Disabled boy told to leave theme park in Chicago

The Park has apologised for the incident but called it an isolated one

A 10-year-old disabled boy was recently told to leave a theme park in Chicago when a security guard told his mother that he was “a liability.”

Jordan Block, who is suffering from spinal muscular atrophy and is confined to a wheelchair, had gone to the Crown Fountain at Millennium Park last week, where the guard allegedly called him a liability, explaining that his wheelchair could cause him to hurt himself or others.

This is despite the website of the Millennium Park clearly mentioning that the fountain is designed without edges for people in wheelchairs to enjoy.

After the incident, Jordan told CBS News that “there’s not much else I can do, and that is something I can do – so it’s fun for me. Yeah, I said, like, I’ve been here before and have been able to do it.”

“I felt excluded from doing it,” he said.

His mother Megan said that her son has had the chair since he was two years old. “This is unacceptable! You know, you’re able to do this, and it’s perfect for you, and we’re being told, ‘No!’” she said.

However, Jordan went to the fountain anyway and neither he nor anyone else was hurt. “I don’t want it to happen to anyone else. I want it to be fair for everyone,” he said.

The Millennium Park, meanwhile, said they are sorry and called the incident an isolated one while adding that they have spoken to the specific security officer and the entire team.

“We were very sorry to hear about Jordan’s experience at Millennium Park and we have been in touch with the family to apologise. Millennium Park was designed to be universally accessible, and access is one of our department’s core values,” it said in a statement.

“Working closely with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, we are committed to ensuring that everyone in our city has equal access to arts and culture – including Crown Fountain. We believe this was an isolated incident. We have addressed the issue with the specific security officer and with the entire security team,” the Park said.