Teen invited to White House after arrest for bringing homemade clock to school
This week has clearly been a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows for a 14-year-old Texas high school student.
Reportedly arrested, handcuffed and suspended from school (although not criminally charged) after bringing a homemade alarm clock to school in an effort to connect with others interested in technology, Ahmed Mohamed also has been praised by President Barack Obama and invited to attend an October astronomy event at the White House, according to the New York Times (reg. req.).
“Cool clock, Ahmed,” said Obama on Twitter. “Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It’s what makes America great.”
Mohamed received an invitation to visit as well from Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Facebook, reports Reuters.
“Having the skill and ambition to build something cool should lead to applause, not arrest,” said Zuckerberg on his Facebook page.
A social media campaign, #IStandWithAhmed, was the top trending topic on Twitter for most of the day on Wednesday, after the news broke of Mohamed’s arrest.
Taken out of MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas, in handcuffs on Monday after he showed the clock to at least one teacher and police and school authorities became concerned about a bomb hoax, the bespectacled teen in a NASA T-shirt will now have a chance to meet NASA scientists at the October astronomy event.
Mohamed was released to his parents without immediately being charged, but suspended for three days from school and Irving police initially said an investigation was ongoing and charges were possible.
However, the Irving police chief said on Wednesday that the investigation had been closed and the teen would not be charged, reports WFAA.
“I’m thinking about transferring schools,” Mohamed said in a Wednesday news conference. His family’s lawyer and a representative of the Council on American-Islamic Relations were also present, reports the Texas Tribune.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Mechanically inclined teen who brought homemade clock to school is arrested on bomb suspicions”
