When it fell into the hands of his teacher and then Vice Principal, the drawing became a security threat to the school. I admit, I laughed in the face of the Vice Principal when he said this. (Do you really think my 10 year old has the wherewithal to construct a uranium bomb?) He was very serious. He had called the District office about it already. I controlled myself and asked him to explain more. Apparently with the rash of violence in schools--students gunning each other down and all that--they had to view this as a threat. Ethan's teacher had spoken up for him--said he was a sweet boy, and didn't seem to have any desires to destroy the school (much less, may I add, the whole city, which is what would happen if he were to follow through with his "threats" to make a uranium bomb.) Nevertheless, this was a serious issue and needed to be addressed. Sam had already explained the problem to Ethan on the way to the school (I guess he'd heard it over the phone) and secured a promise from Ethan that he would draw no more such pictures. Of course, if Ethan were really harboring destructive intentions, not making drawings of them would hardly stop that. . .
The Vice Principal then explained that if it were some other kid in Ethan's class drawing pictures of bombs, I would be worried, too. (I wouldn't at all, actually. I think it is amazing that Ethan recalled the diagram with any degree of detail, and would be impressed with another kid, too. Ten year olds making uranium bombs to blow up their school is not on my list of worries.) But I suppose he could consider it a threat simply because it was an object of destruction? However, since Ethan has been drawing pictures of warring armies with guns, cannons, bows and arrows, tomahawks, etc, since he was in kindergarten, and we haven't been brought into conference for any of those things, it seems like there was particular significance in the U-bomb for him. Whatever. If Ethan had drawn a picture of a closed soda bottle with vinegar and alka-seltzer in it exploding under the desk of his teacher, I would be concerned. Ethan knows how to make things explode, and he frequently asks to carry out that particular experiment. He also knows how to make a fire with a magnifying glass, and sharpen a pencil sharp enough to hurt someone with. If he expressed "plans" in terms of any of those things, I would take it very, very seriously. But it seems blatantly obvious to me that to a 10 year old, a uranium bomb is just "cool." When I talked about it with Ethan afterwards, he confirmed as much.
So, with that introduction, here are some pictures of my sweet, inventive 10 year old who scared the spit out of his school today! ;-)
HAHAHAHA...Dave and I are laughing right along with you, Julia. Seriously, this is not just a hilarious story, but wonderfully told. I kind of want to send it out just to let people know about the amusing insanity of it all. Anyway, I'm glad you had the talk with Ethan about how some people are VERY sensitive (read: crazy), because we're all going to have to deal with crazy people in life. I'm sorry it happened to him so early (and that Isaac didn't get to sleep in).
ReplyDeleteI just have to add, Dave is also impressed by your Vice Principal's confidence in Ethan. Sure North Korea has been trying to get this thing put together for fifty years. Sure Iran has been dutifully enriching uranium to make its attempt, but all of this pales in comparison to Ethan Bernards who, with his 10 year old connections, is going to outdo the scientific communities in both of those nations. *groan*
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I would feel completely respectful of him if he'd handled it differently - if he'd called you and Sam in for a conference some time this week, talked it over with you and Ethan, explained to Ethan the concerns that some might feel. But to be paranoid enough to be convinced that a 10 year old with a penchant for cool technology is an IMMINENT threat is pretty ridiculous.
Yeah, Margaret and Dave, I totally agree. I had to ask myself afterwards if perhaps the Vice Principal is unaware of what a uranium bomb actually is? It seems that it would take a vast degree of ignorance to worry that Ethan might assemble one. And since there was no sinister note attached, or other threat that I could construe, it seems like he really was afraid of the bomb itself. Mom called to warn me that if I take school officials lightly, Ethan might, too, and then he might end up like James.< > That would be nice, but since Ethan revealed his plans for making a uranium bomb at the young age of 10, I don't think he would pass any background checks. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteIn fairness, of course Mom meant that Ethan might end up like James in that he might not be respectful to his teachers in high school, and be sorry about that later. Since that is already an problem for Ethan occasionally, I'm sure she is right, and I should be more respectful of school administration, too. But dang, it was hard this morning!
ReplyDeleteOh, what a rite of passage! I remember when my mom got called in by a very alarmed school official when Christian inadvertently brought a pocket knife to school. She was equally disgusted at the alarmist tendencies of the school officials--and a pocket knife even poses a real threat, as opposed to a picture recalled from a book!
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