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

[Roger Newell]

Chris, I would generally agree that "separate but equal" treatment is
detrimental to both the blind person and broader society, but I
believe that it is an option worth considering in this case.
1. The child's breathing was so loud that it actually caused distress
to other patrons. If the breathing could be heard clearly during loud
portions of the movie, it sounds like it is a physicological issue, or
perhaps it is the result of a cognitive disability so severe that the
child could not be taught how to channel her excitement in another
way, though of course we don't know this as it was not described in
the article; conversely, it could be that the parents and teachers of
the child have very low expectations.
2. I have heard of movie theaters offering separate screenings (at
least in my country) to people with autism and other conditions that
would inhibit the ability of their families/caregivers or other
theater-goers to enjoy the movie. I feel that this is warranted in
this case because it would have been the least restrictive environment
for the girl or their family, allowing them to enjoy the movie without
additional stress.

Now I must emphatically state that a separate screening of the movie
is definitely not ideal in all circumstances--blind people have the
right to integrate into society so that we can enjoy the same benefits
as our sighted counterparts while simultaneously raising the
expectations and altering the beliefs of society; but we must also
respect that this is not achievable in all circumstances. Again I will
ask the question: if the child was found to have no other way to
channel her excitement and you, a paying customer, were seated next to
her in a full movie theater, what would you do? We cannot definitively
state what should have happened in this case because we simply have
far too little information, but I think it is worthy to think about
how blind people with significant disabilities in addition to their
blindness should participate in society.

I am interested in reading other's thoughts on this and weeing how the
story develops from here.

On 8/11/18, 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
>
> _______________________________________________
> NABS-L mailing list
> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> NABS-L:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/cnusbaumnfb%40gmail.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> NABS-L mailing list
> NABS-L at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> NABS-L:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/inscriptioelectronicaaustralia%40gmail.com
>