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Saturday, September 26, 2015

TICK TOCK I’M JUST A CLOCK


TICK TOCK I’M JUST A CLOCK

A cranky opinion for

CRANKY OPINION SATURDAY

The following is the opinion of a cranky old man with limited knowledge of all the facts.  Opposing views will be tolerated, but please, no name calling, and that means you, you big stupid head!

A grade school kid shaped a piece of bread like a gun and was suspended…zero tolerance.

A first grader pointed his finger like a gun and was suspended…zero tolerance.

A kindergartener kissed a little girl on the cheek and was suspended…zero tolerance.

Students are suspended for wearing a shirt with a gun, having a religious symbol, or bringing a pen knife to class…zero tolerance.

No questions asked, you know the rules…zero tolerance.

A kid named Ahmed Mohamed brings a “clock” in a case with wires and plugs and circuits that looks way more like a bomb than any piece of bread has ever looked like a gun and the country is outraged when he is suspended.   Apparently zero tolerance is suspended if it might offend someone named Ahmed Mohamed.

This kid seems very nice.  He has not caused any problems that have been reported, but then every time some nut job comes out of left field and starts killing people all you hear from his neighbors and friends is, “I would not have expected something like this in a million years, he was such a nice, quiet kid.”

Now let’s just suppose the teacher said, “Hey, he says it’s a clock, it’s probably a clock,” and the friggin clock turns out to be a bomb and a whole bunch of kids are hurt.  I’ll bet that teacher would be in hot water.
Real suitcase bomb


Personally I think the school overacted to this bomb looking clock.  They could have called in an expert to confirm the device was not a bomb.  When it was determined it was safe they then could have advised Ahmed that it was improper in this day and age to bring to school something that looks like a bomb.  There are many reasons it is a bad idea to bring a bomb looking device to school and there are many reasons a school has a zero tolerance rule.

I think zero tolerance should have warnings, and provide for a modicum of common sense.  A kid should get a warning about shaping bread into a gun, pointing his finger or kissing a cheek, and if a kid innocently brings a clock to school that looks like a bomb he should get no more than a slap on the wrist.

I also have to ask, “Who told him to bring a clock to school?  Was it part of a project?  Did he tell anyone he what he was bringing in to school?”  I don’t think so, not from any reports I read.  I also get the feeling from what I read that Ahmed had a bit of attitude when questioned.  He just said it is a clock and was a bit annoyed that he wasn’t automatically believed.

So a kid chews a piece of bread into the shape of a gun and is suspended and people think it was ridiculous, but no one raised any money for him or offered him a job, or gave him an invitation to meet the President.

A kid walks into school with a clock which, and I have seen the pictures,  God Dammit it looks like a friggin bomb, and not like any clock I’ve ever seen and there is thousands of dollars raised for him, a Facebook executive offers him a job, and the President asks him to come to the White House.
Ahmed's clock
And by the way, in what universe is it a great scientific achievement to builds a clock that is as big as the suitcase it came in?  Have you seen a wrist watch?  They are pretty small.  Do you know that most cell phones also tell time?  Why are people all gaga over a kid that has built a clock that needs a handle to be carried? Why is he being treated so special?

I’ll bet if his name was Bob Peterson the school’s reaction would have been no different, and it wouldn’t have been a story.

The preceding was the opinion of a cranky old man, and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky.

12 comments:

  1. Back in the 50's, my little brother took a grenade that had been emptied out and turned into an ashtray to school. He got in all kinds of trouble and never did get it back. I guess boys just can't help themselves. (No offense)
    Just to be on the safe side, I'm throwing out all my clocks so no one will mistake them for bombs. Sheesh!!

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  2. As a school insider, I assure you that zero tolerance is zero tolerance, whether it was Bob or Ahmed who brought the questionable device.

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  3. I'd hate to be a teacher these days. They're damned if the do and damned if they don't .

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  4. I have a feeling we have not heard the last of this story. All has not been told. Double standards exist everywhere these days, and political correctness is the norm. Some day this will come back to haunt us. I thought "equal" meant "equal". Silly me.!

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  5. Yep, we know why he gets a pass and an invite to the white house. I'm so sick of those that are crucified and those that are given a pass. So sick.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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  6. I agree with everything you said, especially the questions you asked. The PC police were working overtime with this one.

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  7. I remember when I first saw his project, I thought, "dang that looks like a bomb to me." The way the world is today, caution is a must. I agree with Val however. I think "Bob" would have been in handcuffs also.

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  8. You make several good points. I suspect that there is more to this story than meets the eye. I have a feeling more information will come out about this, and it will leave a bad taste in the mouths of those who have leapt to this boy's defense.

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  9. So...should the kid who chewed a piece of bread into the shape of a gun get an invite to the White House, too? Just kidding. Maybe the kid could toast the bread and get an image of Jesus...OK, I'll quit. :-)

    I'm waiting for the rest of the story to come out. Personally, I think EVERYBODY just might be overreacting to this. Not knowing enough about this, I suspect that Ahmed maybe did show some (typical teenage) attitude and the teachers possibly wanted to get back at him by having him arrested. From what I understand (and like I said, I may just not have all the info), the school was never evacuated. If they really thought it was a bomb, wouldn't that be the first thing to do?

    And I so agree with you, all that stuff about kids getting suspended for bread shaped like a gun and fingers pointed like a gun - that's just crazy.

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  10. I read that it was a science project and he had first showed it to his science teacher who praised him for it. He then went to English class and the teacher went ballistic. But, I wasn't there. I don't know for sure.

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