NORCO, Calif. — Students from John F. Kennedy Middle College School staged a walkout during the last week of January to protest the alleged lack of response to death threats made against a teacher by a special needs student. Heather Ellis, who was named teacher of the year last April, abruptly left her position.

The student, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, was suspended for five days in October for making the threats, LA Weekly reports. Classmates told the news source that the threats were made in full view of the class and also by voice mail and text message.

The Corona-Norco Unified School District Board held a meeting on Feb. 1, in which it heard public criticism on its handling of the threats. Officials then held a closed meeting to discuss California law concerning student expulsion and readmission.

Students told the news source that the felt the student who threatened Ellis was not in the correct learning environment. They said that although the school labeled him as special needs, he was not given any extra assistance.

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