Green Options

In 2005, helpful big sister Brittney Maxson tried to enter an A&F dressing room at the Mall of America to assist her younger sibling, 14-year-old Molly, who is autistic.

She was confronted by store staff, who said that Abercrombie policy didn’t allow more than one person in a dressing room at a time in an attempt combat shoplifting. The girls had encountered the same policy at another store, but they allowed the sisters in the dressing room at that store after they understood the situation.

At Abercrombie & Fitch, Brittney explained her sister’s special needs, but was still refused. Their mom, Beth, tried to talk to management and the girls were still refused. Beth even called a customer service hotline while at the store and the request was still ignored.

Four years later, the clothing store has been ordered to pay $115,264 for discriminating against a disabled person.

Kids from a summer camp in Northeast Philadelphia were turned away from a private pool, apparently because of their race. The Creative Steps Day Camp paid  almost $2000 to The Valley Swim Club, which is private but advertises open membership.

After the 60 kids arrived, however, it seemed they weren’t so welcome. Horace Gibson, a parent of a camper, told MSNBC:

The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately.

Would you like it in Valley Swim Club’s own words? John Duesler (feel free to pronounce that in any “similar” way you might need), the president of the club, said in a statement, which I assume he had the time to read before he issued:

There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club.

I bring this to you not because it’s green parenting news, but because you, too, are probably trying to teach tolerance to your sweet little ones. And in my house, my children get the lesson by the differences in their own skin tones.