SEATTLE - A family in West Seattle say their young son was told to stay home after he came into contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19, prompting his relatives to allege now that he was singled out and treated differently by school district officials because the boy has not been vaccinated..

Last week, the 12-year-old student who attends Denny International Middle School was exposed to someone in class who was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Officials at his school told him to stay home for two weeks because he has not been vaccinated.

His relatives said they have since learned that had he been vaccinated, the 7th grade student would not have been forced to miss class as long as he wasn't showing symptoms of the virus.

“My kid has no symptoms,” said Jeremy Gollyhorn, the boy’s father. “He's perfectly healthy. Why can't he just get a negative COVID test and come back to school?"

Gollyhorn said his son is being held to a different standard than students who have had their shots, and even if he showed a negative COVID-19 test, the boy wouldn’t be allowed back to school until the two-week quarantine period has ended.

However, close contacts who are fully vaccinated with no symptoms do not need to quarantine and can return to class, though they are urged to get tested three-to-five days later to be sure.

Gollyhorn said it makes no sense.

“Vaccinated people can still spread COVID too so what's the difference there?” he said.

A spokesperson said Seattle Public Schools is following public health guidelines set by the state.

Gollyhorn said the policy strips people of their choice. He added that his family doesn’t trust the vaccines and situations like this only make him want to push back.

Since Seattle Public Schools started the school year on Sept. 1, the district has reported 117 positive COVID-19 cases while Denny International Middle School has reported four positive cases in that time.

It's unclear how many staff and students have been told to quarantine because of exposures. However, those absences are considered excused.