09/17/2026
A Tennessee family is suing a school district after their 5-year-old son with autism was criminally charged following incidents at school.
The child was enrolled in kindergarten at H.B. Williams Elementary in Sumner County. According to the lawsuit, his parents had requested additional support for him, but the school initially declined, saying it needed more information before providing an aide.
After several incidents involving physical altercations and objects being thrown, the district eventually assigned additional support.
But by then, the situation had escalated beyond the school.
A school resource officer charged the child with felony aggravated assault. A judge rejected the charge, but two parents of other students later filed their own petitions seeking criminal charges against the boy. One was eventually dropped, while the other continued.
The remaining case was ultimately dismissed in April after a judge determined that the child was not competent to stand trial.
The child’s parents are now taking legal action against Sumner County Schools, alleging violations of disability rights and federal anti-discrimination laws.
They are also suing a school administrator individually, alleging retaliation, malicious prosecution, abuse of process and other claims.
The family’s attorney argues that children with disabilities need appropriate support and intervention, particularly when behavioral challenges arise at school. He says the case could have broader implications for how schools respond to students with special needs.
The school district, district attorney and administrator were contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of the report.