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Curiosity Rewarded: Florida Teen Heading to Space Camp, Not Jail

Posted by timothy on from the this-time-my-pretty dept.

Kiera Wilmot, the Florida high school student who was expelled from her school after an unauthorized science experiment was misperceived as a weapon (at least for purposes of arrest and charging), won't be going to jail. She will, though, be going to Space Camp, thanks to a crowdfunding campaign started by author and former NASA engineer Homer Hickham. All charges against her have been dropped.

8 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. Good to see intelligence rewarded for once. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It scares me shitless that my kindergartner could be kicked out of school for folding his hands and saying bang in this insane and litigious age.

    1. Re:Good to see intelligence rewarded for once. by Peter+Simpson · · Score: 5, Insightful

      " If she had thought it through a little bit more, this "experiment" wouldn't have landed her in hot water."

      IIRC, she cleared it with her teacher? Used a small amount of chemicals in an open area. That sounds pretty safe, cautious and intelligent to me. Nobody got hurt, but because the reaction was exothermic and dramatic, one observer felt someone *could* have gotten hurt. So, instead of reacting sensibly, they went off the deep end and called the police. The person lacking judgement and intelligence wa the school administrator, not the young lady.

    2. Re:Good to see intelligence rewarded for once. by serialband · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No, the teacher did not know about the experiment. The girl mixed the chemicals on the advice of "a friend." The administration overreacted, but she probably did deserve some form of punishment. Mixing chemicals in closed containers without knowing exactly what they do (she said she thought it would just produce some smoke), and without supervision, on school property? Extremely bad idea.

      The only punishment she deserved was a stern talking to. She was punished plenty by the big bang that ensued and probably scared her out of her wits. Now, she gets a reward to go to space camp. That's not quite an appropriate message either.

  2. Total Win by Murdoch5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm glad to see that at least some people have morals. Wanting to experiment with science and NOT hurting anyone in the process shouldn't be met by being kicked out of school, she's getting what she deserves.

  3. Re:I Think This Is A Bad Thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I believe rules are rules and you break them, you should be punished, not rewarded. In this case, thanks the publicity, she is greatly benefitting from breaking the rules.

    Congratulations, you are exactly what is wrong with the world. Rules are made for people, they are not sacred.

  4. Re:I Think This Is A Bad Thing by onkelonkel · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "I believe rules are rules and you break them, you should be punished, not rewarded." - Congratulations, you have met the requirements for German citizenship.

    Her being punished for an "unauthorised" science experiment will tend to discourage curiosity and scientific inquiry in other children. This is bad for America. By rewarding her we encourage curiosity and scientific inquiry, which is good for America.

    We could even get away from the mindless "zero tolerance" crap and maybe send a nuanced message. Send her to Space Camp, but have her write a paper on the risks of experimenting with homemade explosives and what safety measures she should have taken, but didn't and how it could be done more safely next time.

    --
    None of them can see the clouds; The polished wings don't care.
  5. Zero tolerance for zero tolerance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's time we started making very loud and angry noises about zero tolerance being utterly unacceptable[1]. Students need the freedom to screw up in the pursuit of fooling around with some learning.

    Things need to be exploded, burnt, and launched. Children need to have the freedom to throw balls at each other, wrestle, and do other dangerous things. Criminalizing mistakes and foolishness is as near fascist behavior as I have ever heard.

    Tomfoolery for all, everywhere!

    [1] Don't make a false equivalency between things that look scary and acts that are harmful.

  6. Re:I Think This Is A Bad Thing by crakbone · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think your confusing punishment with rehabilitation. This is a child that had bad judgement. She got her punishment, she got arrested, she got expelled, and she got charged with a felony. For a child those are all major. But on the other side she has been given a chance to push her energies into an area where she will not be endangering or causing heart attacks for school administrators. With children it is always better to drive the energy in the direction you want rather than straight up stop it.