ANTHONY, Kan. (KAKE) - An Anthony family is accusing the city's elementary school of discrimination after receiving an email from a teacher suggesting their autistic kindergartner attend graduation virtually.

The Martin family said they received an email Thursday evening, asking for their child's t-shirt size. The Martins said they had previously talked with school leaders about whether or not their son, Anthony, would attend the graduation ceremony in-person.

The Martins said Thursday was the first time that anyone had suggested that a virtual option would be better for Anthony because there would be "a lot of people" at the ceremony.

"Angry, I was very angry," Anthony Martin Sr. said, "He's around people all the time."

Martin said Friday that his son has struggled with learning due to the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, but that it was insensitive for a teacher to make a suggestion that could impact his child's experience.

"This is a special little guy that deserves everything that everybody else does," Anthony Sr. said.

KAKE News reached out to the Chaparral Public School District and received the following statement:

Anthony Elementary along with all USD 361 classrooms and schools work to focus on celebrating key learning milestones. Allegations challenging the acceptance of students and families within our buildings during any event or milestone celebration is one we work to remedy. We do our best to meet the needs and requests from our families by offering the remote option as a learning model as well as a way for remote students to participate in celebrations with their on-site peers.

Anthony Sr. said what he hopes people take from this situation is that those with learning disabilities need everybody's help, not judgment.