School decides to stop pursuing charges against 12-year-old autistic student

THURMONT, Md. - The Frederick County School board says it will drop charges against a 12-year-old autistic student at Thurmont Middle School.  That's according to the boy's mother.

On Tuesday, Cameron Mears was difficult in class.  He landed in the guidance office where he landed a punch on the Vice-Principal.

Cameron was suspended for one day.  And the school wanted to press charges with the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.  He would have faced one count of disrupting school activities and a separate count of battery.

After our report aired, Cameron's mother says the District decided to drop the charges.

ORIGINAL STORY

 

But when he became difficult, acting out in class, he landed in the guidance office Tuesday where he allegedly landed a blow on the vice principal.

 

When students filed in to Thurmont Middle School on Wednesday, they were missing one classmate, and 12-year old Cameron Mears would miss his favorite class---gym.

"I play run and jumping and basketball," the youth told us as he acted out the activities in place.

Diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Cameron’s hands are always moving and he finds joy in simple things like seeing his reflection in a window.

But when he became difficult, acting out in class, he landed in the guidance office Tuesday where he allegedly landed a blow on the vice principal.

"I'm sure Cameron... he's upset, so I'm sure he actually hit him, but he wasn't trained,” said Gina Mears, Cameron’s mother, “You shouldn't be putting yourself in a situation where you're not trained, and that's the thing with the school system---there's not enough trained people working with these kids with autism and disabilities."

Cameron not only received a one-day suspension.

The school wants to press charges, and now the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office plans to refer him to the Department of Juvenile Justice where he’ll face one count of disrupting school activities and a separate count of battery.

"Anything that has to do with hitting, they definitely suspend,” said Cameron’s father, Eric Mears, “There's no questions asked about it, but then to bring up a charge against an autistic child when they know he has problems?"

The school district maintains it has no zero tolerance policy, but Spokeswoman Marita Loose says special needs students don’t receive special treatment in cases like Cameron’s.

"We apply the same disciplinary guidelines to our special education students as we do to our so-called mainstream students," said Loose.

Now, Cameron is left of re-live a tense moment that grew out of his disorder.

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  STORY UPDATE | Autism advocates say student shouldn't face charges

 

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"I'm trying to stop her calling my Mom, and Mr. Shill, he tried to stop me," recalled the child, typically challenged by the classroom who will now face a new challenge in the form of a courtroom, "I told him, 'Please, I hit him... accident.'"

 

Cameron’s parents say in addition to school administrators, they don’t believe the school resource officers are trained to deal with an autistic student---setting the stage for them to be treated like criminals.