I have a 13-year-old son who loves science and engineering, and I'd be thrilled if he built a clock all by himself—and I'd hope his teachers would be, too. Unfortunately, that's not what happened on Monday to Ahmed Mohammed, a high school freshman in Irving, Texas. When the story broke about the boy being handcuffed and taken into police custody after his English teacher deemed the homemade science project "suspicious".
My heart broke as I read the article in the Dallas Morning News, recounting how Ahmed missed his student council meeting to be interrogated by a police office who commented, “Yup. That’s who I thought it was.” As much as our nation talks a good talk about encouraging STEM education and being innovative, we're not walking the walk -- especially when it comes to students of color. And the look of terror on the skinny boy's face (wearing a NASA t-shirt, natch) in the photo of him being walked into the police station haunts me. He is just that—a boy—he looks like he could easily be one of the nerdy kids playing Minecraft in my living room. Ahmed is a Sudanese-American and also a Muslim, and investigators questioned him about his name during his interrogation. There are so many layers of racial stereotypes and assumptions at work, it was depressing.
Thank you fellow supporters. We can ban together to stop this racial inequality and prevent this from happening again pic.twitter.com/fBlmckoafU
— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 16, 2015This morning, I was heartened to read that I'm not alone. The hashtag #IStandWithAhmed is trending on Twitter, and the @IStandWithAhmed account created by the family snowballed to over 27 thousand followers.
While Ahmed's clock might not be welcome at his Texas high school, it is welcome at the White House, with President Obama tweeting his support and invitation to visit.
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.
— President Obama (@POTUS) September 16, 2015Hillary Clinton is also tweeting her support.
Assumptions and fear don't keep us safe—they hold us back. Ahmed, stay curious and keep building. https://t.co/ywrlHUw3g1
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 16, 2015And Mark Zuckerberg posted on Facebook an invitation to come meet him at headquarters. And Google and NASA employees are supporting Ahmed, as well.
You’ve probably seen the story about Ahmed, the 14 year old student in Texas who built a clock and was arrested when he...
Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Hey Ahmed, give me a call in a couple years. We could always use smart, curious & creative people. https://t.co/02a4feMrk5
— Bobak Ferdowsi (@tweetsoutloud) September 16, 2015Hey Ahmed- we're saving a seat for you at this weekend's Google Science Fair...want to come? Bring your clock! #IStandwithAhmed
— Google Science Fair (@googlescifair) September 16, 2015The Irving Police Department says its not pressing charges against Ahmed, but this conversation is far from over. Take a look at what Twitter is saying:
.@IStandWithAhmed I just ordered a NASA shirt in your honor. https://t.co/kudffOApTs
— Felicia Day (@feliciaday) September 16, 2015What if brown ppl reacted to the terrorism of white America the way that white America reacts to brown people? #standwithahmed
— Stereo Williams (@stereowilliams) September 16, 2015"Way to be creative, kid! That's exactly what we want around here. Unless you're Muslim." #standwithahmed
— Barnabas Piper (@BarnabasPiper) September 16, 2015In Grade 4 in 1978 I took a real gun, albeit 100 year old one, for show & tell. No problem. Muslim kid builds a #clock& they freak. #Ahmed
— Graham Broad (@ProfessorBroad) September 16, 2015America is busy trying to inspire kids like #Ahmed to love learning and creating, while Texas is locking kids up for being dark and smart.
— JJ Demon (@JJDemonic) September 16, 2015The look on this kid's face as he's led away in cuffs is absolutely heartbreaking. I almost can't bear it
#Ahmed
https://t.co/LXNAiHGANi
— Celeste Headlee (@CelesteHeadlee) September 16, 2015Had to pull my kid out of public school due to racism. For every Ahmed we know there are many more we don't #IStandWithAhmed
— Aisha Saeed (@aishacs) September 16, 2015Also check out the photos of people posing with their own clocks in solidarity with Ahmed:
In solidarity with @IStandWithAhmed CAIR-Chicago staff brought our clocks to work too. #IStandWithAhmedpic.twitter.com/NK9CWhyfru
— CAIR-Chicago (@cairchicago) September 16, 2015Brought my clock to work today. #IStandWithAhmed#Solidaritypic.twitter.com/h4Jr0siF1A
— Simran Jeet Singh (@SimranColumbia) September 16, 2015.@IStandWithAhmed Because building a clock is one of the first things would-be electronics geeks do. pic.twitter.com/f3ZteAy2Mo
— Emily Lakdawalla (@elakdawalla) September 16, 2015I think Ahmed has a brilliant future ahead of him, both in technology and as a young man who is growing in awareness of the extent of racism and injustice in America. I have no doubt he will be headed to the White House, Facebook, and more. But first, he has to meet with his attorneys...
Going to meet my lawyer. pic.twitter.com/YCxOOeOz3Z
— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) September 16, 2015News and Politics Editor Grace Hwang Lynch blogs about raising an Asian mixed-race family at HapaMama.