Ahmed Mohamed, 14, arrested over clock mistaken for bomb. Reasonable precaution or massive overreaction?

A lot of this is driven by over reaction at schools and what they like to call zero tolerance policies. Zero tolerance is a nice way of saying we disengage our brain and assume the worst about certain things and have zero room for interpretation.

We have seen this with suspensions for gun shaped pop tarts and young boys getting in trouble for being too friendly with young girls (kissing on the cheek) and even reprimands for Bible reading in school. Google them if you don't believe me.

It goes from an insult to the absurd when law enforcement is brought in to "deal" with the situation. Because no one is allowed to use their brain, good judgment etc we end up with a 14 year old clock maker in handcuffs and everyone in positions of authority acting as though they have done the appropriate thing.

Great way to discourage STEM education and exploration bybover reacting instead of talking to the student.

Yes, but you have to ask the question - What if?
What would the headlines have read if this was not a kid being creative and a homemade clock.

My first reaction was, "Who would be so insane as to do this to a kid?!"...then, I read into the story a bit more. As my "liberal" friends sometimes suggest, facts are hard to ignore...and the "fact" is that we are living in a time of fear, uncertainty and uncommon danger in places we traditionally thought of as "safe". Up until a few months ago, I wouldn't have been concerned that a security guard or an airline pilot might be on a mission of murder either. Having seen a little of Islam in an Islamic nation, I know that most Muslims are like anyone else...they want to succeed, live their lives, and enjoy the experience. However, it is unquestioned that some people among us take their frustration and concern to entirely radical levels...and there is no age/education/background limit on capability and intent...Some of us know that all too well. Ahmed IS a smart kid...and what's more, he knows it. From robotics to other inventions, he has already shown promise. It sounds like he took his home-spun clock to class to show a teacher...sounds like that teacher advised him to be careful about who he showed it to. I am inclined to ask the same question the authorities were forced to ask...why would he bring a project that wasn't part of his school work, and why choose a humble clock...from the sounds of things, he could've just as easily brought a homemade robot. I don't think this young man should be arrested, charged with a crime, and put through this level of insanity...but I don't think we should be suspending kids for making "guns" out of Pop Tarts, either. Let's face it, the authorities at the school should've been smart too...you've got a kid who showed his gizmo to a teacher; not exactly the behavior of a would-be bomber. In the end, no one's pressing charges, he will NOT have a criminal record...in fact, he WILL receive more attention of a positive nature than most kids his age. That said, people will use this to the "n-th" degree to try and promote some sense of "profiling" or "xenophobia" when the real issue is just plain, old, indiscriminate fear.

As I stated in the other thread....
What do the following kids have in common?

Peter Mathis of Wilmington, North Carolina
Haley Zinke and Tasha Williams of Turtle Lake, North Dakota
Logan Weimer of Holland, Ohio
Indy Brumbraugh and Cesar Limas of Dade City, Florida
Tori Clark of Ellis, Kansas
Ahmed Mohamed, Irving, Texas

They all brought home made clocks to school!

Which one ended up in hand-cuffs?

This sort of thing happens quite often...You have to consider some folks are paranoid these days with all the news about homegrown terrorists. & innocent Muslims have been and will be mistaken for being a Islamic Terrorist.. It is a sad commentary for the times we live in today.. Just one old man's opinion & I welcome others who don't agree with me..

This is crazy!! That teacher should be ashamed of what they did any issue a apology to him. Hope the best for this kids and hope this does not sour his love for this country and science.

the show of ignorance and racism by the school and the local gov is mind blowing. I'd sue the shit out of them if I was him.

I can understand the school's initial concerns. Once they figured out that it was in fact a clock and combine that with the fact that he stated it was a clock and not something harmful, the issue should have never escalated in an arrest. Even the picture that I saw of the clock shows it clearly wasn't a bomb. Then again we are talking about institutions that punish kids for biting pop tarts in shapes that resemble firearms. Thankfully I don't have kids, and if I did I would home school them.

When faced with a decision one has to consider the consequences of his/her choices. In this case the consequence of assuming this was bomb and not a clock, if incorrect, were hurt feelings and a lot of uproar over perceived racial bias.

The consequence of assuming it was a clock and not a bomb, if incorrect could have been many deaths ans injury.

I am neither a bigot nor an overzealous person. I have been in charge of the security in two K-12 schools. Without a doubt or hesitation I would have gone with the theory that this was a bomb until proven that it was not.

Bringing this into a school building in today's world is simply not appropriate until everyone has been informed that it is indeed not a bomb. Obviously this was not done.