Autistic Boy Charged with Terroristic Threats After Drawing Picture of Gun
Published by Jo Oliver on May 15, 2010 in USA & Canada-
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Are schools really observing zero tolerance….or should it really be called selective zero tolerance?
A 14-year-old autistic boy, Shane Finn, was not only suspended for a “threatening picture” that he drew in his Ridgeview Charter School in Atlanta special needs class, but he is also being charged with a felony. Yes, felony over a hand drawn picture.
Shane Finn is in the eight grade, but the mother claims that he has the mental capacity of a third grader, an IQ of 75, and does not understand why he is in trouble. The news report that I’m pulling this story from does not have an IEP or medical mental evaluation to confirm that the boy is cognitively delayed. However, he is in a special needs class…as opposed to a regular classroom.
The autistic boy apparently drew a picture of two stick figures for a school assignment. One stick figure was labeled “me,” and was holding a gun aimed the other stick figure. The second stick figure had the teachers name above it.
The school suspended Shane Finn and have pressed criminal felony charges for “terroristic threats.”
It is really sad that the school system obviously does not have any understanding of children with special needs and disabilities. Autistic children classically do not have the capabilities of constructively expressing anger, frustration, fear, happiness, or sorrow. Many autistic children spend more time in a self created fantasy world then they do in reality. Now, I am not saying the picture was appropriate, but did the school spend time with the child to even determine if he understood what he drew? Did the school consider that suspending a child for something he may or may not even understand is equivalent to spanking an infant for bad behavior? It really makes me wonder if anyone at this school has any common sense, much less qualifications for teaching special needs children.
I also wonder if this isn’t a case of selective zero tolerance. We hear a lot about zero tolerance, but it seems to be selectively applied. For example, here. This 8-year-old brought a gun to his elementary school and put it in his desk. The child supposedly went into his desk and accidentally discharged the gun. However, the news report did not mention the child being suspended, much less facing criminal charges such as our autistic case above. This child actually did threaten the lives of everyone at the school by bringing a gun to school. Yet, an autistic boy is charged and suspended for drawing a gun. Here an Estabrook School student actually brought a bullet to school and was just suspended for the rest of the day.
The list of examples goes on and on, but you get the point.
From the examples in the news of how different schools enforce zero tolerance rules, it appears that children that do not fit the mold of “normal,” whether that be in appearance, mental, or physical characteristics, are the ones that zero tolerance applies to. The “normal” kids that bring guns or contraband to school, make threats, etc.. equates to a lapse of judgment and kids being kids. This is not fair, educational, or productive.
guess, the school must review their student policy.. I pity that poor boy.
I would have thought that the first thing the school would have looked into is why the child was this angry with or frightened of his teacher. What is the gun was meant to be a water pistol?
Odd, jump on the autistic child for the threat, yet nobody’s questioning why the anger toward the teacher, or was the child thinking it was a play/pretend gun? You’re right, they need to ask a lot more questions of the child’s reasoning for the picture before assuming a violent association.
It really saddens me to see what lunacy the modern world has come to. We have completely forgotten what the ideals of common sense, compassion, and understanding mean. We have become a world of zero tolerance, always searching for someone to blame, and punish. We no long seem capable of remembering that we all are human, and all make mistakes. Mentally challenged children, and even adults, are held responsible for their actions the same, and sometimes more so, than a person of normal intelligence. Six year old children are arrested, cuffed, tazered, and imprisioned, the same as an adult. The news, the internet, and tv are full of stories of a society that has completely lost touch with reality.
In my sixty years on this earth, I’ve seen things go from a teacher dusting a kids britches, and sending them back to class none the worse for wear, and a lot more well behaved, to suspending, calling the cops and having them arrested, tazering, or peppersprayed. Instead of correcting and disciplining children, our schools, and legal system, do their best to ruin the rest of their lives.
Now before anyone gets up in the air about dusting a kids britches in school, and how that so traumatizes them, I ask you, how can being thrown out of school, being arrested, jailed, or tazered be any less traumatizing?
I had my britches dusted in school a number of times. All it did was get my attention, and encourage me to behave. The things I did in school would no doubt get me arrested and imprisoned today, I would have ended up with a criminal record that would have followed me all through my life, and kept me from getting a decent education or job. All because I was a young boy, full of vinegar, and very little common sense.
very interesting story. Thanks for sharing this cool stuff. cheers
The very idea of zero tolerance has always seemed totally ridiculous to me, and this is just more proof that a “One size fits all” policy never works anywhere.
Many of you know that my eldest (17) has Autism – he could have drawn this, would not have known what the teacher was going on about and would have been none the wiser in court. Ironically, he would probably have only been happy in a cell – away from humans who misunderstand him completely!!
I almost could not believe what I was reading at first. I agree with Phill with the “one size fits all” policy never working. In honesty, I do not see how they can legally charge the poor boy. Even if he wasn’t autistic, the fact that it was a drawing of mere stick figures is what makes this case worse. I could see if it was a highly detailed, well drawn out plot to kill or harm someone, but in reality it was just a couple of stick figures. The case should be thrown out, and the boy’s criminal and school record should be cleaned of this incident. Nice article. It was very interesting.
… for DRAWING A PICTURE?
Oh America, how thou hath fallen.
If it would have been numerous politicians name instead of the teachers, it would have probably been praise worthy. Uh Oh…are they going to come after me for saying that now? LOL
FU Big Brother!
I am the mother of this child you have written about. You are correct in saying it was selective zero tolerance. I wrote about this in my blog. http://aroadtorecovery.org/blog.html It seems to me that the schools can’t get away with institutionalizing children with special needs because of the IDEA and now resort to using the criminal system to avoid educating them.
Thank you for writing the article. This is an important topic of discussion.
Thanks so much for reading my article Karen! I found the actions if the school and local authorities shameful…to put it kindly. How’s your son doing now? I do hope that they’ve seen how idiotic. Th