Community Outcry After Students With Disabilities Were Denied Service At Waldorf Cracker Barrel

WALDORF, Md. — A planned Community-Based Instruction (CBI) outing to Cracker Barrel in Waldorf turned sour on Dec. 3 when students with developmental and intellectual disabilities were reportedly denied service by staff and management. The incident has drawn widespread community condemnation, as detailed in an email from a teacher and interviews with parents.

According to the teacher’s email to parents, the group, which included students from Dr. James Craik Elementary School’s SOAR classroom, faced resistance from servers, hosts, and management. Despite prior assurances that a reservation was unnecessary, the students and staff were reportedly told they would not be served.

“When we arrived at Cracker Barrel, we all walked inside and immediately the servers and hosts were very rude to the staff about the amount of people who were from [the school],” the email stated. Despite offering to split the group into smaller tables and clarifying that only students would be dining, the staff allegedly refused to accommodate them.

The teacher further alleged that Tranesia Scriber, the general manager, dismissed the group’s efforts to explain the nature of their outing, saying, “We cannot accommodate to your group and will not be serving them. Please have our establishment removed from the list because we don’t accommodate to this type of group.”

The group ultimately placed a to-go order, but even that process was fraught with delays and poor treatment.

Dustin Reed, whose daughter Madelynn was among the students, took to Facebook to express his frustration and rally community support. His post sparked an outpouring of solidarity, with many condemning the treatment as discriminatory.

In an interview with The BayNet, Reed described his experience attempting to address the situation in person. “I went there today [Dec. 4] and talked to her [Scriber]. She cut me off before I finished my sentence and shooed me away when I tried to ask her questions regarding the incident,” he said.

Madelynn’s mother, Johnna Penrod, emphasized the importance of these outings for the students. “This is terrible and shouldn’t be tolerated. We’re in 2024. At some point, it has to be understood that it shouldn’t be us preparing them [the children] for the world, but the world accommodating them,” she said.

The SOAR classroom, which supports five students with developmental disabilities, integrates monthly CBI trips to help students practice social skills and adapt to community environments. At the time of the incident, the group was joined by students from another school participating in the Achieves program, which also focuses on fostering social and community-based skills for students with disabilities.

“This has never happened before,” Penrod said, noting the usual success of such trips.

Reed and Penrod have expressed hope that larger media outlets will take notice of the incident. However, according to Reed, at least one network news organization indicated they would only cover the story if the family could organize a protest of 100 or more people.

In response, Reed and other community members are organizing a demonstration outside the restaurant. “We’re looking to do it on a Sunday, probably around the time that church would be getting out,” Reed said, noting support from several local residents.

The BayNet contacted the Cracker Barrel Waldorf location for comment. The manager on duty, identified only as Joe, said, “I am not sure I know anything about that [incident].” Messages left for Scriber have not yet been returned.

The incident has raised broader concerns about how businesses accommodate individuals with disabilities. “This is unjust,” Penrod said.

Cracker Barrel’s corporate office has yet to issue a statement. The BayNet will continue to follow this story as it develops.

Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com