Whatever happens with the court case, I am hoping your son can be placed in a different class. He needs a more flexible teacher.
Some teachers should not work with autistic kids. These teachers are not bad people, they may just be new or inexperienced or incapable of giving the extra effort.
There might also be something about that particular class that just isn't a good fit for him. Many years ago I was very upset that my son, who was diagnosed with ADHD, was expelled from a wonderful day care program. But I eventually realized that no matter how excellent the program, it was not a good program for him. Although the conventional wisdom was that ADHD kids need structure, we placed him into a more relaxed day care environment and it was a success.
I had reason to remember this last year, when an inexperienced friend of mine grabbed an autistic student by the arms to keep him from running out the door. Another adult had just told him he could not do what he wanted to do, and he was frustrated. He attacked my friend and severely scratched her face. Because this was an optional program, not school, he was asked to leave for violating the behavioral contract.
I had been working with the same student, and I have a little more experience with autistic kids. (One of my friends has a husband with Asperger's, and all her kids have it to some degree.) I don't think the situation was really the child's fault; I think the real problem was that the program was not appropriate for his cognitive level and the amount of stimulation that he needed. Everyone tried with the best of intentions, but it was the wrong placement for him.
It is possible that this class was not the right fit for your son, and no one wanted to admit it--it would make the teacher look bad if she brought it up. Now, with the disciplinary action, she can make sure any "blame" is pushed onto someone else--your son. For her, it's a matter of surviving the bureaucracy. It is for you, too, but you need to know the game that you are playing. And it helps to have someone who knows the game to guide you through. That's why I recommended a disability lawyer.
