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This Clockmed incident really triggered anger in me. I once lived in the Irving section of Las Colinas that is zoned to MacArthur High School where this incident occured. Zip code 75238. It is the most diverse zip code in the entire USA and just waiting in traffic as the kids walk thru an intersection verifies the strong presence of Mideastern heritage kids, Hispanic kids, Black kids.....and maybe 25% white kids. The school performs quite well considering the large demographic of students that speak English as a 2nd language. The community is quite proud of this high school and also the nearby magnet HS. It is part of the Irving School District -- which does not perform up to par with other DAllas suburban districts.
This student combined a mini-suitcase with an off the shelf clock. He took it to school and showed it to a trusted teacher who he allegedly wanted to impress. The teacher should have confiscated it. But instead the teacher (perhaps because he likes this student and knows he's basically a good kid) instructed the student to put the toy in his locker and keep it there until school ended and then take it home. The student did not do as told and kept it with him. Toward the end of the day, the clock sounded off in a class and the teacher took student and toy to the admin office. This toy looked suspicious. The admin called the police. They didn't evacuate the school. The police came and questioned the student and handcuffed him. He was later released to his parents.
The root problem is a student who brought a menacing toy to school. Mistake #1, teacher let the student keep the toy. Bad Behavior #1: Student did not keep toy in locker. Bad BEhavior #2: Student triggered alarm to get attention. Mistake #2: School reacted as if it was a danger but did not follow safety precautions if they really believed it was a danger. Mistake #3: City police handcuffed the student.
Now comes the interesting part -- because all above including the police handcuffing issue are not really unusual for an urban/edge high school -- that because this student happens to be Muslim the USA President rushes in with public opinions. Then the kid's family, who shoud be upset with the student for breaking rules, makes a public display and treats him as a hero. And now the family is suing for $15M.
I am disgusted. I wish we could deport this family. When my 16 year old son got in trouble at school he was punished for not obeying the rules.
Now comes the interesting part -- because all above including the police handcuffing issue are not really unusual for an urban/edge high school -- that because this student happens to be Muslim the USA President rushes in with public opinions. Then the kid's family, who shoud be upset with the student for breaking rules, makes a public display and treats him as a hero. And now the family is suing for $15M.
I am disgusted. I wish we could deport this family. When my 16 year old son got in trouble at school he was punished for not obeying the rules.
great post
in particular the last line
what we see in this family, ideology, mindset is the very opposite: dishonesty is celebrated and praised, making trouble is praised and celebrated.
I laugh at people who think, since their kids attend a Diverse school that some how the parents are Diverse.
It makes me ask the question, if the Kid would have been Black, White or Hispanic would the teachers and administration have reacted the way they did?
This, "All Muslim are coming to kill us Hysteria" is getting way out hand, and is playing right into Extremist hands.
Playing the percentages, You're are more than likely to get killed by a Home Grown Terrorist (Think Timothy Mcveigh type off his Meds) than you are a Muslim extremist here in the US.
If the administration would not have overreacted this would have been a non issue.
That my .02cents!
There are several things about this story that always bothered me. It just didn't ring true. The briefcase clock didn't look like it was made to be that. It looks like it was made specifically to LOOK LIKE a BOMB, not a clock. If you are skeptical:
Seriously..
Lots of kids build digital clocks - hell, they come in a kit with instructions just like a model airplane kit. How many put said kit in a briefcase though? What would the point of that even be? Unless......
True story. My son, age 17, attended a Dallas burb with similar demographics. He drove his car to lunch one day and when returned to school was blocked from entering the student parking lot by the school transfer bus waiting to take students to the vocational off-site program. My son was going to be late for class and tapped his horn a couple of times. With no response, he then left his car and stepped into the bus (door was open) and yelled at driver. Driver pressed an emergency button and police appeared and cuffed my son. He was released to me at the police station. He did nothing threatening excepted put his foot on the bus step and yelled to move the bus.
We had him in in-school suspension. We took away his car. He was grounded from leaving campus for the rest of the school year. I was totally supportive of school and police actions. No complaints, no media. I was a school and parent concern. My son is white.
Seems this family has a history of being victimized - cough cough - his sister was suspended for threatening to blow up the school a few years earlier.
Seems this family has a history of being victimized - cough cough - his sister was suspended for threatening to blow up the school a few years earlier.
She called in a bomb threat, I believe that's what actually happened.
Maybe it's time for adults to leave the kid alone.
Maybe it's time this kid and his family leave the adults alone. He could have kindly stepped away from the media spotlight, the sham white house invitation and media interviews.
There are 15 million reasons that start with dollar signs why he isn't.
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