Fourth Grader Suspended Over 'Kick Me' Sign Prank

Photo Courtesy - Getty Images (file)(NEW YORK) -- The age-old prank of sticking a "kick me" sign to a classmate's back has landed one fourth grader in serious trouble at a New York City elementary school.

A 9-year-old boy was suspended for two days for sticking a post-it note on another student's back with the words "kick me" scribbled on it. The mother of the suspended student is reportedly upset that her son's joke led to punishment, the New York Post reported.

The suspension comes amid a national debate over what constitutes bullying and when efforts to block bullying have gone too far. The "kick me" punishment has divided experts on whether the school went too far.

The incident happened at P.S. 158 in Manhattan in late January. New York City's Department of Education defended the suspension. The school would not identify the student or release any information about whether the disciplined student's prank led to any injuries.

Over the last 10 years, there's been a spike in school suspensions in New York City. A report released last month showed that the number of suspensions in New York City schools are at an all time high.  The study, done by the New York Student Safety Coalition and the New York Civil Liberties Union, showed that one in 14 of New York's public school students are suspended each year.

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