• by Tanya Gazdik , December 8, 2024

Parents are planning to stage a protest at a Cracker Barrel in Maryland after the location reportedly refused to serve a group of students who have developmental and learning disabilities. 

“The Cracker Barrel general manager told teaching staff the restaurant ‘cannot accommodate to your group’ and that the restaurant should be removed from the approved list of restaurants for community-based instruction," Charles County Public Schools special education teacher Katie Schneider told parents in an email, which has been shared online, according to USA Today. 

Ultimately staff placed a carryout to-go order and had the children wait to eat on the bus.

”During this time, the servers were blatantly rude to our staff and ignored all of our students, Schneider continued in her email. "Refusing to serve them, they did not even ask if our students wanted a drink or anything. Our students were so well behaved and sat at the tables patiently, which you know can be hard, waiting for their food and drinks to-go.”

Parents have expressed anger and sadness in reaction to the incident. 

“It broke my heart,” said Dustin Reed, whose 7-year-old daughter is nonverbal, according to NBC Washington. “Pushed off to the side, and just not even paid attention to. Only thing they wanted to go in there to do was eat some food and enjoy their time there and learn from it.”

Cracker Barrel said in a statement that a "staffing challenge" led to impacting the group's experience.

However, the school district had informed the restaurant ahead of the visit, including how many were in the party, and were told there was no need to make a reservation, according to Charles County Public Schools Superintendent Maria Navarro.

"That we disappointed this group of students and teachers is unacceptable to us, and we sincerely apologize," Cracker Barrel's media relations team said on Saturday, according to WUSA9.

Since news of this incident became public, a number of Charles County businesses have stepped forward and volunteered to take part in the life-skills program, according to NBC Washington.

Parents, including Dustin Reed, are planning a protest at the location Dec. 15 and already 85 have indicated they plan to attend. 

Reed said he hopes the protest sheds light on the fact that just because some children have different abilities, it doesn't make them less than anyone else, according to USA Today.