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Thanksgiving play ends in tears when heartless teacher yanks microphone from autistic boy before he can deliver his only line

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'I was all excited to go to Caleb's play...'

A Thanksgiving play was put on my Nutter Fort Elementary School in Harrison County, West Virginia but one little boy was left out of the day's festivities.

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Highlights

By Kenya Sinclair (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
11/17/2016 (7 years ago)

Published in Marriage & Family

Keywords: Caleb, autistic, Thanksgiving, teacher

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - In a video released by Kent Squires and Amanda Riddle, their son Caleb is patiently waiting his turn to deliver the final line in his class' play.

Each child recites their line into the microphone and the audience responds with, "Happy Thanksgiving."

Caleb, who has level one high-functioning autism, steps toward the microphone as a teacher is seen facing away from him, reaching for it.

He reaches his hand out but she glances at him and yanks the microphone just out of reach, turns her back on him and walks away.

The confused audience begins to laugh as Caleb cries, "Oh, no!" and the scattered applause comes to an end when the obviously distressed boy begins to cry on stage.

The camera totters before Squires places his hand over the lens and shuts it off.

Squires told Daily Mail: "This is my little boy in his Thanksgiving play. He is the last kid and has level one high functioning autism.

"He has the biggest heart and [is] always happy. Now watch it and see what a teacher of kids does to him. He has [come] come from school and said he gets to say, 'gobble gobble' cause he was playing the turkey."


An equally heartbroken Riddle took to Facebook to write: "I was all excited to go to Caleb's play everyone [sic] did a good job.

"I left in tears because one teacher Mrs. ****** I think her name is grabbed the microphone from Caleb and in a mean way. My son is a little different I know this but his heart is so big and he loves everyone.

"What does it matter if he wanted to say gobble gobble he was the turkey after all. I'm sick of kids that are not considered 'normal' to be treated the way they are.

"Caleb I love you and you were a hell of a turkey."

The alarming video was posted November 15 and has since been shared overt 1,200 times. Comments ranged from calls for firing the teacher and demanding a public apology to "That was heartbreaking to watch."

According to FOX 5 NY, Harrison County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin explained: "It's a mistake that was made. There was no malice. This teacher, as all of our teachers, truly care about these young boys and girls.

"The program was over, at least as I understand, and the teacher had taken the microphone."

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He later stated the teacher "feels very bad" for what happened.

While watching the video, it would appear the teacher knew exactly what she was doing but for now it would seem no further actions will be taken.

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Deacon Keith Fournier Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

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