I think I have said this somewhere but my friend (taught with her at the school for d/hh kids) has two kids with Autism. Her hubby is from Iran. They decided to move there to help the boys understand their culture and get to know that side of the family well. After two years, she told hubby she was moving back to the USA because there was no understanding in the schools for her son (and she was working as a teacher there) she said he can come if he wants to. He loves them so he did. (she was afraid they would end up hating their culture rather than what their goal was).
So at home (they were still young, he is now graduated as of last year) he drew a picture of a plane over the school with bombs coming down. Instead of thinking of the middle eastern culture he had learned about, some of the fears and anxieties, etc... they said it was a threat. Now, this kid is truly autistic. He tests low but has always received a's and b's in classes and his high interests tend to be in political/social areas and he really does think about this stuff all of the time.
It was so beyond ridiculous. This peaceful, loving family. This child with high anxiety and autism. Just crazy that they didn't just talk to him about it.
I think the zero tolerance thing, along with people who have no common sense and likely for some of our kids there is some racial/cultural profiling going on too.....it all makes for a very sad situation.
If, what people said was, gee I am concerned and then there was talk, with the parents, and if they agreed, with the child, etc...so much more could be done to find the real kids who may in the future grab guns and hurt people, or be living with people who hurt them, etc.
Yet for this little girl, I suspect she is just going to be scared to confide in anyone. If I were her parents I may even encourage her to not tell things to the police in the future, just out of fear. This teacher and especially those who actually over-reacted beyond her level....did a real disservice to this child, family and probably the kids around her