Ahmed Mohamed clock incident facts for kids
Quick facts for kids .jpg)
Ahmed Mohamed in October 2015
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| Date | September 14, 2015 |
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| Venue | MacArthur High School |
| Location | Irving, Texas, United States |
| Cause | A homemade clock was mistaken for a bomb |
| Outcome | Mohamed was suspended from school for three days |
| Arrests | 1 |
| Charges | None |
| Litigation | Lawsuits filed by Mohamed's family were dismissed |
On September 14, 2015, a 14-year-old student named Ahmed Mohamed was arrested at his high school in Irving, Texas. He had brought a homemade digital clock to school to show his teachers. A teacher thought the clock looked like a bomb, which led to the police being called.
The event quickly became a major news story. Many people around the world felt that Ahmed was treated unfairly because of his background and his Muslim faith. They believed it was an example of racial profiling and Islamophobia, which is when people are judged based on stereotypes about their race or religion.
Police questioned Ahmed, handcuffed him, and took him to a youth facility before releasing him to his parents. He was suspended from school for three days, but he was not charged with any crime. The police later said they realized he did not mean to cause any harm. The incident started a global conversation about science, creativity, and how students are treated in schools.
Contents
The School Incident
Ahmed's Hobby
Ahmed Mohamed was a 14-year-old freshman in high school who loved to invent things. He enjoyed taking electronics apart and putting them back together in new ways. His friends and former teachers knew him as "Inventor Kid" because he was always making interesting gadgets.
Over a weekend, he built a digital clock using parts he found around his house. He put the clock inside a pencil case. He was proud of his creation and wanted to show it to his engineering teacher at school.
A Clock Mistaken for a Bomb
On Monday, September 14, 2015, Ahmed brought his homemade clock to school. He first showed it to his engineering teacher, who thought it was "really nice" but advised him to keep it in his backpack.
Later, in his English class, the clock's alarm beeped. The teacher asked to see it. When she saw the wires and the digital display inside the pencil case, she became concerned. She told Ahmed, "Well, it looks like a bomb."
The teacher took the clock and reported it to the principal's office. The school then called the police.
Police Are Called
The principal and a police officer came to Ahmed's class. They took him to a room to question him about the clock. Ahmed said he tried to explain that it was just a clock he had built.
After being questioned, Ahmed was handcuffed and taken to a youth detention center. He was later released to his parents. The police quickly realized that the device was not dangerous and that Ahmed had not intended to scare anyone. He was not charged with any crime. However, the school suspended him for three days.
The World's Reaction
The story of Ahmed's arrest spread quickly on the internet, especially on Twitter. The hashtag #IStandWithAhmed became very popular, with millions of people showing their support for him.
Support from Leaders and Companies
| President Obama |  |
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| @POTUS44 |
Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.
16 Sep 2015
Many famous people and leaders spoke out in support of Ahmed.
- Barack Obama, who was the U.S. President at the time, invited Ahmed to the White House for an astronomy night.
- Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, invited him to visit the Facebook headquarters.
- Companies like Google and Twitter also reached out. Google invited him to its science fair, and Twitter offered him an internship.
- Scientists and astronauts, like retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, also praised Ahmed's creativity.
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In October 2015, Ahmed visited the White House and met President Obama. The president encouraged him and other young people to stay curious and interested in science.
The School and City's Response
Officials from the school district and the city of Irving defended their actions. They said they were following safety procedures to protect all students. The mayor of Irving, Beth Van Duyne, said that school officials and police have to take any potential threat seriously. They stated that they would have done the same thing no matter which student had brought the device to school.
Life After the Incident
A Move to Qatar
After the incident, Ahmed's family decided to withdraw him and his siblings from the Irving school district. They felt the experience had been very difficult for Ahmed.
The family received an offer from the Qatar Foundation for Ahmed to study in Doha, the capital of Qatar. They accepted the scholarship and moved there in late 2015. They later returned to the United States to be closer to their relatives.
A Lasting Impact
| NASA | |
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| @NASA |
We're supporters of #STEM & inspiring kids like Ahmed to pursue their dreams. Get involved: go.nasa.gov/1NxQJIz
16 Sep 2015
The story of Ahmed and his clock started important conversations around the world. It made people think about school safety, how to encourage students' interest in science and technology (STEM), and the importance of treating everyone fairly, no matter their background. The picture of Ahmed in his NASA t-shirt became a symbol for many young inventors.
