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

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

#201

Post by Someone1234 »

mikehollinger wrote: post #114

It's remarkable the difference that ~20 years can make. In middle school, someone's science fair project was building an actual briefcase bomb (with clay). It had a variety of sensors, and laid out (on a tri-fold poster board, of course) the guts of how each one worked.

Even 20 years ago that is still unusual.

And even pre-9/11 I'm still not sure what the legal status of that is. Since it was designed to be a "bomb," even if it is inert, several laws do cover that.

Essentially as soon as you describe a pile of distinct legal parts as a "bomb" you've now got a class of controlled weapon even if it has no explosive components.

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

#202

Post by xacaxulu »

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…

More evidence that school serves to simply stultify the youth. Unschooling is looking more attractive all the time.

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

#203

Post by venomsnake »

mikeash wrote: post #87
jessaustin wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you really want to tie them in knots, get a bunch of small "Amazon"-type (empty) cardboard boxes, and write "BOMB" in bold letters with a magic marker on the sides. Distribute the boxes in slightly-hidden spots, like Easter eggs. Fun times! EDIT: Thanks Mike, that's a great improvement!

Make three boxes. Label them BOMB 1, BOMB 2, and BOMB 4. Put them in various places around the school. Grab some popcorn and a comfy chair.

This is an actual bomb threat. Fun, but probably a felony.

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

#205

Post by tehcodez »

chipgap98 wrote: post #37

That letter from the school just adds insult to injury. > talk with your child about the Student Code of Conduact and specifically not bringing items to school that are prohibited Since when can you not bring a clock to school?

Flavor Flav is going to be in HUGE trouble.

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

#206

Post by peeters »

This is the crux of the issue:

> “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."

Creative people don't need to have a good reason to make something. They create things because there is joy and satisfaction in creating things. It's a shame Mr. McLellan had such a boring childhood.

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

#207

Post by benevol »

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?

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

#208

Post by jordigh »

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 am reminded of stories of kids opening a command prompt and being accussed of "hacking", only this is a far more extreme case.

Happened to me when I was a kid. Opened a DOS prompt. Was labelled a dangerous mind.

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

#209

Post by mikeash »

venomsnake wrote: post #203
mikeash wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Make three boxes. Label them BOMB 1, BOMB 2, and BOMB 4. Put them in various places around the school. Grab some popcorn and a comfy chair.

This is an actual bomb threat. Fun, but probably a felony.

Well, yes. I'm not saying anyone should actually do this. But it's fun to imagine.

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

#210

Post by jellicle »

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…

Of course it won't get set straight. His "record", such as it is, will say:

- three day suspension for bringing hoax bomb to school

- arrest record, juvenile detention, child protective services called

And that's it. There's no "and then the magical internet outrage fairy came in and fixed everything".

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