The parents of Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old Muslim boy who was detained for bringing his homemade clock to school, have retained legal counsel to sue over religious persecution.
Mohamed, who is the son of a Muslim immigrant from Sudan, was arrested earlier this month after his clock was mistaken for a bomb by a teacher at MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas.
The boy was led out of school in handcuffs, sparking outrage on social media and attracting the attention of President Barack Obama, who later invited the boy to the White House.
“We should inspire more kids like you to like science,” the US president tweeted on September 16. “It’s what makes America great.”
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that “Ahmed’s teachers have failed him,” adding that the incident could serve as a “teachable moment” about how “pernicious stereotypes” can affect people’s judgment.