Indiana Teacher Awards Autistic Boy ‘Annoying Male’ Trophy

GARY, Ind. (AP) – An Indiana school district has apologized after a teacher awarded an 11-year-old autistic student a trophy naming him the “most annoying male” of the school year.

The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports that a special education teacher at Bailly Preparatory Academy in Gary gave the boy the trophy May 23 during a fifth-grade awards luncheon attended by students, parents and the school principal.

The boy’s father said his family was blindsided.

Gary Community School Corp. issued an apology to the boy and his family in a statement Monday. Emergency manager Peter Morikis called it an “unfortunate occurrence” and noted that the district was taking disciplinary action against the school employees involved.

Morikis declined to comment on the employment status of the workers.