First grader with autism suspended for biting sandwich into shape of gun

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. (ANF/Gray News) - A Georgia first grader with autism was suspended after biting his sandwich into the shape of a gun and pointing it at a classmate during lunch, according to his parents and school records. His family says the incident is part of a broader pattern of the district disciplining their son without adequately considering his disability.

School records show Sara Harp Minter Elementary administrators issued more than two dozen disciplinary actions against 6-year-old John Medina. Some include incidents of violent behavior such as kicking and punching another student at recess. Since 2023, the school disciplined John at least 33 times, including 14 suspensions.

Records also show John was suspended for pointing a water bottle at someone while making gun noises and was disciplined for drawing a pilgrim shooting a turkey.

The sandwich suspension happened last school year in March. John’s mother, Kristin Medina, said she wanted to share what happened to compel administrators to prevent future unnecessary disciplinary actions.

Medina said she was caught off guard when the school called.

“They informed me over that phone call that he was getting suspended for it,” she said. “And you’re just, like, baffled.”

The family hired Donna Reynolds, a former special education director who worked in a different Georgia school district, to represent them during meetings with Fayette County Schools.

Reynolds said the suspension did not account for John’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 a gun. They pick up sticks and make them into guns.”

Reynolds said districts must weigh multiple factors before disciplining students in similar situations.

“They need to look at the whole picture,” she said. “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 or is this something that really needs discipline, and is that discipline then going to change the behavior?”

Fayette County Schools Superintendent Jonathan Patterson declined multiple interview requests for this story but called Atlanta News First Investigative Reporter Andy Pierrotti to share a statement. Patterson declined to answer questions on the call.

“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. And so we try to work through those individually.”

Patterson added that the district remains committed to working through disagreements with families.

“We’re committed to meeting parents to try to work through these challenging situations that maybe we agree on, that maybe we don’t agree on, but we’re committed to keep coming back to the table and trying to resolve those things,” he said.

Patterson did not directly address the sandwich incident.

Medina said the cumulative effect of the disciplinary actions has taken a toll on John.

“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’ and that’s really hard to hear as a mom.”

She said the district could have prevented some of John’s behavior had school officials followed his individualized education program, or IEP, which included accommodations such as taking him on short walks when he is overstimulated.

Medina said she shared the family’s experience to help other parents of children with disabilities facing similar issues.

John enters second grade in August.

This is not the first time a parent has accused Fayette County Schools of inappropriately disciplining a student with disabilities. For more on the Special Circumstances series, visit AtlantaNewsFirst.com/investigates.