It has happened.

A school girl in Bartow Florida has been arrested for felony discharging a bomb because she popped a plastic bottle with Drain-o and aluminum foil.

I thought it would at least be a Black Cat firecracker when the police completely over-reacted to a child playing with fireworks.

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2013/05/florida_school_responds_to_cri.php

That reminds me of this article:


http://news.yahoo.com/student-expelled-charged-felony-tried-thing-forgot-shotgun-154224579.html


Zero tolerance stupidity, and now he gets a felony.

That's what he gets for being too honest.

That girl should not have gotten into trouble, either.

It's just those dumb ass, knee jerk mentalities, (Guns/Explosives are evil).

I still don't understand why people continue to vote, for their own demise.

Watch how many 4th of July celebrations, get cancelled this summer due to the fact that Congress will be voting on regulating/banning black powder...and other incendiaries.

I was a pyromaniac as a child...setting things on fire and blowing things up was like a pastime for me. At five, I dug a hole in the back yard, filled it with gasoline and lit it (note to kids: this is a really dangerous thing to do -- don't do it!). Got the biggest beating of my life for that...

I'd collect Black Cats to unwrap and use the powder for all sorts of interesting, creative, and very loud experiments...

I built tons of model airplanes -- and they'd all inevitably become shrapnel at some point...

My point is: I'd probably be a felon if I was a kid today.

PS -> I never destroyed any property, or killed/harmed any animals with my antics.

Expulsion for THAT? Only one word comes to mind: Ridiculous.

Population has become neurotic. I wonder why she wasn't charged for possession of a WMD.

joeyd999 said:

...(note to kids: this is a really dangerous thing to do -- don't do it!)...

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Oh, and, note to parents: Don't leave a can of gasoline on the floor of the garage right next to a carton of matchbooks! Doing so might result in you having to beat your child senseless....

I realize aluminum foil and drain-o can create a very dangerous acid (and fumes) when mixed, and if the student was caught setting off such a "device" in an uncontrolled environment, then maybe I'd understand the school's actions. However, this was a SCIENCE EXPERIMENT. It was controlled, presumably under discretion of school faculty. I presume it was set off at a distance and that if someone were to start walking towards it, the student would warn them not to. This whole thing is just ridiculous--Nobody was in danger here, and the girl should not have been expelled.

@joeyd999

I was like you when I was a kid. I would look for all sorts of things to light on fire and blow up. One time I found a carton of shotgun shells in my dad's car. I took them and emptied the shot and got the powder. I also found a box of .22 shells, and I removed the bullets and saved the powder.

I stored it in a plastic bag (bad idea, by the way) and made a few firecrackers using the powder. That was until my mom heard the bang and ran out and confiscated it.

I was careful, made sure none of my pets were around, I was in a dirt driveway (nothing flammable nearby) and I was standing at a safe distance.

One of the interesting discoveries I made as a kid (probably around 12 or 13) is that grass cuttings can be made to combust explosively. I will not provide details, though...(lest grass cuttings be banned!)

As I drifted off to sleep last night, I though of Mentos and Diet Coke. The next Weapon of Mass Destruction...automatic felony...but only for people that don't have power or money...like students.

joeyd999 said:

... I will not provide details, though...(lest grass cuttings be banned!)

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You got lots of *secrets* that you don't like to share...its ok tho!

Eric007 said:

You got lots of *secrets* that you don't like to share...its ok tho!

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The moderators have enough work to do (especially with me around). I don't think they should have to watch out for threads related to lawn mowing as well...

DerStrom8 said:

I realize aluminum foil and drain-o can create a very dangerous acid (and fumes) when mixed, and if the student was caught setting off such a "device" in an uncontrolled environment, then maybe I'd understand the school's actions. However, this was a SCIENCE EXPERIMENT. It was controlled, presumably under discretion of school faculty.
.

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You should read page 2:

Wilmot told him a friend had told her to mix the two substances, but that she "thought it would just cause some smoke." She told the school official she wasn't trying to hurt anyone or disrupt school, but was simply "conducting a science fair experiment."
The assistant principal called police after talking to Wilmot's science teacher and determining he didn't know about the experiment.

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The girl may or may not have been doing it as something related to a (potential) science fair project. But either way it is absurd. You talk to the child and if you have the impression that they are sufficiently cowed, then you are done. If not, you call the parents. If the parents don't respond appropriately, you may suspend the child for a day or two. It's if they do it again that you start moving up levels.

Like most boys, I played with all kinds of things I shouldn't have, from model airplanes "shot down" in flames (with the help of gasoline and firecrackers) to full up pipe bombs using black powder. In high school we used to steal chemicals from the school's store room and make thermite and various explosives to tinker with. Years later I was visiting the school and talking to my old chemistry teacher and confessed our misdeeds and she merely responded that she always kept close tabs on who had access to the storeroom and how much stuff was going missing. She knew exactly who was taking what and as long as the quantities were too small for anything other than tinkering and exploring chemistry, she figured she was doing her job to encourage self-directed education.

Apparently, just three weeks before this incident, the prosecutor that okay'd the arrest and specified what charges to file against this girl chose NOT to prosecute a 13-year old for killing his brother with a BB gun, saying that it was just a tragic accident.

WBahn said:

Apparently, just three weeks before this incident, the prosecutor that okay'd the arrest and specified what charges to file against this girl chose NOT to prosecute a 13-year old for killing his brother with a BB gun, saying that it was just a tragic accident.

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Maybe some gun-loving organization offered a small donation to the prosecutor's campaign fund with hopes of avoiding any talk of prosecuting people that leave guns unattended.

In the case of the girl, the American Chemical Society was apparently confused and forgot to make a donation to suppress any talk of banning science experiments.

The girl in that jurisdiction is guilty of DSWB. That is, Doing Science While Black. It happens with cracker DAs.

Sixth grade science I did something similar involving a 40oz.GLASS bottle and pool chlorine.

The presentation included a chemical breakdown of materials involved and grainy VHS of a trash can being launched.

The teacher allowed me to set up the "experiment" just outside the conservation area,green house, bird feeders etc.

With my entire class 20 yards or so(farther then I had ever been when setting them off in the woods) I set it and and ran back to join them.

We waited...and waited..nothing..my classmates started to get restless..

Couldn't take jeering so I ran towards it to add more"activator"and not more then 10 feet and kaaaabooom!

I turned my side as it went off and of course instinctively closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes looking back at where my classmates where standing they started dropping like flies holding different parts of their bodies.

The teacher's eyes where as big as cue balls and just as blank, as I'm sure he seen his decade long career falling away with every student hitting the ground.

There was blood,screaming and crying,he picked up two and took off to the office.

The blast had so much force it knocked books and erasers off shelves in half the school.

Ambulances,administrators,teachers everyone was busy,but not one person said anything to me.

I floated the halls waiting to be arrested, expelled or something but it never happened.

End the day I went home fully expecting to see my mother crying or fuming but neither was true,they hadn't even called her.

When I returned to school the following Monday all the students where talking about it but no Principal visit just my science teacher took me aside and said"I didn't know the bottle was glass or I wouldn't have let you do it.

Five kids where injured by various sized pieces of thick glass bottle and the school had to re-sod a corner of the yard.

Never had the scrotal fortitude to ask the teacher what grade I had got on the project...

GopherT said:

Maybe some gun-loving organization offered a small donation to the prosecutor's campaign fund with hopes of avoiding any talk of prosecuting people that leave guns unattended.

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I am a gun-loving individual. I am associated with gun-loving organizations. Gopher, you are mistaken if you think we encourage the irresponsible use of firearms. To the contrary, we *wish* that existing laws on the books were enforced, prior to any new laws that restrict the lawful, responsible use of firearms.

The negligent discharge, or irresponsible use, of *any* weapon -- be it a handgun, rifle, bb gun, knife, pencil, etc. -- should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the (existing) law.

I do not know the case of the 13 y.o. with the bb gun. He may have been acting responsibly, and an accident may have happened. Or not. The prosecutor may be corrupt. Or not.

But to paint responsible gun owners, most of whom recognize the awesome responsibility that comes with the possession of such weapons, with such a broad brush is insulting to me personally. I have discharged thousands of rounds through my weapons, and never once have I endangered myself or another individual.

The NRA always stresses safety and responsibility with respect to firearm usage. They, nor I, would never pay a bribe to prevent the prosecution of an individual who used a firearm irresponsibly.

Papabravo said:

The girl in that jurisdiction is guilty of DSWB. That is, Doing Science While Black. It happens with cracker DAs.

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The girl was black. The boy was white. Ergo, racism.

Race card politics is getting really, really old fast...

Firstly, I have been an industry representative for my company and i was present as they rolled out their plan for the next year of initiatives to help the industry sell more guns. While my comment was meant to be toung-in-cheek, it is likely more true than you care to believe.

Secondly, I have no idea how you could possibly take my comments about the social engineering skills and tactics of the above-referenced organization and claim that I insulted anyone, let alone you, or your ability to discharge your weapon safely.

But to paint responsible gun owners, most of whom recognize the awesome responsibility that comes with the possession of such weapons, with such a broad brush is insulting to me personally. I have discharged thousands of rounds through my weapons, and never once have I endangered myself or another individual.

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On your additional comments...

The NRA always stresses safety and responsibility with respect to firearm usage.

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Yes, I am sure they do. I always assumed firearm safety was the goal of the various gun organizations. Could you please refer me to an article that explains how much they spend on firearms safety. I do not want the number that says "education" (or "re-education") because that number includes lobbying dollars.

And finally,

They, nor I, would never pay a bribe to prevent the prosecution of an individual who used a firearm irresponsibly.

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Since it is almost impossible to explain to victims of social engineering that they have been manipulated, I will simply point out, again, that I have never accused you of anything. I am very impressed with your organization's ability to make you believe that you are the organization. You are still able to refer to the organization by name and "they", but you definately internalize any comments about the organization and feel the comments referred to you. I am amazed with their abilities.

I also never said the word "bribe".

However, I do agree with you on one point and I am happy that we do. I am also very surprised that you disagree with the NRA on this point. I also agree that any money donated to government officials by lobbying organizations should be called bribes.

GopherT said:

Maybe some gun-loving organization offered a small donation to the prosecutor's campaign fund with hopes of avoiding any talk of prosecuting people that leave guns unattended.

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Exactly the opposite. The NRA and most other pro-gun rights organizations are strongly in favor of stiff penalties for the misuse of firearms. They have this silly notion that the people that do bad things should be the focus of the attention and should be the ones held accountable.

Papabravo said:

The girl in that jurisdiction is guilty of DSWB. That is, Doing Science While Black. It happens with cracker DAs.

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There are lots of differences between the two cases and while there may well be an unreasonable double standard at play, there are many aspects that could be at the heart of it, including among them race. But unless backed up with very specific evidence that applies to this specific case, to automatically assume that it must be because one is black and the other is white and that there can be no other possibility reveals more about the racist filters of those making the claim than it likely does of those the claim is made about.

joeyd999 said:

I am a gun-loving individual. I am associated with gun-loving organizations.

But to paint responsible gun owners, most of whom recognize the awesome responsibility that comes with the possession of such weapons, with such a broad brush is insulting to me personally.

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That was your choice to feel personally insulted. Your rant is so predictable that it is not worthy of most of the thinking people on this site. Please try to raise your level of consciousness up a notch.