PORT SAINT LUCIE, Fla. -- A South Florida mother wants her son's teacher fired after his classmates voted him out of their kindergarten class.

Alex Barton, 5, was instructed by his teacher last week to stand in front of the class at Morningside Elementary in Port St. Lucie and listen as his classmates described what they disliked about him, according to a police report.

The boy's teacher, Wendy Portillo, then had the class vote on whether Alex should be kicked out of the class, authorities said.

Alex's mother, Melissa Barton, said she was shocked to hear what had happened when her son came home last Wednesday, WPBF-TV in Palm Beach Gardens reported.

"He came to me and said, 'Mommy, 14 kids voted me out of my class,'" Barton said.

Barton, who said her son has been diagnosed with autism, said she then went to her son's teacher for answers.

"She basically told me that she put him in front of his entire class and asked each child to say what they don't like about Alex, and they voted him out of his class," Barton said.

Barton said her son's teacher and the principal at the school knew Alex had been tested for autism. WPBF was unable to reach them for comment.

St. Lucie County School District Superintendent Michael Lannon said he has received nearly 300 e-mails from all over the world about the case.

Lannon said Tuesday that the school district is investigating and is expected to release their findings sometime in the next two or three weeks.

"We will not push things under the rug, and we will not stick our heads under the sand. We will deal with it," Lannon said.

Alex's mother said she wants Portillo fired, but Lannon said that there is a certain process the district must follow in cases like this.