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Maybe it is because I havent finished my morning coffee, but I am having a hard time with alot of the responses posted here.
Obviously many do not understand Autism and thats a shame because its numbers are growing. Most disturbing to me is that it is the child who is going to be hurt by the actions of the supposed adults in this situation. They expect an autistic child who has a 3yr old capacity to behave appropriately and then over react themselves?
This child from the sounds of it may not be ready to be mainstreamed...or the school is not ready for mainstreaming special needs students. Either way it is NOT the childs fault but the fault of the adults who are supposed to be guiding his life.
My mom worked with autistic children and we finally talked her into retiring at age 70 largely because the children would act out on occasion and we were afraid for her. She would have never even entertained the idea of pressing charges against any of them. She loved these kids and did wonderful things with them. But at the end of the day they were still autistic and needed more than the usual classroom could offer. These children do not need to be institutionalized, many have the potential to live “normal” lives.
I am appalled at some of the comments made on here...shakes head. Who are the children?

They expect an autistic child who has a 3yr old capacity to behave appropriately and then over react themselves?

That's like letting a pit bull run the hall. When it attacks someone, you say "What do you expect? It is a pit bull".

If the child is violent or disruptive, pull them out of the school.

My mom worked with autistic children and we finally talked her into retiring at age 70 largely because the children would act out on occasion and we were afraid for her. She would have never even entertained the idea of pressing charges against any of them. She loved these kids and did wonderful things with them. But at the end of the day they were still autistic and needed more than the usual classroom could offer. These children do not need to be institutionalized, many have the potential to live “normal” lives.

Anyone who works in a public school should know that he/she will encounter autistic children. Working with autistic children comes with some amount of personal risk. This woman should never have been in the classroom if this is the way she reacts.

I worked with autistic preschoolers. You cannot take their behavior personally, or let it make you angry. I usually did pretty well with our kids, but I got the occasional kick in the shins, and a few shoves.

One little boy would just wander around pinching people. He didn't seem angry or upset before he did it. He'd get me most often when I was involved with another child and his immediate presence wasn't on my radar screen. One time he walked over to me and smacked my glasses right off my face. He didn't touch me at all, but my glasses went flying.

It's rather like holding an infant on your lap and they suddenly lurch back and head butt you. There's no point in taking that personally or being angry over it.