A mother in Pennsylvania voiced her displeasure with Hersheypark after her son with autism was denied entry to the theme park for not wearing a face covering.
Face masks or coverings are required in all public spaces in Pennsylvania, and the amusement park requires them as well. In a Facebook post, Pamela Heinbaugh said she attempted to bring her son to the park on Friday but was denied entry because he could not wear any type of face covering.
Heinbaugh said park employees “denied us entry to the park because my disabled child, which if you can’t tell, this should give it away, can’t wear a mask.”
The mother explained her son “has severe asthma, so he can’t cover his face, and as you can see, he’s autistic, so he won’t wear anything on his head.”
Mark Davis, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Advocacy and Resources for Autism and Intellectual Disability, told local television station WHTM: “A face mask, a face shield, it’s still got pressure on the head, it’s still out of the ordinary.”
“I think it’s a person at a time, and I know most businesses can’t afford to take it a person at a time, but with a person with a disability, that’s how you have to take it,” Davis said.
On its website, Hersheypark lists several ways it is allowing for guests to visit safely during the coronavirus pandemic. Guidelines include increased cleaning and sanitization, guest reservations system, and social distancing.
On face coverings, the park says, “All guests over the age of 2 are required to wear face coverings. Guests should also be prepared to undergo a touchless temperature screening prior to entering Hersheypark.”
