A mother who said her disabled son was denied access to Hersheypark posted a video of him crying in the car, and it was a scene that picked up speed on social media like one of the tourist attraction’s iconic roller coasters.
Pamela Heinbaugh said in the 2-minute video that her son has severe asthma “so he can’t cover his face,” and is autistic. “He can‘t wear anything on his head. He can’t wear a hat. He doesn’t even like to wear shoes,” she continued, aiming her phone at his feet while continuing to film.
She also pointed out that she saw others enter the park without masks.
PennLive reached out to Heinbaugh, but she didn’t respond. Hersheypark also was contacted and emailed the following response:
“Our COVID-19 health and safety policy mandates face coverings for all guests and team members and provides an accommodation for those who can’t wear a covering by permitting use of a face shield. Everyone over the age of 2 will need to have either a face covering or face shield to enter the park. We believe this is aligned with Governor Wolf’s overarching goal to keep people safe and our own mandate to protect the health and safety of our guests and team members at Hersheypark. This policy is being applied uniformly to everyone and is an important safeguard for those who choose to work with us or honor us with a visit. Citing the public health priority, this position has also been viewed favorably by the external autism, disability and accessibility agencies with which we work.
“Our policy is meant to protect the health and safety of all of our guests and team members at Hersheypark. It is being followed by many of our peers in the amusement park industry and is consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which allows businesses to impose legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operations when a direct threat, like COVID-19, has been established.
“We understand and appreciate the perspective and concerns of our guests, and we have an established record of offering a safe and welcoming environment for all those who visit Hersheypark. Being inclusive and welcoming is incredibly important to us. To that end, if there’s anything we can do to help a guest with our policy, we are eager to assist in any way that we are able.”
Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work
"entry" - Google News
July 12, 2020 at 04:01AM
https://ift.tt/327MGBo
Angry mom says Hersheypark denied her disabled son entry because he didn’t wear a mask; park responds - PennLive
"entry" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3f5ZAUJ
https://ift.tt/3d6LMHD
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Angry mom says Hersheypark denied her disabled son entry because he didn’t wear a mask; park responds - PennLive"
Post a Comment