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Kiera Wilmot is going to Space Camp

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Re: Kiera Wilmot is going to Space Camp

#31

Post by nitrogen »

adamdavis wrote: post #26
marssaxman wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An appropriate negative consequence for this particular stupid thing might have been, for example, a stern admonishment not to do that again, with some explanation of the protocols involved in getting permission for such an experiment. Felony charges are ludicrous, a mindless reaction.

So a question, do scientists not make a distinction between blowing things up for fun and blowing things up for an organized scientific experiment? I understand that blowing things up and having fun can be part of a scientific experiment, but that doesn't mean any time that someone makes an explosion that they're participating in a scientific experiment, unless we're using a very loose definition of the word.

My favorite science teachers in high school and junior high blew things up for fun all the time. Curiosity is the important factor driving people into science.

Re: Kiera Wilmot is going to Space Camp

#32

Post by hkmurakami »

dopamean wrote: post #7

As a black guy raised by his mother and who has a sister who works in tech this whole ordeal really bugged me. I like to hear stories of girls getting involved in science and technology and Kiera's story was the exact opposite. Like another commenter here said, I dont know if she will be the next brilliant scientist. However, I do know that she is a curious kid and her curiosity should be encouraged and developed eve…

Like Kiera Wilmot, like Zach Sobiech [1], like Aaron Swartz, we collectively tend to "wait until it's too late" before recognizing and appreciating special things about people around us.

I think we can do better to recognize, encourage, and support those around us who go beyond what they're told to do or what may seem prudent. I'll be doing my best to combat that urge to scoff at things at first glance -- that bad habit that gets even the best of us at times.

[1] This has been making the rounds on SNS sites but in case you haven't seen it: http://www.upworthy.com/this-kid-just-died-what-he-left-behi...

Re: Kiera Wilmot is going to Space Camp

#33

Post by adamdavis »

nitrogen wrote: post #31
adamdavis wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So a question, do scientists not make a distinction between blowing things up for fun and blowing things up for an organized scientific experiment? I understand that blowing things up and having fun can be part of a scientific experiment, but that doesn't mean any time that someone makes an explosion that they're participating in a scientific experiment, unless we're using a very loose definition of the word.

My favorite science teachers in high school and junior high blew things up for fun all the time. Curiosity is the important factor driving people into science.

Of course, and I'm not arguing that explosions have no place in science, but I'm not sure if this answers the question I posed.

Re: Kiera Wilmot is going to Space Camp

#36

Post by fyi80 »

rz2k wrote: post #28
maaku wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Charges weren't exactly dropped. She plead guilty in order to get into a diversion program and have her record sealed.

I kind of wonder why having her record sealed would matter at all. I suppose it helps keep her off of inconvenient watch lists, but the extensive coverage has almost made her a public figure.

Being famous isn't a problem. (It's a huge benefit, as we see in this article) Being on some official bureaucratic "troublemaker" list is the problem.

Re: Kiera Wilmot is going to Space Camp

#37

Post by nitrogen »

adamdavis wrote: post #33
nitrogen wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My favorite science teachers in high school and junior high blew things up for fun all the time. Curiosity is the important factor driving people into science.

Of course, and I'm not arguing that explosions have no place in science, but I'm not sure if this answers the question I posed.

I think that the definition of a "scientific" experiment should include harmless fun that leads to an exploration of science. I'd argue that children (young children especially) are the world's most active scientists. Every time they throw something, climb something, jump off of something, fall down, get up, etc. they're conducting a physics experiment.

If calling a just-for-fun HCl+Al bomb a science experiment helps the world to gain another scientist, or even just a well-rounded, open minded, curious adult, then yes, let's blur the distinction between blowing stuff up for fun and "science".

Re: Kiera Wilmot is going to Space Camp

#38

Post by maaku »

rz2k wrote: post #28
maaku wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Charges weren't exactly dropped. She plead guilty in order to get into a diversion program and have her record sealed.

I kind of wonder why having her record sealed would matter at all. I suppose it helps keep her off of inconvenient watch lists, but the extensive coverage has almost made her a public figure.

You ever filled out an application and gotten to that ubiquitous question: "Have you ever been arrested for ... or charged with ..."?

Sure, this case will always be on the internet, unfortunately. But at least then someone googling will get some context. At the very least she doesn't have to (legally) lie on that question after this.

Re: Kiera Wilmot is going to Space Camp

#39

Post by SwellJoe »

nsxwolf wrote: post #11

I'm glad the charges were dropped. No one was hurt and that fact needs to be considered before ruining a kid's life. But in all likelihood she built a Drano bomb, probably after watching one of the millions of YouTube videos on the subject, and blew it up on school property. She's not a martyr for science, nor a role model for girls in STEM, and frankly it is a little offensive that's the line people are sticking wit…

I made Drano bombs and set them off on school property when I was a kid, and I turned out pretty good. I mostly pay my taxes and everything. It's not my understanding that that's what happened here, but if it is, it's still a tragedy that this notion of charging a child with a felony for tinkering with interesting chemical reactions got as far as it did.

Children are expected to behave irresponsibly. Adults should be expected to behave responsibly. It is horribly irresponsible to attempt to ruin a child's life over a mistake that lots of kids have made and will make in the future. This is a stern talking to situation, not a "call the feds, it's time to put this kid in jail" situation, and every adult that signed off on the idea of taking this to a criminal level should be really ashamed of themselves.

Re: Kiera Wilmot is going to Space Camp

#40

Post by bitwize »

SwellJoe wrote: post #39
nsxwolf wrote: post #11

I'm glad the charges were dropped. No one was hurt and that fact needs to be considered before ruining a kid's life. But in all likelihood she built a Drano bomb, probably after watching one of the millions of YouTube videos on the subject, and blew it up on school property. She's not a martyr for science, nor a role model for girls in STEM, and frankly it is a little offensive that's the line people are sticking wit…

I made Drano bombs and set them off on school property when I was a kid, and I turned out pretty good. I mostly pay my taxes and everything. It's not my understanding that that's what happened here, but if it is, it's still a tragedy that this notion of charging a child with a felony for tinkering with interesting chemical reactions got as far as it did. Children are expected to behave irresponsibly. Adults should be…

If she was making Drano bombs, she should have been punished.

With a few days' detention, tops.

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