Parents Held Protest Over Refusal of Service to Special Needs Kids
Parents in Waldorf, Maryland held a protest against a local Cracker Barrel after a special needs group was allegedly denied service by restaurant employees. The December 15th demonstration was organized after 11 autistic kids and seven staff members from Charles County Public School said the restaurant employees refused to serve them on December 3rd.
According to local news, the parents stated that they had not yet decided whether or not they will sue Cracker Barrel, but they would definitely plan more protests if they are not issued a formal apology. An updated story from the Washington Post reveals that Cracker Barrel has sent out an emailed apology which included the following:
“We apologize for not meeting our standard and failing to provide these students and teachers with the hospitality for which Cracker Barrel is known.”
The group of kids, along with the school staff, had planned the outing for a life skill program, meant to help them learn skills needed for everyday living. A visit to the restaurant was planned ahead of time as part of this trip. The Charles County Public School Superintendent and staff even sent out an email beforehand to give the restaurant employees plenty of notice.
A response from the Cracker Barrel assured the school staff that a reservation would not be needed for the special needs group. However, when they reached the restaurant, an employee denied them service, and asked that their restaurant be removed from a list of businesses in the area that participates in the Community-Based Instruction program meant to help these kids learn life skills.
Along with the email, Cracker Barrel also made a statement to the local news station, saying, “We strive to create a welcoming environment and great experience for guests of all abilities, and we have a zero-tolerance policy against any form of discrimination. We did not refuse service to this student group, but operational breakdowns caused by staffing shortages and poor communication on our part led us to fall well short of our service standards that day. This is unacceptable.”
The Superintendent of Charles County Public Schools, Maria V. Navarro, stated that she was “disheartened” by the treatment from Cracker Barrel employees, and added that no one should have to go through such. For autistic children who were visiting the location in an effort to learn how to function in public, being shunned in this way could be especially devastating. Reportedly, 3 of those employees have been fired.
Autistic kids often struggle with extreme anxiety and can become overstimulated easily. In a situation meant to reassure them about being able to deal with crowds of people and teach them how to interact, they were refused service instead. One teacher claims that the manager told them that they “don’t accommodate this type of group.”
Parents were, of course, eager to speak out for their children, some of which are nonverbal and unable to speak out for themselves. Many parents shared their heartbreak at the pain and confusion that this situation caused for their children. They feel that Cracker Barrel should be held accountable for the actions of these employees.
A statement was also released by the local NAACP chapter, sharing that they were not at all happy with the treatment of the group. The statement called the situation a “violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” and insisted that Cracker Barrel take steps immediately to correct the problem, including extensive training for its employees in disability awareness.
