Concerns Over School Discipline for Child with Autism

After their son, John, a first-grader on the autism spectrum, was suspended for transforming a sandwich into a makeshift gun during lunch, the Medina family is raising concerns about the school’s disciplinary policies. They argue these rules don’t adequately consider their son’s developmental challenges.

Six-year-old John Medina was suspended last March at Sarah Harp Elementary School in Fayette County, located south of Atlanta. His parents, Kristin and Juan “Ricky” Medina, revealed that he was diagnosed with level 1 autism at the age of four and later diagnosed with ADHD. They believe this condition complicates his understanding of social expectations.

In a discussion about their experiences, the Medinas noted that while John is doing well academically, he has faced about 15 suspensions and over 20 disciplinary actions since the beginning of 2023. They pointed out that, while some behaviors warranted a response, seemingly innocuous actions—like drawing pictures of hunting or making hand gestures—were also penalized.

Consequently, John’s parents are worried about his social interactions. They shared that he struggles to connect with peers and feels isolated. This has affected his self-esteem significantly; he sometimes refers to himself as a “bad kid” because of how he perceives his treatment at school.

Kristin expressed her surprise upon learning about John’s suspension, emphasizing her concerns with the school’s strict “strike” system. She commented, “I was upset to hear that that’s what he was getting into trouble for.” Ricky added, “It feels like they were cracking down harder on smaller things—things he might not need to be suspended for.” While John has had more physical incidents at school, many punishments, they believe, stem from harmless behaviors.

The family understands that discussions about weapons are not common in their home. They mentioned that John’s imagination, which is typical for children, can sometimes lead him to express thoughts about weapons without any harmful intention, largely due to his autism.

They also highlighted that traditional punishment isn’t effective for John. Instead of isolating him, Kristin suggested that the school should treat incidents as opportunities for teaching. “It could be more beneficial to say, ‘Hey, we don’t do this at school for these reasons’,” she said.

Initially, the school resisted providing John with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), claiming he was too academically capable, failing to acknowledge his autism. Kristin noted that it took about a year and several evaluations, along with multiple suspensions, before the school approved his IEP, eventually confirming an ADHD diagnosis.

The Medinas worry that focus on minor issues throughout John’s early education has worsened his self-perception, causing him to hesitate about going to school for fear of ridicule. Kristin hopes to see improvements in John’s self-esteem and social life. “I don’t want him to continue to feel alone,” she expressed.

Fortunately, John ended the last school year reading at a third-grade level and improving despite challenges. Recently, it seems the school has started to relax its suspension policies, especially after the family enlisted the help of a special education advocate to aid them in discussions with the school council.

Currently, John has a behavior plan, which includes an aide during less structured times like lunch and recess. His parents report that he is thriving in a more supportive classroom environment.

Looking ahead, Ricky wishes for “lighter penalties” and believes that ongoing communication is crucial for fostering understanding and addressing serious concerns.

The Fayette County Public Schools district, where John’s school is located, stated they cannot provide specific details regarding his case but encouraged looking at his entire disciplinary history for context rather than focusing on isolated incidents.