Special Needs Boy Suspended For Bomb … Sorry, Drawing A Bomb

Greenville County, SC – A special needs boy was suspended from his school for drawing a bomb. Like, a silly cartoon bomb.

Amy Parham said that her autistic son, Rhett, was suspended from Hillcrest Middle School after he drew a picture of a bomb at home and brought it to show other students. She said that the drawing was inspired by the video game Bomberman 64, which is about the least-threatening thing ever.

Anyway, one of the students Rhett showed his drawing to told a school official, and Rhett was suspended, according to Fox Carolina.

Parham said that when she got the call from the school, she thought they were pulling her leg.

“I’m angry. I’m upset and I’m incredulous, honestly, that a child could come in and bring a drawing and that’s somehow perceived as a threat — especially someone with special needs who really doesn’t filter information the same way that typical children do,” she said.

The school said that any time a threatening comment is made, policy calls for suspension while officials investigate. Parham is meeting with school and district officials on Wednesday, reports Live 5 News.

Officials are likely to stick to the statement they released Tuesday:

“It is important and necessary to thoroughly investigate any threat to student safety, including a student’s intent. This is one of the most difficult judgments a school official must make. This investigation began when threatening comments were made, resulting in the responsible removal of the student from the school to ensure everyone’s safety while the incident and intent were assessed.

“The school’s administration responded appropriately to the severity of this incident, investigated it fully, and acted in accord with applicable laws, policies and procedures. The school administration has met and will continue to meet with the parents to resolve the matter.”

“While parents may openly discuss a disciplinary action involving their child, we do not have that same right. As a result, complete information regarding a specific incident cannot be released to the general public.”

But Parham thinks that the school is completely ignoring context.

“Even though zero tolerance is very important, it’s very important to protect our children in our schools, but at the same time there has to be some way that we come back to the middle of the road this is just too far over into the ditch on the opposite side of where we need to be,” she said.

Do you think that a drawing of a bomb is a serious threat?

[Image: Shutterstock]