Caleb Riddle, 6, is shown on stage the moment a teacher tries to grab the microphone from its stand. The viral video of the incident has prompted backlash against the teacher. (YouTube)
A West Virginia teacher is facing criticism after grabbing a microphone from an autistic boy during a Thanksgiving Day-themed play.
Fox 5 New York reported a video of the incident is starting to go viral, garnering more than 103,000 views on YouTube since Amanda Riddle, the boy’s mother, posted it. The video shows children in costumes approach the microphone on stage to thank the audience and wish them a happy Thanksgiving. But when it comes time for Caleb Riddle, 6, to speak, a woman is seen yanking the mic from its stand, the news station reported.
"I left in tears because one teacher Mrs. Linsey I think her name is grabbed the microphone from Caleb and in a mean way," Riddle wrote on YouTube with the video, which she titled “Mean Teacher.” “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’ be treated the way they are."
FoxNews.com did not verify the school teacher’s name.
Dr. Mark Manchin, of the boy’s school district, told 5 News the teacher didn’t intend to be malicious and that “a mistake was made.”
“This teacher, as all of our teachers, truly care about these young boys and girls,” Manchin told 5 News. “The program was over, at least as I understand, and the teacher had taken the microphone."
He added the teacher “feels very bad” about the incident.
Riddle later shared a video of Caleb on Facebook, writing: “Thanks for the support. Gobble, gobble, gobble.”
About 1 in 68 children have autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).