# RO: This is totally going to kill Bring Your Clock to School Day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 16, 2015, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454 "2015-09-16T08:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/181 "2015-09-17T14:33:58Z")
> [@DrumBum](#): > > Depends…Centigrade or Fahrenheit ? First one, then t’other. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/182 "2015-09-17T14:48:45Z")
Some of the comments following the [Dallas Morning News’s article](http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/northwest-dallas-county/headlines/20150916-irving-9th-grader-goes-from-handcuffed-to-hero-over-homemade-clock-frenzy.ece) about these events make for rather ‘interesting’ reading. > [@a Dallas Morning News commenter](#): > > Ahmed, or his handlers, planned this out for maximal chance of success, and it worked! The police and administration were not in on it, but they fell for the trap. Ahmed had the device go off in English class (not during science class), forcing the English teacher to handle the disruption and device. . . . his family/handler got an amazing photo of Ahmed getting handcuffed (quickly distributed on social media, and still Ahmed’s twitter photo!) . . . Why do the press and society have to be so easily duped?!? His “handlers”? Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/183 "2015-09-17T14:52:33Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > His “handlers”? Wow. “Those evil Muslims tricked us into being racist!” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/184 "2015-09-17T15:04:30Z")
Teachers operate under a great deal of pressure to report anything that might be suspicious. The English teacher in question obviously didn’t feel threatened by the clock (or she would have acted differently), but she really had no good options after initially questioning him about it. If she’d let the issue drop and then something \*had \*happened later in the day, she would have been in serious trouble with an obviously unreasonable school administration. The first failure in this whole chain of events starts with the _engineering teacher._ He knew exactly what would happen if a layman saw the clock. He should have taken it from Ahmed, put it in his office, and had the kid return at the end of the day to pick it up before going home. Or he even could have written Ahmed a lousy note to tape to the clock for any other teachers who might see it. At the end of the day, this is a very positive story for Ahmed. He’s getting a lot of great support and might even get to meet the president. Pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/185 "2015-09-17T15:18:26Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Some of the comments following the [Dallas Morning News’s article](http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/northwest-dallas-county/headlines/20150916-irving-9th-grader-goes-from-handcuffed-to-hero-over-homemade-clock-frenzy.ece) about these events make for rather ‘interesting’ reading. > > [QUOTE=a Dallas Morning News commenter] > > Ahmed, or his handlers, planned this out for maximal chance of success, and it worked! The police and administration were not in on it, but they fell for the trap. Ahmed had the device go off in English class (not during science class), forcing the English teacher to handle the disruption and device. . . . his family/handler got an amazing photo of Ahmed getting handcuffed (quickly distributed on social media, and still Ahmed’s twitter photo!) . . . Why do the press and society have to be so easily duped?!? His “handlers”? Wow. [/QUOTE] This was absolutely not planned by Ahmed and there were no “handlers”, but I have to say if that were the case, then I’d say good for him. Good for him for making these people show what they are and using their ignorance and bigotry against them and to benefit himself. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/186 "2015-09-17T15:19:19Z")
I just hope that when Ahmed gets to the white house, and has his moment with the president, he looks to the camera and says, “I’d like to say hi to my English teacher, Principal and the fine folks at the Irving police department. Without your help, I’d never have made it this far.” ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/187 "2015-09-17T15:26:45Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > This was absolutely not planned by Ahmed and there were no “handlers”, but I have to say if that were the case, then I’d say good for him. Good for him for making these people show what they are and using their ignorance and bigotry against them and to benefit himself. Seriously–if he planned this whole thing out and achieved such a thorough victory over his enemies, I want him to get a full scholarship to West Point. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/188 "2015-09-17T15:35:05Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Seriously–if he planned this whole thing out and achieved such a thorough victory over his enemies, I want him to get a full scholarship to West Point. Tell me about it. Being clever enough to build a clock from scratch: we need to encourage that kid. Being clever enough to manipulate your teacher, the school’s administration, the police and the mayor’s office in order to gain money, fame and a trip to the White House: Holy crap, the kid is a genius. We either need to elect him to office or keep an eye on him in case he turns into Lex Luthor. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/189 "2015-09-17T15:41:46Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Seriously–if he planned this whole thing out and achieved such a thorough victory over his enemies, I want him to get a full scholarship to West Point. Pssssst, everyone at West Point has a “full scholarship.” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/190 "2015-09-17T15:44:23Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Tell me about it. > > Being clever enough to build a clock from scratch: we need to encourage that kid. > > **Being clever enough to manipulate your teacher, the school’s administration, the police and the mayor’s office** in order to gain money, fame and a trip to the White House: Holy crap, the kid is a genius. We either need to elect him to office or keep an eye on him in case he turns into Lex Luthor. This part didn’t seem to be much of a challenge. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/191 "2015-09-17T15:51:10Z")
> [@Gotlift](#): > > Thanks. I should have said uproar, very little. > > Probably still waiting on a dinner invitation after being the victim of stupidity. What’s on the menu, chicken nuggets? What an inspiring message to send the nation. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/192 "2015-09-17T15:57:52Z")
George Takei just posted an amazing open letter to Ahmed on his [facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/georgehtakei?fref=nf). Talking about his own experience being a kid in an internment camp in the USA during WWII. Well worth a read. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/193 "2015-09-17T16:12:02Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Pssssst, everyone at West Point has a “full scholarship.” Stop confusing me with pesky facts! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/194 "2015-09-17T16:43:35Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > The MacArthur High School Facebook page is getting a lot of traffic as a result of this. Mostly mocking, calling out the principal and police as racist, bigoted, and stupid. I wonder how long it will take before it dies down? IME that kind of thing doesn’t die down; the principal and police will prolly be racist, bigoted and stupid for the rest of their lives, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/195 "2015-09-17T17:21:02Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > The MacArthur High School Facebook page is getting a lot of traffic as a result of this. Mostly mocking, calling out the principal and police as racist, bigoted, and stupid. I wonder how long it will take before it dies down? Oh, not long – teenage attention spans, y’know. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/196 "2015-09-17T18:44:27Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Is it a requirement to have a room temperature IQ to be a school admin or police official? Peter principle. Google it, grok it, live with it. Every second of every day. Seriously though, the police and schools (and the armed forces and the postal service, for that matter) have one thing in common : a budget that wins the limbo competition every year and salaries to match. Competent administrators go somewhere they expect to earn at least a little more than one Mars bar (second hand), a handful of old socks (no match among them) and all the lint you can fit inside one pocket. Per annum. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/197 "2015-09-17T19:15:06Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Is it a requirement to have a room temperature IQ to be a school admin or police official? In Texas? You don’t need that to be governor. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/198 "2015-09-17T19:23:48Z")
> [@aaelghat](#): > > Right. I am asking why he didn’t speak up after-the-fact. As far as I know the 3-day suspension is/was still in effect. Even after the arrests, if I was the engineering teacher I’d feel a responsibility to try and speak up on behalf of the student. I thought that the school should cancel the suspension, but he needs the time to respond to the White House and just about every CEO in Silicon Valley who are saying building clocks and stuff is exactly what made them successful. He has already been offered one internship. I didn’t see the debate last night. Did this come up? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/199 "2015-09-17T19:36:56Z")
While I support Ahmed, and wish him well, and think that what happened to him really sucked, I also think that the adulation that is being heaped on him is a bit over the top and kind of embarrassing for our side. He’s not a great hero, or some electronic genius, he’s a bright kid who soldered a few bits together and got mistreated by a bunch of bigots for an afternoon. He deserves an apology from the administration, a reversal of his suspension, and possibly a minor legal settlement, not a trip to the white house, Space camp, MIT tuition and a year supply of rice-a-roni or what ever other wonderful prizes are found behind door number 2. At this point he is pretty much being used by all those groups who want to appear to be “doing something” about the cause of the moment. Its not really that different from the $840,000 that was raised by homophobic pizza, with the exception that Ahmed seems like a nice kid and isn’t actually asking for the shower of gifts. The problem with this is that all the attention a resources go to one lucky person rather than spread out among the general need. It reminds me of the [Red Cross after 9/11](http://edition.cnn.com/2001/US/11/06/rec.charity.hearing/index.html). They recieved more donations than they could possibly spend on the 9/11 victims but when they tried to shuffle some of the money to other causes that actually needed it they got smacked down hard. Far better to give to a Muslim anti-defimation league than to send Ahmed to MIT which he may or may not even what to go to. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454/200 "2015-09-17T19:38:58Z")
He’s said he does dream of going to MIT. As for the suspension, since he’s looking to transfer out of there anyway, it doesn’t really matter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ro-this-is-totally-going-to-kill-bring-your-clock-to-school-day/731454.md?page=11)