This story from San Diego seems like a typical case of bureaucratic over-reaction. A school vice principal decided that a student’s science project may have been a bomb, so he set in motion events leading to a school evacuation. Without knowing further details, that decision may have been at least somewhat reasonable, but the part of the story that seems completely absurd is that the authorities (not clear whether the story is talking about school authorities or local cops, or whoever) want the student and parents to get counseling – even though it was determined that the science project was harmless and that a search of the home revealed nothing hazardous. I first saw this story on Instapundit and I fully agree that the student’s family should sue the school:
Students were evacuated from Millennial Tech Magnet Middle School in the Chollas View neighborhood Friday afternoon after an 11-year-old student brought a personal science project that he had been making at home to school, authorities said. …The school, which has about 440 students in grades 6 to 8 and emphasizes technology skills, was initially put on lockdown while authorities responded. Luque said the project was made of an empty half-liter Gatorade bottle with some wires and other electrical components attached. There was no substance inside. …A MAST robot took pictures of the device and X-rays were evaluated. About 3 p.m., the device was determined to be harmless, Luque said. Luque said the project was intended to be a type of motion-detector device. Both the student and his parents were “very cooperative” with authorities, Luque said. He said fire officials also went to the student’s home and checked the garage to make sure items there were neither harmful nor explosive. “There was nothing hazardous at the house,” Luque said. The student will not be prosecuted, but authorities were recommending that he and his parents get counseling, the spokesman said. The student violated school policies, but there was no criminal intent, Luque said. …Luque said both the student and his parents were extremely upset. “He was very shaken by the whole situation, as were his parents,” Luque said.
Reblogged this on aurorawatcherak and commented:
And another one … also from the US.
[…] Rhode Island boy getting in trouble for bringing toy soldiers to school. A student in San Diego who got in trouble for making a motion detector for a science project, simply because someone decided it resembled a bomb. (Of course, he wasn’t a Muslim so […]
[…] evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
[…] evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
No, don’t sue – tell them they have no business in your house or garage and defend it.
[…] evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
[…] Bureaucrats evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science experiment. […]
[…] evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
[…] evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
[…] evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
[…] evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
Exactly what/which school policy was violated? Sounds like he completed his school work to me. And Dad must not own a gasoline powered lawnmover?
[…] evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
No warrant, no search of my property. More so, I would take my child out of that school and either find another school or home school him. How is a young person going to learn if teachers do not respect their efforts on science projects and other mind expanding projects. Public schools are becoming very hazardous to our children.
[…] bureaucrats who evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
[…] bureaucrats who evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
Wow. What if they did find “explosive” material in their garage? It could literally be every day products of a liquid or powder nature. I’d never let someone search my house, especially after they were already proven to have made a mistake. Who knows what regular household products could be portrayed as bomb-making equipment?
[…] bureaucrats who evacuated a school because an 11-year old boy made a motion detector for his science […]
I wouldn’t have let the authorities search my house. They had in their possession a harmless home-made motion detector. That’s not probable cause for a search warrant.
[…] student in San Diego got in trouble for making a motion detector for a science project, simply because someone decided it resembled a […]
[…] student in San Diego got in trouble for making a motion detector for a science project, simply because someone decided it resembled a […]
[…] student in San Diego got in trouble for making a motion detector for a science project, simply because someone decided it resembled a […]
[…] student in San Diego got in trouble for making a motion detector for a science project, simply because someone decided it resembled a […]
[…] series, first featuring an example of government stupidity in the U.K., followed by an example of foolish bureaucracy in the U.S., and so on and so […]
[…] series, first featuring an example of government stupidity in the U.K., followed by an example of foolish bureaucracy in the U.S., and so on and so […]
[…] in San Diego, an 11-year old science prodigy brought a motion-detector to school as his science project. The project was made of an empty […]
[…] student in San Diego got in trouble for making a motion detector for a science project, simply because someone decided it resembled a […]
[…] student in San Diego got in trouble for making a motion detector for a science project, simply because someone decided it resembled a […]
[…] student in San Diego got in trouble for making a motion detector for a science project, simply because someone decided it resembled a […]
I did not get it… What exactly did Luque?
[…] A student in San Diego who got in trouble for making a motion detector for a science project, simply because someone decided it resembled a […]
Our economy can grow like it used to only if minds are not encapsulated in limiting bubbles and actions restricted by boxes to prevent action, other than a rule to do no harm. Government has moved in every direction to limit thought and action, all of which discourages living out of the bubble and box. Innovation, creative challenges to the way things are done, making waves and wakes, all those things that disturb the bureaucrats and civil servants among us, are the keys to boosting us back to prosperous times, as cited in Bubbles, Boxes and Individual Freedom on claysamerica.com. Satisfying the envious, the angry and the suspicious by blocking individual freedom to be different is the only answer government comes up with when addressing jobs and the economy. History has already proven that human misery is the product of government intervention into the affairs of a people. Claysamerica.com