|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. (BFMG) — A 6-year-old Georgia student with autism was suspended after school officials said he bit his sandwich into the shape of a gun and pointed it at a classmate, raising concerns from his family about how the district disciplines children with disabilities.
According to school records, Sara Harp Minter Elementary administrators have issued more than two dozen disciplinary actions against John Medina, a first grader, since 2023. The records show at least 33 incidents, including 14 suspensions, some involving behavior such as kicking or punching another student during recess.
The sandwich-related suspension occurred in March of the last school year. School officials said John shaped his sandwich into what appeared to be a gun, pointed it at another student and made shooting sounds during lunch.
His mother, Kristin Medina, said she was surprised when she was notified.
“They informed me over that phone call that he was getting suspended for it,” she said. “You’re just baffled.”
Records also show the student was previously suspended for pointing a water bottle at someone while making gun noises and was disciplined for drawing a pilgrim shooting a turkey.
The family has retained Donna Reynolds, a former special education director from another Georgia school district, to assist in meetings with Fayette County Schools. Reynolds said the district’s response did not adequately consider the child’s age or disability.
“I don’t think a 6-year-old without autism would understand that that’s not appropriate,” Reynolds said. “They make their fingers into guns. They pick up sticks and make them into guns.”
Reynolds said schools should weigh multiple factors when addressing behavior, including whether discipline will effectively change it.
“You need to look at his age. You need to look at his disability. You need to look at past behavior, and you need to determine whether this is more of a teaching moment,” she said.
Fayette County Schools Superintendent Jonathan Patterson declined interview requests but provided a statement acknowledging challenges in resolving disputes with families.
“We just want to recognize that these things are difficult,” Patterson said. “We have parents who are very happy with what’s going on, and we have parents that aren’t.”
Patterson said the district remains committed to working with families to address concerns but did not directly comment on the sandwich incident.
Medina said the repeated disciplinary actions have affected her son emotionally.
“I think he feels like he’s a bad kid,” she said. “There were definitely times when he would come home and say, ‘I’m a bad kid.’”
She also said some incidents could have been avoided if the school had consistently followed her son’s individualized education program, which includes accommodations such as taking short walks when he becomes overstimulated.
Medina said she chose to speak out to raise awareness for other families navigating similar challenges.
John Medina is set to enter second grade in August.
