A group of 11 special education students from Maryland’s Charles County Public Schools District were “refused service” at a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Waldorf, Maryland, during a field trip on Tuesday. The incident has sparked outrage among teachers and parents, who claim the staff was rude to their children and ignored their needs.
According to superintendent Maria Navarro, the group of students and seven staff members visited the restaurant as part of a community-based instruction program for students with special needs. Despite being notified in advance, the Cracker Barrel staff allegedly told the teaching staff that the restaurant could not accommodate the group and should be removed from the approved list.
The incident has been widely shared on social media, with many expressing outrage and disappointment at the treatment of the special education students. Parents claim that their children were well-behaved and waited patiently for their food, but were ignored by the servers and refused service.
Cracker Barrel has since issued a statement apologizing for the incident and claiming that a “staffing challenge” led to the group’s experience being impacted. The company is working directly with the school’s leadership to better understand what happened and make things right.
A protest is planned at the Waldorf Cracker Barrel on December 15, organized by parent Dustin Reed, who wants to raise awareness about the importance of inclusivity and acceptance for children with special needs.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/12/06/cracker-barrel-special-education-students-waldorf-maryland/76821558007