Parents speak out after son with autism, 6, was suspended for biting sandwich into shape of gun

The parents of a Georgia first-grader with autism are speaking retired aft their lad was suspended for biting his sandwich into the signifier of a weapon and pointing it astatine a classmate during lunch, arguing that the school's strict disciplinary policies neglect to relationship for his developmental disabilities.

John Medina, 6, was suspended past March portion successful archetypal people astatine Sarah Harp Elementary School successful Fayette County, southbound of Atlanta. He was diagnosed with level 1 autism astatine property 4 and aboriginal diagnosed with ADHD, conditions his parents accidental tin marque it hard for him to recognize societal norms.

In an interrogation with Fox News Digital, parents Kristin and Juan "Ricky" Medina said that John is exceptionally precocious academically, but the school's evident strict policies and archetypal deficiency of developmental assistance person led to astir 15 suspensions and much than 2 twelve disciplinary actions since 2023. They added that portion immoderate incidents justified escalation, different harmless acts, specified arsenic hunting drawings and hand-gun gestures, person besides drawn schoolhouse subject and scrutiny.

The disciplinary past has yet taken a toll connected John's self-esteem, particularly arsenic helium already struggles to marque friends and often feels isolated, his parents said. They said their lad refers to himself arsenic a "bad kid" due to the fact that of however helium feels helium is treated by his peers and the schoolhouse environment.

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Kristin and Ricky Medina airs outdoors with their son, John, successful a park.  (Courtesy of the Medina family)

Kristin said she was initially shocked to larn that John had been suspended implicit the sandwich incident, questioning the school's reported "strike" system, successful which insignificant actions specified arsenic making a manus motion oregon saying the connection "gun" tin escalate to suspension.

"It was upsetting for maine to perceive that it was, that is what helium was getting successful occupation for," Kristin said.

"I felt similar they were cracking down much connected tiny stuff, you know, worldly that possibly helium didn't request to beryllium suspended for," Ricky added.

While John has been progressive successful carnal incidents, including pushing different pupil successful PE and hitting a classmate with a branch, his parents said galore authoritative disciplinary actions stemmed from what they considered harmless manus gestures. Other modular behaviors, similar drafting a pilgrim shooting a turkey for Thanksgiving, besides drew aggravated schoolhouse scrutiny, they said.

They added that weapon-related topics are specifically not discussed successful their home, but said they cannot power the extracurricular influences John encounters. They added that children tin people make an imaginative fascination with weapons, but John’s autism makes it much hard for him to filter his code successful the mode different children might.

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The Medina household lives successful Fayette County, Georgia, southbound of Atlanta. (Courtesy of the Medina family)

They besides stressed that, due to the fact that of his autism, accepted punishments are ineffective and could inadvertently reenforce the thought that saying the connection "gun" volition let him to permission schoolhouse erstwhile helium is having a atrocious day.

"Instead of singling him out, conscionable marque it a teachable infinitesimal for him. Teach, ‘Hey, we don't bash this successful schoolhouse due to the fact that of this reason, it's not appropriate,’" Kristin said.

However, the household said they initially faced pushback from the schoolhouse implicit developmental accommodations. Kristin said the schoolhouse initially refused to assistance John an Individualized Education Program (IEP), due to the fact that helium was excessively academically precocious and officials "didn't see" his autism.

According to Kristin, it took astir a twelvemonth and a half, 10 to 12 suspensions and a 2nd valuation that resulted successful an ADHD diagnosis earlier the schoolhouse approved his IEP.

Ricky and Kristin Medina basal with their 6-year-old son, John, successful beforehand of a diner mural.  (Courtesy of the Medina family)

John’s parents said they interest that repeatedly focusing connected what they see harmless puerility behaviour has reinforced a antagonistic self-image and made him progressively anxious to permission school. John is hesitant to be schoolhouse due to the fact that helium believes radical are "going to laughter astatine him for making incorrect choices," his parents said.

"I conscionable privation to spot John commencement to get his self-esteem built up, his assurance built up, friendships built up," Kristin said. "I don't privation him to proceed to consciousness singled out."

The parents said John thankfully finished the erstwhile schoolhouse twelvemonth strong, speechmaking astatine a third-grade level and coming conscionable 4 trial points abbreviated of qualifying for the gifted and talented program.

The schoolhouse besides appeared to easiness up connected suspensions recently, peculiarly aft the household hired Donna Reynolds, a peculiar acquisition advocate, to correspond them during schoolhouse meetings.

John is besides presently connected a behavioral program that includes an adjutant during unstructured periods, including lunch, recess and PE. He besides spends clip successful a smaller, calmer schoolroom setting, wherever his parents said helium performs exceptionally well.

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"What I privation to spot is that there's little terrible punishment similar suspensions," Ricky said. "And conscionable proceed to speech done things truthful you tin person opportunities to larn from things and possibly absorption connected existent superior concerns."

Fox News Digital reached retired to Fayette County Public Schools, the schoolhouse territory nether which John's schoolhouse falls, astir his situation. The territory declined to spell into circumstantial details, but encouraged a reappraisal of John's "complete disciplinary past and the afloat discourse surrounding the concern alternatively than focusing connected 1 isolated event."