A local family says Six Flags Over Georgia is bordering on discrimination after allegedly refusing to let their children with physical disabilities ride some of the roller-coasters.
Jennifer and Michael Eber have 11 kids, and three of them have physical disabilities.
This past Sunday, like several times before, they went to Six Flags, but this time they were stopped before their 15-year-old, who’s paralyzed from the waist down, got on her favorite ride, Goliath.
After speaking with park managers, they realized that, according to the rules, she wasn’t supposed to have been on any of other rides, either.
Each ride is different, but according to ADA guidelines for Six Flags, you must have at least one fully- functioning arm and one-fully functioning leg to ride most of the rides. A fully functioning arm means having at least three fingers.
The family says these rules don’t make sense, based on several other amusement parks around the country.
“They are either being discriminatory against our kids or they are doing a very poor job at taking care of the safety of all their guests, because my child only has one finger on her hands,” the parents said. “She has been told it’s unsafe for her to ride things like the Acme Truck ride, which has no straps and allows kids up to the age of six months.”
Six Flags said they’re just following the manufacturers guidelines.
“To ensure their safety and the safety of others, guests with certain disabilities are prohibited from riding certain rides and attractions,” the park said. “Our policies are customized by ride and developed for the safety of all our guests.”
The family says now this fight has gone beyond one day at the park, and they hope the people who make the rules hear their story and consider changing them.
