A Virginia middle school student has been suspended from school, charged with larceny and ordered to appear in juvenile court for “stealing” a 65-cent carton of milk that his mother says was free.
Shamise Turk told WTVR that she is angry, frustrated and mad that her son Ryan was handcuffed and charged with stealing a milk carton that comes free with his meal because he is on the school’s free-lunch program.
According to the news station, the incident happened May 10 at Graham Park Middle School in Triangle, Va., after Ryan went back to get a carton of milk that comes with his lunch.
A Prince William County police officer assigned to the school accused Ryan of stealing the milk. The officer reportedly grabbed Ryan, who told the news station that he pulled away from the officer’s grasp.
“I yanked away from him; I told him to get off of me because he’s not my dad,” the middle school student said.
The officer then placed Ryan in handcuffs and took him to the principal’s office, where he was searched for drugs, Ryan’s mother told the news station.
Ryan was then not only suspended from school but also charged with larceny, and he has been ordered to appear in juvenile court.
“This is ridiculous … this is beyond embarrassing … he’s at home for 65 cents,” Shamise Turk told the news station. “I’m angry, I’m frustrated, I’m mad. It just went too far. They are charging him with larceny, which I don’t have no understanding as to why he is being charged with larceny when he was entitled to that milk from the beginning.”
Police told the news station that the larceny charge came after Ryan tried to “conceal” the milk, a claim that Ryan’s mother denies.
A school spokesperson told WTVR that Ryan has been suspended for “theft, being disrespectful and using his cellphone in school.”
“The need for disciplinary action is determined by how a student behaves throughout any given incident,” the school spokesperson said. “An appeals process is in place to ensure the fairness of any disciplinary action.”
Read more at WTVR.