From the stories I've heard, this is just what the service industry does to people.

Also, if the mother actually did "politely" explain what happened to the manager after that then she is some sort of super human.

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Get the story to the local tv human features reporters. The family will get an apology, or a lot of families with autistic kids and other developmental issues may boycott the place.

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That, or lawyer time. She PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED the boy.

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Seconded.

Last time I checked, physical assault is a crime.

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that is so awful. I work with kids and adults with autism spectrum disorder, and everybody goes into the community. most of the people in the area we are in are really kind and seem to enjoy interacting with our folks. from time to time we've had parents hustle their kids along when we've played on the playground, but usually when we bring kids who wear helmets, which if you don't know the deal might be a bit concerning i guess. you wonder what someone's deal is where they would want to lash out like that. and the manager backed her up, which is even more outrageous.

seriously, whats the deal!

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>_< As someone who *may* be on the autistic spectrum--and as someone who DEFINITELY has to translate written language and words to speech rather than just being able to "say" something, often does not hear people when I am reading, etc.--aforementioned waitress and manager need a punch to the appropriate Naughty Bits, preferably by Mom. Seriously.

(And yeah, I myself sometimes have a noticable lag in talking to folks because often I'm trying to figure out how the hell to say something in the first place. I actually tend to communicate *faster* at times on the Internet (because I can type things out, it's less "work" for me to say something in written communication than in speech and I tend to devolve less into Engrish-esque utterances when tired :D--I tend to actually do better with LJ and email than live chat like AIM, in fact, more time to figure how to properly word something). I also *CANNOT* talk and type simultaneously, things get very very scrambled when I try--I also learned to talk and read roughly at the same time and I suspect at times I may have learned to talk by learning to read (according to my folks, when I started talking properly around age 3 I tended to either grunt and point at something or speak in complete sentences; I also apparently began talking more after getting corrective lenses, and they found I could read when I was around 3 1/2 :D)

But, erm, yeah. Manager and waitress need a good thrashing. I know I'd be raising hell with corporate about this point :D

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Yeah ... if anyone ever did that to a child of mine? The situation would not have gone on long enough for me to go talk to the manager. As soon as she put her hands on my son, she would have been flat on her back with my foot on her throat.

And knowing how society works, I would be the one going to jail.

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i REALLY hope they press charges.

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I NEVER liked that place.

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http://sandiegoblog.com/archives/2007/02/26/outrage-at-pokez/ Thanks for the pointer Big K!

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Dang, that is wretched. I never had any problems there before, and I actually loved their food. Note the past tense. I can't go there anymore after this.

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