Barak Obama invites to White House the Indian boy who was wongfully arrested over his science project

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This is Ahmed. He's a really smart 14-year-old kid from Texas who likes to invent things. In his free time, he's done things like build radios and fix go-karts. He wanted to show his teachers his passion for engineering, so he decided to make a digital clock. Here he is in a video for the Dallas Morning News, chatting about that. Images from Dallas Morning News. Made from some wires, a display, and a $10 pencil case, his clock was a DIY success! Seriously, how cool is that?! Do you know how to build your own clock? I sure don't! He brought the clock to school to show his teachers, and that's when things went very, very wrong. He brought his clock to school to show his engineering teacher. "[My teacher] was like, 'That's really nice,'" Ahmed said in an interview with the Dallas Morning News, "'I would advise you not to show any other teachers.'" Wait, what? Why couldn't he show his other teachers? Ahmed was about to find out. It was during his English class that the clock's alarm accidentally went off. When he showed the clock to his teacher, he says she told him, "It looks like a bomb," and confiscated it. Later that day, police officers showed up at the school and put the 14-year-old inventor in handcuffs. Yes, you read that right — in handcuffs. "They were like, 'So you tried to make a bomb?'" Ahmed told the police that no, he didn't try to make a bomb. He tried, and succeeded, in making a clock. "[The cop] said, 'It looks like a movie bomb to me.'" People on social media quickly came to Ahmed's defense, rallying behind the #IStandWithAhmed hashtag. Some pointed out the obvious double standard that applies to people of color in comparison to white children. Others marveled at Ahmed's intelligence and skill. Writer Heidi Heilig made a few edits to the school's official statement to parents. And he even got a personal note of encouragement from, you know, the president. No biggie. Most importantly, there were the tweets from those whose love of science and engineering led to lifetime success. Rather than being celebrated as a brilliant young mind, Ahmed was treated like a criminal. Instead of fostering his passion into a lifelong career, his teachers and local law enforcement appeared to do everything in their power to discourage him. ThinkUp CEO and co-founder Anil Dash wants to give Ahmed the encouragement his school hasn't. Dash set up a Google form where people can list how they'd like to help Ahmed create, learn, and just generally thrive. So far, people have offered tours of Google, some quality time with the people behind theMars rover, and building materials. While what the school and local police did was horrific, the way the Internet has responded is heartwarming. Check out Ahmed's interview with the Dallas Morning News below.

neurologist · Sep 16, 2015 11:34 AM · 15,700 views

8 Replies

Another reason for Republicans to believe Obama is a Muslim.

mangale · Sep 16, 2015 11:58 AM

I would have done the same thing as that English (or whatever) teacher did! As a teacher, I have to make sure everyone is safe. If it was a real bomb, killed many people, whose fault would it be? I bet people would be come after that teacher. btw the handcuff thing was (may be) little too much! Media gives too much hype!

kta manche · Sep 16, 2015 12:15 PM

His family is from Sudan not India

urban khasi · Sep 16, 2015 1:04 PM

Kta manche, yes, you'll be concerned. BUT - You wil NOT call cops on him. It shows there was NO ONE in that school district who could tell it is ONLY A CLOCK. - Police chief don't need to go nuts on him. - After finding him INNOCENT, you will NOT SUSPEND him for three days, suspend for what? Bringing clock to a school? Still, they don't apologize to the kid. What do you get from this? English teacher, principal and school administrators are racists. Read what one of the cop SAYS once they find out his NAME.

metta · Sep 16, 2015 1:16 PM

यो कुरो जाँ नि हुन्छ, नेपाल, भारत, चीन, अमेरिका जता ततै. नेपालाँ चिक्ने न्यार ले मर्सिया लाइ हेलाँ गर्या जस्तै, मुजी बाउन ले पोडे लाइ थुक्या जस्तै, जाँठो ठकुरी ले मगर लाइ हेप्या जस्तै मुजी गोरा हरु ले कालो मुसलमान लाइ हेपे. तर अमेरिका आएर मुजी बाउन, छेत्री, ज्यापु सबै मुजी लिबरल, थुक्क ढोंगी हरु.

underwear · Sep 16, 2015 1:43 PM

While I understand the concern of a teacher but from the article it looks like he is a science or engineering teacher. If he couldn't distinguish between a freaking clock and a bomb then what's the use of his science. A bomb needs way more material (powder) than just a circuit board. Also, if those cop suspected that he is responsible for bomb threat then why didn't they bring the bomb squad? This is not nothing but a unfair racial profiling toward muslims. That teacher needs to get fired and whole school district needs to be fined!. If you are living in an era where you can be threaten by a kid then I think you are building a wrong society.

sajhamitra · Sep 16, 2015 2:26 PM

Yes: I would have raised the same question, if they thought it was a bomb, did they consulted bomb squad? did they evacuated the school?

magorkhe1 · Sep 16, 2015 2:48 PM

The teacher did the right thing, can't wait for White President

whiteboi · Sep 16, 2015 6:17 PM

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