SHELBYVILLE, Texas (TXAN 24) – What was once a dream of becoming a police officer has turned into a nightmare for 11-year-old Casen, a special needs child now facing legal consequences after bringing a toy gun to school. His mother, who is now speaking out on Facebook, says the school and justice system failed to consider his disabilities before taking extreme action.
On Monday, February 3rd, Casen, who has a feeding tube and an Individualized Education Program (IEP) due to his special needs, made what his mother calls an innocent mistake—placing a toy gun in his backpack with plans to play "cops and robbers" at recess. The gun, which was purchased from a Walmart toy section, had an orange safety tip and was never removed from his backpack or shown to any students or teachers.
Still, after mentioning to a few friends that he had the toy, word spread to school officials. By lunchtime, Casen was in the principal’s office, and local authorities had been notified. His mother received a call instructing her to pick him up, expecting a stern warning and lesson on school policies. Instead, she found her son suspended for three days and told that he would be facing legal action.
A Severe Punishment for an 11-Year-Old
On Thursday, February 6th, Casen and his mother were summoned to juvenile probation, where even the District Attorney came to assess Casen’s size due to his small stature. Ultimately, the child was arrested and charged with a Class A misdemeanor—the highest level misdemeanor possible.
The punishment? Six months of probation, six months of counseling, 20 hours of community service, and mandatory fingerprinting at the Sheriff's Office.
On top of that, Shelbyville ISD handed down its own disciplinary action: 90 days in an Alternative Education Program (AEP). Since fewer than 90 school days remain in the year, Casen will be forced to begin the next school year in AEP.
“They treated him like a criminal”
Casen’s mother is devastated by what she calls a complete overreaction.
“Yes, he needed to be disciplined,” she admitted. “But arrested? Put on probation? Given a record? No child deserves that, much less one with medical and cognitive disabilities who didn’t even take the toy out of his bag.”
The emotional toll on Casen has been severe. Once a child who dreamed of wearing a badge, he now wants nothing to do with police officers. He no longer wants to go to school, showing signs of depression and emotional distress.
“He is not my little boy anymore,” his mother said. “They crushed him.”
Did the School Follow the Law on Special Needs Discipline?
Under federal law, schools must consider a student’s disability when handing down disciplinary actions. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that if a child's actions are linked to their disability, schools must conduct a special review before enforcing long-term punishments.
It's unclear if Shelbyville ISD followed that protocol. Many special education advocates argue that children with IEPs, particularly those with cognitive challenges, often don’t fully understand the severity of school policies in the same way other students do.
“There should have been a meeting to determine if his actions were a result of his disability before making such a drastic decision,” said a local East Texas special education advocate. “It sounds like that step was skipped.”
The Bigger Picture: Are Schools Overreacting?
In an era of heightened school safety concerns, districts across Texas have adopted zero-tolerance policies toward weapons—even toy ones. However, critics argue that common sense must play a role.
The family is now seeking legal advice on whether Casen’s punishment can be overturned or at least modified. They are also calling on the school district to reconsider its handling of special needs cases, hoping no other child will endure the same trauma.
For now, Casen’s mother is left trying to help her son recover from what was supposed to be a lesson in responsibility—but instead became a harsh introduction to the justice system.
I ask you to dig deeper please. A toy gun is NOT a weapon under any law in Texas, not even in the schools own code of conduct. His medical condition by definition is a mental deficit. This child has been failed by multiple entities not including defamation and the label he now has to wear. This can not stand not only on behalf of Casen, but others that will be thrown into this loop of unlawful persecution.