A Felony for an Innocent Misjudgment

Get this!   A well-regarded Florida high school student was expelled from her school last week.   Why?   Because she conducted a scientific experiment outside the school that bore an unexpected result.

Kiera Wilmot,  a junior at Bartow High School in the Florida town of the same name,  committed the unforgiveable error of mixing some household chemicals in a plastic bottle outside the school,  well away from the building.   The chemical cocktail created a minor explosion,  but caused no injury or damage.   A reprimand would probably have been appropriate;   she most likely would have understood the gravity of the situation and learned from it.

Yet despite her exemplary record of conduct and high academic standing,  school officials have deemed Ms. Wilmot a criminal!   Not only has she been expelled from her school,  but she's being charged with a felony.

The principal actually declared that she knew that the cited student intended no harm,  but that she had violated the school's code of conduct.   After all,  "rules are rules."   

I guess the All-Hallowed Principal's Manual doesn't contain a clause anywhere pertaining to common sense.

Update:   As of May 24th,  criminal charges against Ms. Wilmot  have been dropped,  most  likely due at least in part to an on-line campaign in her behalf.   At least 200,000 signatures were generated.   The school still hasn't allowed her to return,   but according to local reports,   her parents are appealing to school officials.

So at least in this one instance,  an inquisitive student's curiosity won't be criminalized.   Nevertheless,   this should be considered an appropriate time for school officials to be reconsidering zero-tolerance policies at their institutions.  Not only do they cast a pall over the whole educational environment,  but they discourage students from exercising initiative and curiosity.   Besides, the slammers in  many localities are already overloaded with petty,  non-violent offenders.