Let's be clear : the therapist is not there to have fun and didn't even swim. She/he is there because otherwise this disabled child cannot use this state park as it was intended, on an equal footing with non disabled peers. I realize this seems like a trivial point for some people but it is a sore spot for many in the autism community. Our kids are not less equal or less loved.
No one stopped the aide from entering the park and no one stopped her from doing her job and no one said that kids with disabilities should be less equal and less loved. A cashier just just asked her to pay the eight bucks. If they give a discount, that's nice. It's great.
But there doesn't seem to be a LAW requiring it.
So what if she didn't swim? She entered the park and there was an admission fee for doing so. End of story. Maybe the park offers a discount, and the cashier didn't know that. Personally, I would have made a casual enquiry with the State Parks department before making claims about discrimination --- especially because no one was discriminated against.
Asking for an admission fee that everyone else pays is not discrimination.
