Alex Trebek faces backlash after making eighth grader cry

Does spelling still matter? "Jeopardy" judges say Y-E-S.

"Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek has gotten a storm of hate for making a 12-year-old cry during Kids' Week on the show.

Eighth-grader Thomas Hurley III put an extra 't' in "emancipation," which cost him Final Jeopardy.

"Abraham Lincoln called this document, which took effect in 1863, 'a fit and necessary war measure.'" Hurley knew the answer.

"What is the Emanciptation Proclamation," Hurley's response read.

Trebek said he "misspelled it badly," and the judges agreed. He was in second place at the time, with $3,000 wagered.

Twitter users were as upset as Hurley was.

People are only now realizing #AlexTrebek is a smug, pretentious, condescending snob? Watch any of his episodes from day 1 on #Jeopardy.

— Mitchell (@kade6767) August 5, 2013

Alex Trebek called "smug" by parents of kids Jeopardy contestant. I was yelling at TV too. http://t.co/abXL7RF4Bg

— Clarisa Gerlach (@clairgpTBO) August 6, 2013

“The thing that bothered me most was the way Alex Trebek and the producers treated my son. They were kind of smug,” his father, Thomas Hurley II, said. “It’s a kids' tournament! Everyone knew what he meant.”

Other users stood by the decision, saying that he's in eighth grade, and it's still a good time to focus on spelling.

RT @cmjcmj13: @BostonDotCom Spelling is important. He should move on and consider this a learning opportunity! #jeopardy

— Boston.com (@BostonDotCom) August 5, 2013

Team Trebek!!! Rules are rules and spelling is one of the rules in final #Jeopardy.

— Steve Barber Jr (@PartSelkie) August 6, 2013