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From The Reporter’s Notebook
High schooler Ahmed Mohamed was arrested on Monday after police and teachers thought his homemade clock was a “movie bomb.” The fourteen-year-old, who was wearing a NASA T-shirt when he was arrested, described his hobbies as “inventing stuff.”
Ahmed received invites to Facebook, MIT, University of Texas at Austin and the White House—an indication that the internet is collectively invested in keeping his scientific inquiry alive. But, asks TPM’s Caitlin Cruz, in an age of education where we want to encourage STEM, computer science and scientific inquiry, how can we ensure children of color—like Ahmed—aren’t left behind?
Say What?!
“I never attacked him on his looks and believe me, there is plenty of subject matter right there. That I can tell you.”
– Trump dissed Rand Paul’s looks at the beginning of last night’s debate.
BUZZING: Today in the Hive
From a TPM Prime member: “I expect that the child’s religious beliefs did factor into the hysteria, but it’s possible for this type of hysteria to affect any child. Between zero tolerance, the criminalization of school discipline issues, and school administrators who are reluctant to make anything approximating a judgment call, this is simply another example in a long like of stupid responses to non-threats, whether we’re talking about a child bringing a butter knife to school for the purpose of peeling an orange (or a pear, or who tries to take home a plastic knife that he received from the school at lunch), a child who bites a pop tart to vaguely resemble a gun, or a child who works with electronics and actually makes something that should give him bragging rights as opposed to jail time. I have been frustrated by “zero tolerance” rules for a long time, but add a dash of over-criminalization and hysterial and wow… things can actually get worse.”
Related: The teen arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school has been invited to MIT, UT Austin and Facebook.
Have something to add? Become a Prime member and join the discussion here.
What We’re Reading
A Donald Trump dictionary. (New York Magazine)
Google Maps now shows you if climate change will put your home underwater. (Mic)
Scientists have engineered yeasts that can make important constituents of marijuana. (The New York Times)
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