A Hug in Texas

A number of posts have discussed the problems of autistic college students. In Forth Worth, KXAS reports:

A Waxahachie man with autism who was kicked out of college for surprising another student with a hug will be allowed to return to school.

The woman who received the unsolicited hug said she never intended to complain and was shocked when she learned about the punishment.

Student With Autism Kicked Out of College

"I didn't want him to get in trouble, special needs or not,” said Taylor Bruton. “I didn't want anyone to get in trouble, not over a hug.”

Brian Ferguson, 20, was taking special needs classes at Navarro College last month when he thought he recognized a young woman in the hallway, his mother said. The woman turned out to be Bruton. The two had never met.

Bruton said Ferguson hugged her and kissed her on the top of her head.

“And it was a peck,” she said.

She says some teachers noticed she was a little startled.

"They asked me about the incident,” she said Wednesday. “I explained what happened and I told them, 'It's not a big deal. I don't want anyone to get in trouble and I don't feel the need to report this.' And they asked me for a written statement, just in case."