Jailed ‘clock boy’ Ahmed’s family sues Irving school
The family of a Muslim teen arrested for taking a homemade clock to school — only to have it mistaken for a fake bomb — filed a lawsuit claiming his civil rights were violated.
Ahmed Mohamed was 14 years old last year when he brought an alarm clock he had made at home to his Dallas-area school to show his teacher, who took the clock from him.
Hours later, Mohamed was pulled from class and arrested by police. They later called the device a "hoax bomb," even though it was a clock. The Irving Independent School District suspended Mohamed for three days, anyway.
"Those are violations of his civil rights," Mohamed's attorney Susan Hutchison said at a Press conference announcing the lawsuit. "The only justice we’ve in our American legal system is money. So, we’re suing for justice."
The family has received no apology, Hutchison said, and their previous letter requesting $15m in compensation was rejected. The lawsuit asks for no specific dollar amount.
The incident thrust Mohamed into the national spotlight, earning him an invitation to the White House from President Barack Obama. The US Department of Justice launched a civil rights probe of the school district, which continues.
"I got a lot of support in the beginning, but it's the hate that sticks," Mohamed said.
He and his family have left Irving, a Dallas suburb, because of the incident, and now live in Qatar where he attends a private high school at Qatar Foundation.
"I lost my creativity, because before I used to love building things," he said, adding that while visiting his former Texas hometown, he wears a hooded sweatshirt, glasses and hat to disguise his appearance out of fear for his safety.
"Over there, it doesn't matter what religion you’re. You're still treated the same," he said.
The Irving Independent School District responded in a statement saying it "continues to deny violating the student's rights" and does "everything possible to ensure each student is achieving his or her maximum potential."
Courtesy: gulf-times.com
This boy and his family is loosing credibility with the every move they take. There is a limit to greed.
@Leon Menezes...Why should he go to Sudan when he is an American citizen.
Send him to Sudan ... Lets see what rites he has there ... This is the simple excuse of cry babies
On going ...............
i would give up an arm just to be able to study here and live here for free. lol
I believe we shouldn't be even reading this story...just ignore and let it go through. The guy was offered all that a student could ask for in the field of education. Like Brit said, Qatar offered him a new beginning, not many people get such a thing! Even people older than him struggle to get into schools and colleges here...$15m in compensation? I find this one really funny...
@brit How ungrateful! Maybe he thought he will be offered royalty treatment here. Well, i guess they only want the limelight and money.
It's been a year and they're still milking the school.
From Washington Post: …“I lost a lot of things in my life,” Ahmed recently told The Washington Post. “The number one thing people think about me is that I’m living ‘the life’ . . . But I can’t build anymore. My dad doesn’t have a job anymore. I moved from my house to an apartment. I lost my place for building things. Over [in Qatar] it’s very boring, I can’t do anything. The only thing I can do is use the Internet.”
Qatar offered him and his family a new beginning and a good life .. He went back
let it go, you have had your 15 minutes of fame. Why sue now after all this time?.
Money grabber
Great money making exercise ..