CLARKSBURG, W. Va. – A young autistic boy excited about participating in his school's Thanksgiving play was left in tears after a teacher took the microphone just moments before his big moment.
Caleb Squires, 6, who has level one autism, had waited in line behind other classmates before he was to step up and say gobble, gobble.
But just as he opened his mouth, a teacher walked up and snatched the microphone. Caleb immediately burst into tears while some in the audience laughed.
Caleb's father, Kent, posted video of the incident to his Facebook page on Wednesday.
"He has the biggest heart and always happy," Kent Squires wrote in the post.
The video and the post immediately went viral, garnering sympathy for Caleb and wondering how the teacher could have been so cruel.
WDTV reports that the school superintendent claims it was all a mistake.
"It's a mistake that was made. There was no malice," Harrison County Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin told the station. "This teacher, as all our teachers, truly care about these young boys and girls. The program was over, at least as I understand, and the teacher had taken the microphone."
In his Facebook post, Kent Squires said he was reaching out to see if something could be done for Caleb.