The family of a Sudanese-American boy who was arrested after bringing a homemade clock to school has sued Texas school officials, saying they violated the 14-year-old boy’s civil rights, according to USA media reports. Mohamed became known as “clock boy” and embarked on a whirlwind media tour.
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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”. The charges against Ahmed was dropped yet, the school authorities went ahead to suspend him for three days.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Ahmed Mohamed, who was arrested at his suburban Dallas high school in September and charged with having a hoax bomb. It cites “a clear pattern of discrimination based upon race as well as discrimination based upon religion” in the school district.
It opens with a history of immigration (and persecution of immigrants) in America, concluding that the current “popular target” right now is “African American Muslims”.
Mohamed has contended he built the clock to display his love of electronics.
After news of his arrest emerged, supporters of Mohamed were legion. One asked “is that a bomb?” the suit says, but Mohamed explained it was a clock. The suit also says Ahmed was drilled for about an hour by police and Principal Daniel Cummings before his parents were even at the scene.
The U.S. Department of Justice is now investigating the school district on complaints of harassment and discipline of students on the basis of race, religion and national origin.
Mohamed’s family threatened a lawsuit back in November, demanding $15 million and apologies from the city and various officials.
“If an arrested student is readmitted to school, that student often suffers from emotional trauma, stigma, and embarrassment and may be monitored more closely by [campus police officers], school officials, and teachers”, he writes.
A few months after the incident Ahmed got a scholarship from Qatar and him and his family moved there as he was facing death threats in the US. This suit is not related to that previous threat, however, and does not specify an amount that Mohamed is seeking. The family later made a decision to move back to their native Qatar after the incident.
“Those are violations of his civil rights”, Mohamed’s attorney Susan Hutchison said at a press conference announcing the lawsuit.
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Lesley Weaver, the spokeswoman of Irving administration, said in a statement that district attorneys will review the lawsuit and determine a course of action.
