14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School • Hacker News Board

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#261

Post by exodust » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:53 PM UTC

Sounds like he was asking for it.

Notice in the video he says "he used a simple cable to lock it so it wouldn't look like a threat".

People are forgetting that there's nothing impressive about a "clock in a case". He called it an "invention". Sorry kid, you're 14, not 8. Nothing inventive about sticking a digital clock in a case.

His own engineering teacher suggested he not show it to other teachers. So what does he do? Takes it to English class where it makes beeping noises. Real smart kid, real smart.

It's a clock in a case. NASA are not interested.

Then, when first questioned he was apparently "passive aggressive", not explaining why he made it or why he brought it to school. Gee kid, you're really making all the smart moves.

Ask yourself, why would his own teacher suggest he not show it to other teachers? Here's why... his "invention" looked dodgy as all hell.

Hashtag "I'm not standing with this kid, not this time".

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#262

Post by marnett » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:53 PM UTC

This whole situation screams a breach of the poor boy's liberties.

According to TEX. FAM. CODE §51.095 [1]:

In order for a custodial written statement to be admissible, the following sequence of events must occur: 1) the officer must take the child to a magistrate; 2) the magistrate must then inform the child of his rights to remain silent, to have an attorney appointed and present during questioning and to terminate the interview at any time; 3) the child must knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waive his rights; 4) the officer may then take a statement from the child; and 5) upon completion of the statement, the child shall be taken before the magistrate again and sign the statement in the presence of the magistrate (and outside the presence of the officer), who will then certify the statement.

This makes me sick that this kid was seemingly wrongfully interrogated. Sad to see that 'doing science while brown' results in him being treated as a second class citizen.

[1]http://www.tmcec.com/public/files/File/Course%20Materials/FY...

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#263

Post by vermontdevil » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:55 PM UTC

Navarr wrote: post #18

It is definitely profiling and I bet his race had a lot to do with it. But I think the same thing would've happened if I had brought such a device to school - having been a super dark dressed goth in school, the fear would've been it's a bomb. Schools are generally very very extra worried about everything these days, suspending him was unnecessary but with it only being three days I don't see it being a terrible thin…

And the cop said (and I'm paraphrasing) "Yup that's who I thought"

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#264

Post by interpol_p » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:55 PM UTC

tdees40 wrote: post #111

vidarh wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The intent is not to legally bind her, which it obviously wouldn't. Usually the idea of having a child sign too is the idea having a child explicitly agree makes them more likely to be invested in complying. Whether or not there's any evidence that works, I don't know, but it's not quite as stupid as it might seem at first glance.

Uh, she's four.

This isn't a comment on whether the original scenario was ridiculous or not, but you'd be surprised by how incredibly aware very young people are.

Even a three year old can easily understand the significance of signing something. Especially if you, as an adult, place importance on the ritual.

Asking toddlers to promise things, to explicitly agree to future events, is a big part of preventing tantrums. Three year olds are very capable negotiators.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#265

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:55 PM UTC

monroepe wrote: post #229

witty_username wrote: post #63

> The newspaper quoted a police spokesman, James McLellan, as saying that Ahmed never claimed his device was anything but a clock, and the police have no reason to think it was dangerous. But officers still did not believe Ahmed was giving them the whole story. “We have no information that he claimed it was a bomb,” Mr. McLellan said. “He kept maintaining it was a clock, but there was no broader explanation. “It coul…

>“He kept maintaining it was a clock, but there was no broader explanation." Did it really need a broader explanation? It's a clock.

[deleted]

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#266

Post by Avenger42 » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:55 PM UTC

sp332 wrote: post #100

martincmartin wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon%27s_razor

Stupidity does not adequately explain why they are considering bringing charges of a "hoax bomb", or sent this letter home with the other students: http://www.irvingisd.net/cms/lib010/TX01917973/Centricity/Do... [PDF] Therefore, malice.

"I recommend using this opportunity to talk with your child about the Student Code of Conduct and specifically not bringing items to school that are prohibited."

As a parent, can I see the list of "items... that are prohibited"? I'd be pretty shocked if "clock" is actually on there.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#267

Post by dopamean » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:55 PM UTC

lotor wrote: post #255

From eastern europe... If a gypsy kid walks behind you you better keep guarding your belongings. Is that racist ? Yes maybe it is. But it is because most of the time THE gypsy kid is really trying to steal something from you. Should you start being careless because somebody tells you that it's racist ? Do you people really want to live in a world where gays,transgenders,gypsies,blacks,hispanics,yellows,purples are fa…

We don't have a problem with Muslim children bringing bombs to school in America. I am dumbfounded by the idiocy of this comment.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#268

Post by bedhead » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:56 PM UTC

vermontdevil wrote: post #260

nadams wrote: post #121

If anyone is actually surprised by the administrations intelligence - I should remind you of 3 events: - A teacher confiscates Linux CDs claiming that the student was essentially distributing illegal copyrighted software - because no software is free [1] - A system administrator was fired for installing/running seti@home on school computers. There is a lot of controversy about this case - but I read one news article…

There's the case of WebCamGate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbins_v._Lower_Merion_School...

Holy shit, that is one of the most insane stories I've ever heard of. How was this not made into a prominent national news story? How have tons of school administrators not wound up in prison??

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#269

Post by nadams » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:56 PM UTC

t2015_08_25 wrote: post #160

nadams wrote: post #121

If anyone is actually surprised by the administrations intelligence - I should remind you of 3 events: - A teacher confiscates Linux CDs claiming that the student was essentially distributing illegal copyrighted software - because no software is free [1] - A system administrator was fired for installing/running seti@home on school computers. There is a lot of controversy about this case - but I read one news article…

Great list. How about teacher Julie Amero, whose browser was apparently hijacked, possibly while students used it while she was out of the room resulting in students seeing nudity briefly and uninentionally [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_v._Amero

> Amongst the most noteworthy, Detective Lounsbury stated in the trial that a red link proved that Amero had deliberately clicked on the link to visit a particular pornographic page. Huge blown up pictures were shown to the jury. In fact, forensic investigation showed that the link visited color for the browser was olive green. The link was colored red because there was a font tag on the page turning the link red.

I have no comment for that.

Re: 14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Bringing Homemade Clock to School

#270

Post by raarts » Wed, Sep 16, 2015, 2:56 PM UTC

benevol wrote: post #207

userbinator wrote: post #21

Apparently the authorities have determined that the best way to stop terrorism is to discourage any manifestation of personal intelligence, so that the population turns into mindless sheep. "If you don't know how to make a clock, you won't know how to make a time bomb" is their reasoning. It is seriously disturbing. I am reminded of stories of kids opening a command prompt and being accussed of "hacking", only this i…

I find it striking that you almost never hear about such behavior occurring in Europe (correct me if I'm wrong). Any ideas why things seem to be very different there?

After living in the US as a European for 1.5 years, I've come to the conclusion that americans tend to be more afraid in general. For example I've never heard in Europe of recommendations like 'when selling stuff through craigslist always meet at a starbucks but never at home' either. Also being smart and/or nerdy actually is valued in Europe.

It may also be a Southern thing though.