No injuries, no damages, but felony charges

[DGoddess]

You're also assuming a level of thought and common sense that even most adults don't show.

She probably went "neat, let's try it" and then "wait, can't do it at home...let's try it at school!" And that was it.

Now that's classic Lynda and Brenda logic right there . .and what gets them into all kinds of trouble. No country on the globe is safe from them, either.

Back on topic though: way overblown. Sure kids are curious, but felony charges are just overzealous at best. Sounds like a principal on a power trip and a bright student is about to be ruined for life b/c of the (over)reaction of someone in authority.

[Panacea]

It wasn't the principal's idea to get the legal system involved. It was the school board.

[Andara Bledin]

It wasn't the board's idea, either.

The vice principal called the school's officer, who spoke to the DA's office, and a woman there decided to get the legal system involved. It was on her say-so that the girl was even arrested.

[Greenday]

Glad the felony charges were dropped. They were completely unnecessary.

I'm fine with making her do whatever program it is. It won't affect her record but it shows there are consequences for setting off an explosive in a school.

They should lift the expulsion, as it would have just made it a long term suspension which would fit the crime, but I can understand why the school would keep it. Setting off explosions in schools should NOT be tolerated.

[Gravekeeper]

NASA has given her a scholarship.

[Jetfire]

Glad to hear of that, for both her and her sister. Good way to encourage their interest in the sciences, as well as encourage getting more women in the maths and sciences.

[Greenday]

NASA has given her a scholarship.

A scholarship for spacecamp. That's nice and all, but I find it hard to see the similarities between his past event (Blamed for a forest fire he didn't start) and the girl's (She actually blew something up).

[s_stabeler]

minor thing- it wasn't NASA who gave her the scholarship as such. What happened was basically someone (a former employee of NASA as it happens) paid the scholarship funds she is getting. (he also paid for her sister to get the same scholarship.)

[s_stabeler]

A scholarship for spacecamp. That's nice and all, but I find it hard to see the similarities between his past event (Blamed for a forest fire he didn't start) and the girl's (She actually blew something up).

depends on how it was alledged he started the forest fire. For all we know, he could ahve been screwing aorund doing something, and it was suspected what he did caused the forest fire.

the other possible similarity is being accused of something that she didn't actually do. ( the charges were, IIRC, discharging a destructive device- there was no damage, so it was not a destructive device.)

[Kheldarson]

It's Homer Hickman. From Rocket Boys.

He was accused of starting fires in his WV hometown because he was shooting off rockets outside of town. He was able to take his research on rocket flight and earn an academic scholarship and get out.

So there's quite a bit of overlap to an extent.