[NABS-L] 12-year-old with disabilities kicked out of movie theater my reaction

[Roanna Bacchus]

Dear Chris,

I agree with your reactions to this article. My parents have also had to correct me if I was doing a blindism such as rocking back and forth while we are out and about. I too have gotten frustrated with there repeated corrections, but I understand that they do want me to look odd among the general public.

On Aug 10, 2018 3:33 PM, Chris Nusbaum via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Hello All: 
>
> This is certainly an interesting case of apparent discrimination which still 
> raises questions about where we should draw the line between insisting on 
> equal access to public accommodations and respecting the rights of the 
> public with whom we share those accommodations. At first glance, it would 
> seem that the decision of the manager to kick the family out is an 
> overreaction at best and outright discrimination at worst. Moreover, I think 
> that the complaint from the moviegoer was also an inconsiderate 
> overreaction, particularly given the fact that it was plain to see that the 
> girl has multiple disabilities which impact her life and behavior. In my 
> opinion, there were many courses of action he could have taken which would 
> have avoided the situation we are now discussing: He could have moved seats, 
> asked to be seated closer to the speakers, or asked for one of the theatre's 
> amplification devices. 
>
> On the other hand, I think it is important for us to recognize that equal 
> access is a two-way street. When we participate in blindness training 
> programs or seminars, we often spend a lot of time focusing on social skills 
> so we can ensure that we are conducting ourselves in a way which makes us 
> appear competent and presentable, thereby causing others in society to be 
> more disposed toward giving us the access we seek. I'm sure that many of us, 
> including myself, have dealt with "blindisms" in our childhood--those quirky 
> behaviors like hand shaking or eye poking which are supposedly done out of 
> habit in order to provide stimulation which would otherwise come visually. 
> For my part, I was often frustrated by my parents' repeated correction of me 
> whenever they saw me doing a "blindism," but I'm thankful for it now because 
> it has allowed me to better fit into various social circles. In that vain, I 
> wonder if there is anything the girl's parents could do to teach her to 
> normalize her breathing? Are there other ways in which she could express her 
> emotions without disturbing those around her? If her disabilities prevent 
> her from changing this behavior, there is nothing left for the family to do 
> but to educate and fight for acceptance. However, I think these questions 
> are something worth considering. 
>
> Finally, Roger, it seems that you are saying that the family's refusal of 
> the manager's alternatives was unreasonable. If I'm misunderstanding you, I 
> apologize. I would point out, however, that the manager's options, while 
> allowing the family to see the movie, were indicative of a "separate but 
> equal" approach. I daresay that most of us would balk at the idea that, 
> because of our blindness, we must schedule a private screening with the 
> theatre during which we are the only people allowed to see a movie while cut 
> off from the rest of the moviegoing public. Though the problem in this case 
> was not directly related to the girl's blindness, why should she be forced 
> to cut herself off from the public just because someone was annoyed by the 
> sound of her breathing? Perhaps this is going out on a dangerous limb, but I 
> don't see much of a difference between that approach and the approach which 
> the Jim Crow south used to justify their "separate but equal" treatment of 
> African-Americans in the wake of 1950s-era early integration laws. This 
> family, in my view, is asking not for special treatment, but for equal 
> treatment. They are using this as an opportunity to educate the public in 
> the hope that the situation they have endured will not happen to anyone 
> else. If that is what they are asking for, I would think that we in the NFB 
> should find common cause with them. 
>
> Just my thoughts, 
>
> Chris 
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: NABS-L <nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Armando Vias via 
> NABS-L 
> Sent: Thursday, August 9, 2018 6:41 AM 
> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org 
> Cc: Armando Vias <a.vias at outlook.com> 
> Subject: [NABS-L] 12-year-old with disabilities kicked out of movie theater 
> my reaction 
>
> Here is my reaction. So a 12-year-old with a disability got kicked out of a 
> movie theater! All because she was breathing! A man was sitting in front of 
> her. The man then complained to the manager of the theater! The parents and 
> the child were told to leave. I believe that this clearly violates the 
> Americans withDisabilities Act. I believe that all employees must receive 
> training regarding accommodating people with disabilities. You can read the 
> article by clicking the link below. This happened in West Virginia. 
>
> http://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Special-needs-girls-family-asked-to-leave-t 
> heater-because-of-loud-breathing-490316211.html 
>
> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 
> 10 
>
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