Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) gave his support Thursday to Ahmed Mohamed, the 14-year-old who was arrested Monday for bringing a homemade clock to his suburban Dallas high school.
“The last thing we want to do is put handcuffs on a kid unjustifiably,” Abbott said in the Dallas Morning News. “Just call this a tragic situation. It looks like the commitment to law enforcement may have gone too far and didn’t balance all the facts.”
Though the Sudanese-American teenager was not charged with a crime, Abbott said police must create an environment that protects civil rights.
“One of the most important things that law enforcement and school officials can do is to insure the safety and security of students in the classroom,” he said.
Abbott went on to praise Ahmed’s skills. The teen has received invitations to the White House, Facebook and support from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
This echoed the sentiment of a letter sent to parents by Irving Independent School District on behalf of MacArthur High School principal Daniel Cummings.
“Our school is cooperating fully with the ongoing police investigation, and we are handling the situation in accordance with the Irving ISD Student Code of Conduct and applicable laws. Please rest assured that we will always take necessary steps to keep our school as safe as possible,” Cummings wrote.
