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Police Called Over 11-Year-Old's Science Project
garg0yle writes "Police in San Diego were called to investigate an 11-year-old's science project, consisting of 'a motion detector made out of an empty Gatorade bottle and some electronics,' after the vice-principal came to the conclusion that it was a bomb. Charges aren't being laid against the youth, but it's being recommended that he and his family 'get counseling.' Apparently, the student violated school policies — I'm assuming these are policies against having any kind of independent thought?"
It really comes down to how inept the school officials have shown themselves to be. I'm an optimistic person but stories like this make me worry.
Just take a look at United Nuclear or this book to see some serious science fair projects, and imagine how some of those would of went down for the poor kid!
On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
If you RTFA, it looks like the cops are saying that they should get counseling because the kid and parents were upset by the incident.
Regardless of whether the search was reasonable, do you realize how misled you (and many others, including those who've responded to you) have been by the summary's "scare quotes"? The summary makes it sounds like the kid is being sent in for "reprogramming".
I'm probably wasting my time typing this, because it won't change anything anyway. Slashdotters will primarily continue to curse the way the government misleads the citizens, then turn around and fall for this kind of crap.
Looking at the article, it sounds as if he brought his own personal project in, not something for a science class. It sounds like he's a bit of an electronics nut, and brought something in to show his friends which the teachers then found suspicious. I can kind-of see both sides, but I don't think the boy has any blame. I used to do this all the time when I was at school, in fact I'm pretty sure the things we used to do during lunch break in the science and computer labs would get us suspended or arrested these days.
Here's the Contact Us page for Millennial Tech Middle School.
http://www.mtechmiddle.org/apps/contact/?rn=8783875
Maybe if enough people ask, they'll actually tell someone why they have a complete fucking moron in a position of scholastic authority over their kids.
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
Reading the article (I know, but someone has to :-) ) it seems that it wasn't a Science Fair project, it was just something the kid had been playing around with at home and then brought it in to show his friends. The kid violated school policies and that is why they said he should get counselling.
So the school has a policy banning kids from being inventive and wanting to show that inventiveness off. Anyway - thats one kid the school system has scared off technology - well done San Diego Unified School District.
What we should all do is send letters of protest to the school. I have just written them asking them to apologize to the student and his family. I have suggested that the vice principal in question should be counseled on the proper way to react in such a situation. I know the chances of the school issuing an apology is low, but enough of public pressure will eventually force them to. And anyone who lives near this school should be their for the next board meeting to protest what has been done. You can contact them here: http://www.mtechmiddle.org/apps/contact/
Cation to all about the link in the above. It will resize your browser window repeatedly if you have javascript and flash enabled. Some warning would have been nice from the parent about that.
All of the above was encrypted with a Quad ROT-13 method. Unauthorized decryption is in violation of the DMCA.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Sure. I'll save you the read: there is nothing relevant in there.
http://www.mtechmiddle.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=58810&type=d&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=87933&hideMenu=1&rn=6634111
Their About Us/Mission and Vision Statement is a gas, though.
I am sorry to tell you this guys but, you (USA) have lost the war against terrorism.
The Terrorists have won and brought your society to their knees.
Sorry.
Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'I can't configure Debian'
Those who can do,
those who can't teach,
From every good teacher you ever had:
Fuck You.
Funny thing is; had it indeed been a bomb, they would have been too late as it was already inside the building.
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