Inwould definitely call an IEP meeting. I would probably also hold him from going to school until that meeting has happened. They are obviously unable or unwilling to provide for his needs.

First, I would like to know does your son's IEP have any interventions for this biting behavior included in his plan? Is there a BIP (behavior intervention plan) that express what the consequences should be for this biting behavior and is the BIP being implemented and followed? Also, what state do you reside in and is it not in agreeance with IDEA federal regulations that state, if a child is suspended the behavior that caused the suspension should not correlate with the child's disability. I really hate that you and your son experienced this situation. I personally as an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Educator and parent of a 16 year old son with ASD would have used this biting situation as a learning lesson, being that your son is only 5 years old. Some lessons can only be taught during the event and it is more likely the child will hopefully make generalizations and understand the effects of his behavior. I want to encourage you and know that an IEP is a legal binding agreement. Keep advocating for your child, because the statement the principal made may be ignorance to the IDEA federal regulations.

One of my boys who is verbal can not function in a regular class. He spent most of the time under the table or eloping. He finally said it was too noisy. He was moved to a special day class of twelve and is doing much better.

My son is also nonverbal & he would be very distraught in a classroom of 18 other kids. It sounds like your son was hiding, possibly due to sensory overload from such a large number of kids in the room. Honestly I would get him out of that class immediately & find a school that has experience with Autistic children. Your son doesn’t need punishment, he needs a caring, educated Special Ed. Teacher to guide him through his day.

The school is not willing to understand his autism. Change schools. If pushed too far, out of self preservation and defense, our kids will react not in the most appropriate way.