The Irving teen arrested for bringing a clock to Irving’s MacArthur High School last month spoke to NBC 5 along with his father in an exclusive interview in Washington, DC Tuesday.
Ahmed Mohamed and his family stopped in Washington, DC on the way back to Texas after several weeks overseas at the invitation of foreign dignitaries.
He briefly met President Barack Obama Monday at The White House Astronomy Night event.
“He told me he meant what he said about wishing we had more scientists and kids interested in science. And I told him, ‘soon I’ll get one of my projects on Mars.’ And he said ‘I hope you will, I hope you will,’” Mohamed said.
The teen with dreams of being an inventor has an idea about making electricity.
Mohamed said he is making the most of a bad situation by using the publicity he is receiving to spread his message against discrimination.
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“I’ve learned so much. I’m out of my shell now because you know, I used to be so nervous. But now if feel I can stand in front of those who can’t,” he said.
Mohamed appeared at a U.S. Capital news conference with a U.S. Representative who is calling for a U.S. Justice Department civil rights investigation of the Irving arrest.
Representative Mike Honda of San Jose, California said he experienced discrimination as a Japanese American after World War II.
Honda is also a former science teacher and school administrator.
“And on behalf of at least, folks who understand, we are going to apologize to you and stand next to you and be your ally,” Honda told Mohamed.
The Irving Independent School District refused to apologize for the September 14 arrest and three day suspension imposed on the student.
School officials said they were following policy when the student’s homemade digital clock was labeled a “hoax bomb” at first, even though they said it soon became clear to them the device was not a bomb.
School officials said they could release more information about the incident if parents provide a privacy waiver.
The teen’s father, Mohamed Elhassan Mohamed, said school officials never asked him to provide such a waiver in visits to MacArthur High School and Irving Independent School District headquarters since the incident.
He said there is nothing in school records to justify handcuffing the 14-year-old.
“There is nothing horrible,” he said. “He is just a kid, 14, nothing horrible. He wants to be an inventor.”
The father is angry about suggestions circulating in Irving that the family somehow planned the incident to get attention and embarrass Irving Schools.
“How could I scheme for such a thing, how? I have a very peaceful family and I love my family,” he said. “How could I scheme? How could I tell the police to arrest my son?”
Elhassan Mohammed said the incident has opened some doors for his son, but the family has struggled under the weight of publicity and financial losses and it would be better if it had never happened.
“We love Irving and we love Dallas. That is why I am there,” the father said.
After withdrawing Ahmed from Irving ISD, the family is still considering offers from other schools, including overseas. And with so much travel, they have still not picked up the clock, which was initially held as evidence by Irving Police.
