Ibrahim Ahmad was suspended from La Center High School in Washington for five days after the senior strapped on a paintball vest with red paper tubes and some wires and asked his classmate Rilea Wolfe to prom.
Ahmad's sign read: "I kno it’s A little Late, But I’m kinda... THE BOMB! Rilea, Will U Be My Date To Prom?"
Ahmad estimates he was only onstage in his school's cafeteria for less than a minute before a teacher pulled him to the office.
He was suspended for five days, which includes Saturday's prom.
La Center High School released a statement about the incident, saying Ahmad created an unsafe learning environment:
"Our administrators and staff are committed to creating learning environments where all students are safe and parents feel comfortable sending their children to school. Given all that is going on in the world today, even simulated weapons/devices can undermine our collective efforts to create a safe school and therefore are handled with appropriate disciplinary actions."
He was interviewed by the local press about the controversy, telling reporters he didn't think it was that big of a deal.
“It was really unfair, and it kind of felt racist,” Ahmad told The Columbian. “If anyone else did that, I feel like no one else would have gotten in trouble for it.”
“Go big or go home. You're supposed to go all out,” he told KPTV.
While he may be barred from La Center High's prom, his media appearances were tweeted about by all of his friends, laughing at his newfound fame.
#FreeIbrahim @DatArabKiid
All my Twitter feed is filled with @DatArabKiid, like I don't already have to see your ugly mug enough. 😒😂😘 #Brownandproud
I just saw @DatArabKiid on the news😂😂
Ibrahim is like famous now😂
Also, instead of prom, Ahmad and Wolfe are planning on getting dressed up anyways and going out to dinner.
That dinner date is going to be bomb.