MacArthur High School (Irving, Texas)

Student arrest controversy

A 14-year-old student, Ahmed Mohamed, was arrested on September 14, 2015, for bringing an alleged hoax bomb to school. The episode arose when Mohamed reassembled the parts of a digital clock in an 8-inch (20 cm)^[3] pencil container, and brought it to school to show his teachers. His English teacher thought the device resembled a bomb, confiscated it, and reported him to the principal. The local police were called, and they questioned him for an hour and a half. He was handcuffed, taken into custody and transported to a juvenile detention facility, where he was fingerprinted and his mug shot was taken. He was then released to his parents. According to local police, the reason for his arrest was because they initially suspected he may have purposely caused a bomb scare. The case was not pursued further by the juvenile justice authorities, but he was suspended from the school and offered no apology.

Anti LGBTQ+ policies

Shortly after the start of the 2021-2022 year, word spread among students that the new principal, Ms. Stewart, had allegedly fired a teacher for being openly gay and was forcing teachers to remove "safe space" stickers. This controversy quickly created a fervor among students which emboldened them to organize a walkout for LGBTQ+ rights, occurring on September 22 between 6th and 7th period.^[4] On September 23 of 2021, the principal was alleged to have made a response to the student body telling them to comply with whatever actions she takes even if they are controversial, and that she may have been encouraged by higher ups at the education board to promote anti-LGBTQ+ policies. ^{[citation needed][5]}

Alumni

• Peter MacNicol, Emmy Award-winning actor
• Kerry Wood, professional baseball player
• Kole Ayi, professional football player^[9]
• Akin Ayodele, professional football player^[10][11]
• Brian Bosworth, professional football player and actor^[12]
• Ron Brooks, professional football player^[13][14]
• Patrick Chukwurah, professional football player^[15]
• Mike Phillips, professional baseball player^[16]
• Steve Railsback, actor
• Odyssey Sims, professional basketball player^[17][18]
• Alexis Jones, professional basketball player
• Andrew Jones, college basketball player^[19]
• Randy Waldrum, soccer player and coach^[20]

Faculty

• David Beaty, football coach, 2002-05^[21]
• Phil Bennett, football coach, 1983^[22]
• Melvin Robertson, football coach, 1988-1990