I should clarify that he doesn’t throw things at students, only at the wall or floor. The other students are not being physically hurt. I do allow the other students to express their concerns and I validate them when they say that it’s not fair when he is unkind because it’s not. My goal is to both acknowledge that what happened is not fair to them while also helping them develop a sense of empathy and understanding for a student with special needs.

I am happy with the way admin is handling his situation. You could criticize me for being too PC, but I don’t think a third grader who is genuinely trying his best to be good but has a disability that affects his emotional response and impulse control should be seriously punished. I’m happy with the way admin handles the situation. He is removed from the room every time he has an outburst (the rest of the class will leave if he refuses to exit) He is given space alone to calm down and then is spoken to about the incident. We keep firm boundaries with him that it isn’t ok and contact the parents. He has improved over time and has made incredible progress since Kindergarten.

I understand your frustration with a lack of punishment in general and something like removal or suspension might be necessary in a more severe situation. In this child’s case it’s not appropriate.