Posted on 05/20/2013 6:49:19 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
iera Wilmot got good grades and had a perfect behavior record. She wasn't the kind of kid you'd expect to find hauled away in handcuffs and expelled from school, but that's exactly what happened after an attempt at a science project went horribly wrong.
On 7 a.m. on Monday, the 16 year-old mixed some common household chemicals in a small 8 oz water bottle on the grounds of Bartow High School in Bartow, Florida. The reaction caused a small explosion that caused the top to pop up and produced some smoke. No one was hurt and no damage was caused.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.miaminewtimes.com ...
The New Times is a reliably liberal rag, but once in a while it finds something worthwhile.
I don’t know why this continues to be classified as a “science experiment.” The young lady’s science teacher has already gone on record saying this did not involve any class assignment, the teacher was not present and nobody was supervising this incident. It occurred on campus a few minutes before the morning bell that starts the day. It obviously is a prank, albeit one that could have been very dangerous. I would equate it with stink bombs or cherry bombs in the toilet.
Choices have consequences. I’m all in favor of kids being allowed to do things that are potentially dangerous like electricity, chemistry, etc. But you don’t do them at 7AM without any supervision or safety precautions and then try to say it was a science project. Somewhere between nanny state and total license lies the land of common sense.
Besides, this girl is smart enough to know what was going to happen, that’s why she tried it.
When you pulled down on the bobby pin and let it go, it would strike the match and produce not only a lot of smoke, but a horrible rotten egg smell due to the confined area.
You'd then look at the kid next to you an accuse them of cutting the cheese. The "smoke and fart in a pen" devices were fun and easy to make. If caught with one, you could get a couple hours of detention, but that was about it.
If the common household chemical was drain cleaner, then the caustic in that could have hurt someone. Someone had to clean up the toxic mess, too.
There is lots and lots of press about this.
Cool. I did NOT know that. So the New Times continues its normal mode of producing CRAP.
Clorox + Drano = “phosgene”.
My HS Chem class got evacuated more than once by jokers conducting unauthorized experiments. We had the rotten egg smell, but the most memorable time was when one of the track stars set off a bad smelling experiment and threw open the tall windows of the classroom and high-hurdled it over the windowsill, as well as the hedge outside to escape the fumes. The rest of us had to use the door to escape. Luckily we were on the first floor.
I don’t remember anything happening to this kid. I do remember the first year teacher being reduced to tears. I did not learn much in this class, although I got an A.
Consequences, yes. But criminal records and prison for good kids who make harmless mistakes?
Government schools evil.
“Teen Girl Charged With Felony After Science Experiment Goes Bad”
The Taliban might make an honor killing out of something like that over there. Is Florida any better by charging her with a felony here?
I live in Fl. and have in the past heard on the news about people creating explosions using chemicals and 2 liter soda bottles. I’m not sure what the specific laws are but IIRC the police come down pretty hard on people. Having said that, it’s not like she’s a terrorist with a pressure cooker bomb. Kinda sounds like the authorities were a little heavy handed but someone could have gotten severly injured or worse. As far as equating it with stink bombs or cherry bombs, if she did what I think she did it was probably quite a bit more of an explosion than that.
Old story...charges were dropped, I believe.
When I was a senior in high school...a week from end of school...a friend and I had access to the closet that had a ladder that led to the catwalk above the 1000 seat auditorium.
We took advantage of this by using a non-filter cigarette used as a delayed fuse for a pack of Black Cat firecrackers.
With all fuses twisted together and inserted into one end of the cigarette, lighting the cigarette and placing it behind the stage curtains 5 minutes before 7th period study hall...we retired to our eagle's eye vantage point.
Our I.E.D. went off as planned...5 minutes into study hall. Some of the reactions were priceless. I wish I'd gone to high school when portable video technology didn't weigh 75 pounds.
“I don’t know why this continues to be classified as a “science experiment.” The young lady’s science teacher has already gone on record saying this did not involve any class assignment...”
So science experiments are only valid if they are class assignments? By that criteria, a woman following recipes in her Betty Crocker Cookbook is a chef and Paul Prudomme is a potential poisoner. Motive differentiates pranks from experiments gone awry. Pranksters intend to create a response from others; experimenters simply want to know or see what happens.
One main problem is with educators as they are pansies who can also get jobs as airport screeners. A felony is overkill but not at schools. I also know of a similar case involving dry ice and a water bottle at a almost empty school parking lot whereby the administration did not follow through with so two honor students end up with felony charges!! The politically correct administration washed their hands quickly and sided with the “security officer” who didn’t do their job in the first place. This family is in for some eye opening experiences and will also cost them tons of money as they find out that this darling daughter will undergo not only the system of justice but loads of psychological exams!!! We’d be amazed to see line item expenses of our hard earned tax dollars are WASTED on these exams—MULTIPLE times.
As I have said for a decade. It’s almost easier to be an illegal vs. a legal citizen nowadays with the list of what goes for terror. We have too many laws that are trying to save us but they are killing us AND illegals have more rights than legals do.
I give this young lady the benefit of the doubt and assume she was not trying to blow up the school, and that she likely had a genuine scienfitic curiosity to see what would happen that is different from hooligans wanting to just cause damage and create confusion. On the other hand, schools would be pretty chaotic if every student were conducting such “science experiments” behind the bleachers or in the playground.
My issue with the reporting of this incident is that it characterizes it as being associated with a classroom assignment. It was not. It had absolutely nothing to do with anything the young lady’s science class was covering at the time. And even if it did, such activities need to be supervised by an adult and in a controlled environment where the school can ensure safety.
That said, I do agree that the reaction was overplayed. Certainly she needed to have some consequence for her action, but marring her permanent record should not be one of them.
The story neglects to mention that she was following the exact recipe specified in homemade bomb-making manuals. That paints the situation in a bit different light than “science experiment gone wrong”.
I hope you’re right. Bad enough there is real terrorism than to have our own “protectors” coming down on us regular folks.
Old story charges have already been dropped
lol, references to Betty Crocker and Paul Prudhomme in one sentence. are you posting from 1970?
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