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What do you think?

A young girl is in a wheelchair because she is paralyzed. Before her accident she used to go roller skating at a near by skating center. Now she wants to make as much as she can of what she can do so she decided to go skating. Her friends called her up and asked if she wants to go with them. She wasn't sure if she would be allowed to go out on the surface or not but she gave it a try anyway. Her friends and her arrived at the skating center and went to the ticket window. The worker said she couldn't go out on the surface in her chair but that she would still have to pay the admission fee. This young girl mentioned the Americans with Disabilities Act but the worker said she is still not allowed out there. She played, and the four girls went on in. They asked what their reasoning was and the skating rink said it was against their policy. The young girl called her mother and had her come to the rink. After a struggle, the mother finally got to see a copy of the policy. The only thing closely relating to this situation stated that all skaters must have skates on and be involved in a skating activity. The policy never even mentioned the word wheelchair. The mother said she didn't feel that what they would be doing would be wrong. The worker came up with other reasons not to allow the girl on the surface. She said the young girl would be a safety hazard. The mother mentioned that so are people who can't skate well and so are the people who show off and jump, skate fast, etc. Then the worker said that the wheels of the chair had been outside and could leave things of the surface. The mother said they would clean the wheels before going out on the rink floor. The main reason they used was still the policy. The mother and daughter decided that they couldn't see how they would be violating the policy if they went on so they did. They paid for skates and put them on the young girl and made sure her wheels were clean. She rolled out on the the surface and immediately started getting yelled at to get off the surface. The skating rink workers said they would call the police if the girl didn't leave. The young girl just kept on skating making the best of it. Another worker skated directly behind her watching for something to fall from her wheels. Then embarrassed the girl by having everyone clear the surface while they checked the floor for anything that could have came from her. They found nothing so everyone began to skate again. Finally the police came and escorted the young girl and her friends from the rink. They are all kicked out for life. The statements were taken and it is now under investigation. Is this discrimination? What do you think?

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July 20, 2005