A few dozen people gathered outside Boardman High School to support a child with autism who officials say had a note stapled to his hair.

A teacher's aide resigned over the incident, but community members say school officials didn't handle the situation properly.

They tell 21 News they're calling for more than just a resignation from the teacher's aide accused of doing it.

"That's hurting a defenseless child and very vulnerable child," said Kelly Long, Board Member for The Autism Society. "And, we're out here to send a message that it is not OK," she said.

After the rally, several people stayed behind to attend the board meeting and raise their concerns.

At the meeting, the school board said they issued discipline according to the facts and circumstances as they understood them. But a representative of the family says they feel the situation was handled very poorly.

"He told his mother that the aide stapled the paper to his head and that it hurt," said Sheri Hartley, the aunt of the child involved. "He was sent home. And nobody from the district ever called my sister to let her know what happened," she said.

The family declined to talk to 21 News directly, but participants of the rally say they hope their efforts will give a voice to any student who feels they don't have one.