Autistic banned from graduation for threating online remarks

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An eighth grader was banned from graduation because of his posts on social media.

Jake Hoffman has autism and goes to Park View School in northwest suburban Morton Grove. He claims he was recently bullied on a class trip.

Hoffman was suspended after posting statements on social media about stabbing fellow classmates. He admitted his comments were out of line, but said the punishment was extreme.

"I deserve this graduation. I should have walked down the halls. My friends felt sad. They were posting Snapchats, tweets and everything about it. And I should walk down that hall, I deserve this graduation," Hoffman said.

A student with autism has been excluded from his high school’s main graduation ceremony, but members of the community are rallying to make sure his separate ceremony is not a quiet affair. Caleb Maler, 19, is getting his diploma at a ceremony two hours before the main event at Grants Pass High School. The school was concerned that possible behavioral outbursts might be disruptive. The teen’s father expressed disappointment that only three people beyond immediate family had committed to attending the separate graduation. But a big crowd is now expected after a friend of the family posted about the situation on Facebook. Grants Pass principal Ryan Thompson said there are actually two special ceremonies before the regular ceremony Friday night. He declined to provide details, but said singling out students has been done in the past, for medical and behavioral reasons.