A high school student who suffers from autism and Down Syndrome was given a varsity letter by his mother to celebrate that he had begun playing special needs basketball at his high school, and then shockingly told he had no right to wear that letter. Michael Kelley, who attends East High School in Wichita, Kansas, wore the letter, which his mother purchased for him, on a jacket, until he was told to remove it and never wear it again at school. And not only did the school tell the young man he could not wear his letter, but they are now firmly standing behind their decision. Scroll down for video . The mother of Michael Kelley (above) purchased him a varsity letter to celebrate his participation in a special needs basketball program . East High School (above) in Wichita, Kansas told the boy, who has autism and Down Syndrome, he could not wear a varsity letter . 'Teachers told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket,' East High Principal Ken Thiessen told KSN. When asked if that policy might change however, given the situation, he said; 'We have considered it, and our decision was no. We decided that is not appropriate in our situation because it is not a varsity level competition.' Wanting more answers, Mrs. Kelley turned to the district, who said there was no official rule about who could and cold not wear a varsity letter. As for how this all happened, Mrs. Kelley said; 'Another parent, from what I am told, was upset that my son was wearing his letter jacket.' Michael however is getting a lot of support in the aftermath on this decision however, and a Change.org petition to change this rule already has close to 15,000 signatures. Mrs. Kelley (above) said; 'Another parent, from what I am told, was upset that my son was wearing his letter jacket.' 'Teachers told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket,' said East High Principal Ken Thiessen . What's more, Mark Calvin, the principal and athletic director at Santana High School in Santana, Kansas has sent one of their varsity letter for Michael to wear. 'Before he got the letter he was one of the biggest cheerleaders in the school it was incredible, after he got the letter jacket it just sky rocketed him to another level,' said Calvin of Michael. He then said of the situation; 'We can’t be cookie cutter. We have all kinds of kids with all kinds of different needs and we need to be able to make our rules adjust to meet those needs.' He added; 'It’s a message to Michael that you can be a part of something anywhere you want to.' As for Mrs. Kelley, she is not just fighting for her adopted son Michael, but all the kids, saying; 'It’s not just my son. It’s every student that was out there last night. It’s every student that’s there on Fridays that plays their hardest and to the best of their capability regardless what that is.'
East High School in Wichita, Kansas told student Michael Kelley, who has autism and Down Syndrome, he could not wear a varsity letter .
This after his mother purchased him a varsity letter to celebrate his participation in a special needs basketball program .
'Teachers told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket,' said East High Principal Ken Thiessen .
Now, a Change.org petition has been started to change this policy .
In addition, a principal and athletic director from a nearby high school is sending Michael a varsity letter so he can be 'a part of something'
A high school student who suffers from autism and Down Syndrome was given a varsity letter by his mother to celebrate that he had begun playing special needs basketball at his high school, and then shockingly told he had no right to wear that letter. Michael Kelley, who attends East High School in Wichita, Kansas, wore the letter, which his mother purchased for him, on a jacket, until he was told to remove it and never wear it again at school. And not only did the school tell the young man he could not wear his letter, but they are now firmly standing behind their decision. Scroll down for video . The mother of Michael Kelley (above) purchased him a varsity letter to celebrate his participation in a special needs basketball program . East High School (above) in Wichita, Kansas told the boy, who has autism and Down Syndrome, he could not wear a varsity letter . 'Teachers told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket,' East High Principal Ken Thiessen told KSN. When asked if that policy might change however, given the situation, he said; 'We have considered it, and our decision was no. We decided that is not appropriate in our situation because it is not a varsity level competition.' Wanting more answers, Mrs. Kelley turned to the district, who said there was no official rule about who could and cold not wear a varsity letter. As for how this all happened, Mrs. Kelley said; 'Another parent, from what I am told, was upset that my son was wearing his letter jacket.' Michael however is getting a lot of support in the aftermath on this decision however, and a Change.org petition to change this rule already has close to 15,000 signatures. Mrs. Kelley (above) said; 'Another parent, from what I am told, was upset that my son was wearing his letter jacket.' 'Teachers told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket,' said East High Principal Ken Thiessen . What's more, Mark Calvin, the principal and athletic director at Santana High School in Santana, Kansas has sent one of their varsity letter for Michael to wear. 'Before he got the letter he was one of the biggest cheerleaders in the school it was incredible, after he got the letter jacket it just sky rocketed him to another level,' said Calvin of Michael. He then said of the situation; 'We can’t be cookie cutter. We have all kinds of kids with all kinds of different needs and we need to be able to make our rules adjust to meet those needs.' He added; 'It’s a message to Michael that you can be a part of something anywhere you want to.' As for Mrs. Kelley, she is not just fighting for her adopted son Michael, but all the kids, saying; 'It’s not just my son. It’s every student that was out there last night. It’s every student that’s there on Fridays that plays their hardest and to the best of their capability regardless what that is.'
special needs basketball at his high school, and Kelley (above) purchased him a varsity letter to celebrate his participation in a special needs basketball program . East High School (above) in Wichita, Kansas told the boy, who has autism and Down Syndrome, he could not wear a varsity letter . 'Teachers told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket,' East High told the parents they would prefer he not wear the letter on his jacket,' said East High Principal Ken Thiessen . What's more, Mark Calvin, the principal and athletic director at Michael that you can be a part of something