Asher Palmer, an eight-year-old special needs student in a New York City school, was expelled for threatening other kids with a toy "gun" made from rolled-up paper, The New York Post reported.

“Asher is exactly the type of student Lang [School] is supposed to be serving. Why they did this doesn’t make sense,’’ his outraged mom, Melina Spadone, told The Post.

The student's mother was angry that an email sent by Principal Micaela Bracamonte said Asher “had a model for physically aggressive behavior in his immediate family.’’ That, the mother alleged, was a reference to her husband, who served in the United States military.

The school also claimed that in addition to brandishing the paper weapon, Asher once told a girl he was going to "kill" her. 

The school in question specifically serves children with social behavior issues. Asher has been diagnosed with ADHD and communication challenges.

Read the full story here.