Cracker Barrel 'refused service' to students with disabilities, Maryland school says

WALDORF, Md. (WDCW) -- Cracker Barrel has issued an apology after a Maryland school district said a group of students with disabilities was denied service at one of the chain's restaurants.

On Dec. 3, several students and teachers from Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) visited the Cracker Barrel in Waldorf for a planned outing.

The trip was part of a community-based instruction program, known as CBI, which helps students with disabilities practice and apply classroom skills in real-life settings.

One parent, Stacey Campbell, shared an email on Facebook that she received from her son's teacher saying they "unfortunately had a very bad experience at Cracker Barrel" and that the "servers and hosts were very rude" about the amount of people in their group.

Superintendent Maria Navarro said in a letter obtained by Nexstar's WDCW that the district had notified the Cracker Barrel location of the planned visit, including how many people were coming and the purpose of the trip. However, staff at the restaurant reportedly said a reservation was not needed for them to dine at the establishment.

"Upon arrival, the students and staff were declined service and asked to no longer include the restaurant on its CBI list. The group was able to place a carry-out order," Navarro's letter read.

"Our students and staff are our No. 1 priority, and we are disheartened to learn about the alleged treatment they received while participating in activity designed to educate our students using real-world applications," Navarro continued.

Campbell, whose son has autism, expressed her disappointment during an interview with WDCW, asking: "What is the (restaurant) leadership going to do ... and how are they going to ensure that their discriminatory practices are no longer happening?”

Despite allegations of discrimination, Cracker Barrel said the incident actually happened as a result of a staffing issue.

"A staffing challenge that day led to the closure of part of our second dining room, creating confusion that impacted the group's experience," a spokesperson for the company said in a statement. "We take this matter seriously and are working directly with the group's leadership to better understand what happened, extend our apologies, and make things right."

Navarro said in her letter that faculty members from the district's special education office have offered to provide disability awareness training for the restaurant's employees.

"Restaurant officials have also indicated that they are available to speak with the parents of the students who visited the establishment," Navarro wrote.

In the meantime, parents and other community members said they plan to host a rally and boycott the restaurant on Dec. 15.