice is getting in the way of good judgement. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292799 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:43:53 +0000 Anagram 2292799@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Okay, so what's crazy is that....I used to work near that school!! And Irving is actually really, really diverse with a big mosque and lots of muslim students, so I'm really surprised the administration of the HS was this dumb, because they should really be used to having a diverse population.</p> <p>When I worked at a different school nearby, I would have 12-15 students in my classroom during lunch during the month of Ramadan--they didn't want to go to the cafeteria and smell the food, so they hung out in my room. I had students from Eritrea, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Morocco, you name it.</p> <p>The whole thing is just dumb. I actually have coworkers that have worked at that school--I'm pretty surprised it happened, to be honest. It's not really a "backwards" school district at all. It makes me wonder about the particular teachers involved. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pencil-case-clock-leads-to-students-arrest#post-2292797 Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:40:15 +0000 MrsSCB 2292797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I absolutely think he was profiled unfairly. I also think the people who (mis)handled this case are exceedingly dumb. Like this quote: "Irving Police spokesman Officer James McLellan told the station, 'We attempted to question the juvenile about what it was and he would simply only tell us that it was a clock.'" Ummm, BECAUSE IT IS A CLOCK. Basically they arrested him because he told them the clock was a clock and not anything else but a clock? Yep, sounds reasonable. </p>