A 14-year-old student, Ahmed Mohamed, was arrested on September 14, 2015, for bringing an alleged hoax bomb to school, questioned, and released.

Under Texas law, it is illegal to possess a "hoax bomb" with an intent to "make another believe that the hoax bomb is an explosive or incendiary device" or to "cause [an] alarm or reaction of any type by an official of a public safety agency or volunteer agency organized to deal with emergencies".

[8] The episode arose after Mohamed reassembled the parts of a digital clock in an 8-inch (20 cm)[9] pencil container, and then brought it to school to show his teachers.

[14][15] On May 19, 2017, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying the plaintiff presented no facts demonstrating intentional discrimination against Mohamed.

[16] On March 13, 2018, another federal lawsuit filed by Ahmed Mohamed's father against the Irving Independent School District, the city of Irving, and several specific individuals, was dismissed with prejudice and with the court ordering Mohamed's family to bear all the costs of the lawsuit.

[20] The administration later said in a statement that decorations in classrooms, hallways or offices must be “curriculum driven and neutral in viewpoint” to “ensure that all students feel safe regardless of background or identity.”[20] Word spread among students that the new principal had allegedly fired a teacher who was openly gay and was forcing teachers to remove "safe space" stickers.