A simple clock created from everyday school supplies would seem impressive, which was the intention when Ahmed Mohamed brought one to school on Monday, the 14th. Yet his teacher saw this in a different way.
Ahmed, a freshman attending MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas, entered school with a clock made out of a pencil case in hand, excited to show off his invention. His teacher, who was expected to be in awe, immediately assumed that the project had been a “hoax bomb,” and called authorities thereafter. The only answer Ahmed could provide for the police’s questioning was the simple fact that he had built a clock and nothing more.
The news, as it always does, rapidly escalated and spread throughout social media due to its controversiality. Most users reacted to the event furiously and thought of the case as an act of racially based ignorance, calling out Ahmed’s high school for the assumption that the student’s device was terror-related because of his ethnic background and religious beliefs. Hashtags on twitter began to trend, such as #IStandWithAhmed, which was created to unite supporters of his work and ambitions. Some took the opposite road and continually racially attacked Ahmed, while another group of people has created theories such as the accusation that the teenager had purposefully made the bomb look threatening. Richard Dawkins, known for his achievements in the scientific world, had been criticised online for reportedly questioning Ahmed’s motives. Ultimately, the arrest was quickly reprimanded and the charges were dropped. Ahmed says that he was not botheredby the fact that the police arrested him, but by how he was suspended for the rest of the school week.
By the end of said week, Ahmed, who hopes to attend MIT, has already switched schools, and was, in fact, requested to enroll in multiple schools in the area. After about a week, he continues to receive support, including an invite to the White House from our president, and continues to fight through stereotypes.
Featured Photo: Ahmed Mohamed, pictured with his computer. Photo complements of Dallas News.
