In September 2015, the public was impressed with Ahmed Mohamed for making a clock with a circuit board and digital display. When he took the homemade clock to school to show his teachers, one of them heard the clock ticking in the classroom and thought it was a bomb. The 14-year-old student was first taken to the principal's office. Then he was arrested. The charges were later dropped, but the school suspended him for three days.
The arrest
Ahmed's arrest made headlines when it first happened, and the media dubbed him "Clock Boy." At the time, the public felt that the arrest was unwarranted.
Ahmed's family believed he was arrested because he is a Muslim. The boy received a lot of attention and support. Former President Barack Obama was impressed with the boy's knowledge of science and invited him to the White House during an astronomy event.
Discrimination charges
After the arrest, Clock Boy's father, Mohamed Mohamed withdrew both of his children from the school and filed a federal lawsuit in August 2016 against the school district, the high school that Ahmed attended, and the principal of the school, Daniel Cummings. The father claimed his son was mistreated based on his religion and ethnicity. He also claimed his son's civil rights were violated because Ahmed was interrogated for hours without a parent being present.
Since all this happened, the family said it was moving to Qatar.
The boy's attorney argued that Ahmed is a hobbyist who likes to make things like the digital clock. His device was nothing more than a clock and not a bomb or anything harmful. The teacher's misunderstanding is what resulted in the arrest and suspension of the teen.
Case dismissed
On Thursday, May 18 the federal Case was dismissed against all parties named in the lawsuit. Judge Sam Lindsay of the U.S. District Court in Texas said there was no proof of discrimination. He went through the list of those named in the lawsuit and concluded that the student's attorneys did not prove Ahmed was arrested and suspended because of his race or religion.
The federal judge stated that the principal was cleared of any charges of violating the boy's civil rights. He stated Cummings would have treated any other student the same way in similar circumstances.
A deadline of June 1 was given to the plaintiffs if they decided to file an amended complaint. According to attorney Susan Hutchison, the family intends to file again.
