[eric12341]

I recently saw a story today that outraged me, this story is also accompanied by a petition site so the unfair decision would be reversed. Basically it's about an African American female who was a straight A student and got unfairly expelled and prosecuted for doing a science experiment. I'm posting this story and petition to get some more signatures onto it. I have already done the same on my Facebook but for something like this it has to reach the most people possible so without further adue:

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-...t-kiera-wilmot

And the story:

The effects of unchecked criminalization: Teen charged with felony for science experiment

[mase123987]

I'll be honest, I didn't read much past the quotes in the story, but unless there is some type hard evidence, bringing up race is just plain click-bait. Frankly, that tactic is used WAY too often on blogs and major news sites.

That said, I do agree that the school over-reacted big time. Obviously there should be some type of punishment but criminal charges? That is just ridiculous!

[Curtieson]

I'll be honest, I didn't read much past the quotes in the story, but unless there is some type hard evidence, bringing up race is just plain click-bait. Frankly, that tactic is used WAY too often on blogs and major news sites.

I agree 1000% but couldn't post this same thought from my phone before going to bed last night. I hate the fact that race was even brought up in the article yet alone this forum's post about the article. Racism exists because of articles like this.

Why was she doing an experiment all by herself anyway? Stupidity is an excuse to make bombs at school now? Is it OK to bring dynamite to school? No. What about firecrackers? What about snap-pops? Where do you draw the line and how big of an explosion is acceptable?? "Zero Explosions" sounds about right.

I do agree with the article in that the punishment is WAY severe just to make an example of her, which sucks...but it is better to just expel one girl than let other kids think they too can "experiment in the name of science" and make an even bigger explosion that takes someone's hand off.

[jaj324]

Not sure why any sane person would read an article on that ridiculous website anyway. MSNBC and the Huff Post not liberal enough for you?

[squire777]

Why was she doing an experiment all by herself anyway? Stupidity is an excuse to make bombs at school now? Is it OK to bring dynamite to school? No. What about firecrackers? What about snap-pops? Where do you draw the line and how big of an explosion is acceptable?? "Zero Explosions" sounds about right.

I do agree with the article in that the punishment is WAY severe just to make an example of her, which sucks...but it is better to just expel one girl than let other kids think they too can "experiment in the name of science" and make an even bigger explosion that takes someone's hand off.

Overreact a bit much?

It was stupid to expel her on those grounds and a complete overreaction by all involved. She should have been sent to the principal's office, and probably sent home for a day at most. Next thing you know making baking soda and vinegar volcanoes will be outlawed too. It's just another sign of society losing its common sense.

And I'm not saying race played a part here, but it's naive to think that blacks or other minorities don't face double standards in their day to day activities.

[Curtieson]

It was stupid to expel her on those grounds and a complete overreaction by all involved. She should have been sent to the principal's office, and probably sent home for a day at most. Next thing you know making baking soda and vinegar volcanoes will be outlawed too. It's just another sign of society losing its common sense.

And I'm not saying race played a part here, but it's naive to think that blacks or other minorities don't face double standards in their day to day activities.

Do we know what she actually created? What she used to make the explosion? Did she think it was OK to make Cleaner Bombs? [When you mix aluminium foil and something like toilet bowl cleaner]

You have to think, she was doing this at 7:00...so it was WELL thought out...she packed the materials at home and deliberately waited until she got to school to put them together. The article even states she didn't know how it would react, but yet she knew they would react enough that she brought them with her to school to mix together.

You bring up another experiment, where we know the chemicals involved and the reaction they will make. I agree that if they are controlled it is fine (as in, done in a science room) but if someone mixes 20 lbs of baking soda with vinegar "in the name of science" they should also be disciplined.

And I'm not saying race played a part here, but it's naive to think that blacks or other minorities don't face double standards in their day to day activities.

it is naive to think that ANYONE doesn't have some sort of a double standard due to their color. It is a double standard that a white can't say the N word but a black can say it whenever they want (and take full liberty of that on YouTube every day). People face double standards...not just minorities.

[Curtieson]

Ohh shoot, I was right, haha. She made a Toilet Bomb. Hell yea she should be expelled!!! She knew what would happen, I am sure she saw it on YouTube and knew it would make a loud noise and explosion.

There is no excuse for that! Bringing up your double standards...people keep bringing up the fact that she is an all A student (was?), black, and a young girl. As if to say if she was a white boy with C's that it would be more understandable as to why they made a bomb and more acceptable to expel them. I think her being expelled is a huge step in equality for both Blacks and Women.

Florida School Responds to Criticism for Expelling Student Over Science Project: "There Are Consequences to Actions" - Miami - News - Riptide 2.0

[eric12341]

I'll be honest, I didn't read much past the quotes in the story, but unless there is some type hard evidence, bringing up race is just plain click-bait. Frankly, that tactic is used WAY too often on blogs and major news sites.

That said, I do agree that the school over-reacted big time. Obviously there should be some type of punishment but criminal charges? That is just ridiculous!

It's not about race it's the fact that she is being unfairly prosecuted over doing something she had no idea what would happen. Now if she actually knew then it would be a different story. Her life could be ruined if she's actually prosecuted. Blogs bring up race because it is a racially enhanced issue. Minorities are disproportionately targeted in our justice system and often face harsher penalties than whites for the same crimes. Additionally their chances of finding employment are also much lower, especially if they're a convicted felon.

Not sure why any sane person would read an article on that ridiculous website anyway. MSNBC and the Huff Post not liberal enough for you?

That was the link provided in the statement on the petition site. This isn't a liberal or conservative issue, this is an issue in American society, I believe that all Americans/human beings should take a stand against this.

[Laura Knotek]

Here's a good article, written by a scientist, that does not bring up race at all. Kiera Wilmot’s chemistry explosion: Is she more like Oliver Sacks or Dzhokhar Tsarnaev? - Slate Magazine

[Letros]

As a chemist, I've done crazier **** than this out of curiosity. It's nice that science peaked her interest, usually "the works bomb" will do it, and she should have done this with a qualified adult supervision, or explained to her the chemistry behind it. She is creating hydrogen gas, make enough of it, and you'll blow up the bottle at worst get it near heat and you have an explosion. Should they take mercy on her because no one got hurt? Maybe, idk, whatever scares her enough to get it across that chemistry isn't a game.

And its laughable that they are trying to make it an issue on race, should they punish her less because she's black? That is equivalent to what they are saying.

[mase123987]

It's not about race it's the fact that she is being unfairly prosecuted over doing something she had no idea what would happen. Now if she actually knew then it would be a different story. Her life could be ruined if she's actually prosecuted. Blogs bring up race because it is a racially enhanced issue. Minorities are disproportionately targeted in our justice system and often face harsher penalties than whites for the same crimes. Additionally their chances of finding employment are also much lower, especially if they're a convicted felon.


That was the link provided in the statement on the petition site. This isn't a liberal or conservative issue, this is an issue in American society, I believe that all Americans/human beings should take a stand against this.

You and the story brought up race. You don't bring up the race of the person unless it is thought that it has something to do with it.

[eric12341]

You and the story brought up race. You don't bring up the race of the person unless it is thought that it has something to do with it.

Well being a minority myself and a sociology graduate, it's pretty hard not to think or suspect that this is racially enhanced. Especially when the same person that's trying to convict her failed to convict someone who accidentally shot his brother, here's that story:
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/ripti...osecutor_w.php

[mase123987]

Well being a minority myself and a sociology graduate, it's pretty hard not to think or suspect that this is racially enhanced. Especially when the same person that's trying to convict her failed to convict someone who accidentally shot his brother.

Not every story with a minority involved is race based. Very few are. The reason a lot of people are sick about hearing about race situations is that the race card to brought up WAY WAY WAY too much. I agree criminal charges is way overboard, but that doesn't make it a race issue.

[falconrap]

I don't think this is race based at all. I do believe, however, that stupidity is involved. Bureaucratic stupidity. When I was around 10 years old, me and another kid were mixing chemicals in a small cup, placed on a cinder brick, in the middle of a field, and lighting them to see how they burned. Cool stuff, until the grass caught fire and we couldn't put it out with a hose. The fire department came and dealt with the fire, which got to be a couple dozen feet in diameter in size, but low in flame height. We were in big trouble...with our parents. The fire department chief had a good, hard, stern talk he gave us about what we had done. We were told if we did it again we would be in serious trouble. And that was the end of that. This was around 1981. Back when we were still relatively free.

Now, kids get suspended for drawing pictures of guns (oooo...how scary!). The idiocy of this whole debacle is that a teenager, who could end up going into science (she clearly has a desire to learn about the subject), could end up with a felony record and serving time. And all for a bottle that went "pop" and blew a little smoke, harmlessly away from everyone else. It's utterly ridiculous to expel her and do this unless malice is proven to be her intent. Otherwise, suspend her for 10 days, make her do 20 hours of community service at the school, and let her continue to learn, but make sure she knows that any future curiosity needs to be properly supervised. That's how we used to do things in the USA.

[squire777]

I larf when people say the race card is played way too much, as if minorities should wait for permission before they can feel offended.

Race card played too much? Maybe people are becoming more discriminatory in a society where there are more and more visible minorities all around us.

[mase123987]

I larf when people say the race card is played way too much, as if minorities should wait for permission before they can feel offended.

Race card played too much? Maybe people are becoming more discriminatory in a society where there are more and more visible minorities all around us.

Just because someone feels something is race based, doesn't make it so. I have seen people play the race card to avoid getting fired at a job when they knew darn well race had nothing to do with it. Company was just afraid of lawsuits.

And no I do not think our society is getting more discriminatory as the demographics get more diverse.

[Curtieson]

We are all the minority of something...I am from Michigan, there are more people in America NOT from Michigan, so in birthplace demographics I am a minority. Just somewhere along the lines someone said you only can speak of minorities when talking about skin color, and not actual upbringing.

I don't think this is race based at all. I do believe, however, that stupidity is involved. Bureaucratic stupidity.

Bringing up stories of the good old days isn't going to change anything...we live in a different day and age, you can't keep going by rules written 30 years ago because people don't play by those rules anymore and they are killing people for the thrill of it.

OK, so no harm no foul with this because she didn't tape down the cap. What if she had though? Meaning the explosion would come out the side of the bottle. Meh...not that much worse really... Now, what if she had also attached thumbtacks to the side of the bottle creating makeshift shrapnel? Is that the line we are drawing then?

What if another kid came to school and just wrote the word "Bomb" in spray paint on the front door. I bet you $10 that kid gets expelled. Obviously with just a can of paint they aren't planning on hurting anyone, just screaming out for attention. In this girls story, she actually MADE a bomb, but just because it is a common recipe we are saying it is OK?

[Curtieson]

In the end...location, location, location. As the other article posted written by the scientist said, if she did this at home we wouldn't have a clue about her. She decided to do it at school though, and that is why we know her story and why she is in trouble. (And IMO, rightfully so)

[berty6294]

Wow, you're not even allowed in the lab rooms without teacher supervision let alone are you allowed to bring chemicals to school! I have no problem with the way the situation was handled, this girl wouldn't be able to do this "experiment" without being sneaky. She knew she wasn't allowed to do what she did.

[Dazzi]

Wow, you're not even allowed in the lab rooms without teacher supervision let alone are you allowed to bring chemicals to school! I have no problem with the way the situation was handled, this girl wouldn't be able to do this "experiment" without being sneaky. She knew she wasn't allowed to do what she did.

So true -- end of the day she did wrong, and she should be disciplined. It doesn't matter what colour she is. The fact is the way she sneaked around -- in my experience, the only people who sneak around, are the ones who have something to hide.

Furthermore, the OP is forgetting about the Boston bomber, who was a well liked student? Nobody would of guessed he would of done anything like he did.

So my question to the OP is: Can you honestly blame government officials for what they have done?

I don't know how the American justice system works, but over here in the UK she would get charged, be investigated. And if there's nothing dodgy about her and her family, and it is also proven without a doubt she didn't have any bad intentions. Then the case would get thrown out of court.

[jaj324]

There is a 1/2 black man in the White House. The race card players and race baiters need to shut up and move one. Barack has ruined it for you. When bad things happen to you now you must face the fact that it's actually your fault, not something that happened years ago by people that none of us ever knew.
Sent from my AT&T Cali Blue HTC 8x using Board Express

[FinancialP]

You know what they say about the race card players...

[lolpetewtf]

Absolute over reaction on the OPs part. Weak, dude.

[squire777]

Did you hear the news everyone, there is a Black president so that means there is no more racism in the US!!!11! WOOO!!

[berty6294]

Racism does not exist anymore for god sake. But dam me if this thread isn't enough proof that reverse racism exists! (I know that's technically still just racism, but I'm sure you know what I mean)