Special-needs students evicted
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Reader is indignant that NTUC Fairprice executive insisted that the group of students leave the supermarket even though they did not create any disturbance or inconvenience others. -ST
Wed, Nov 14, 2007
The Straits Times
I WRITE with some indignation about the brusque treatment that a group of special-needs students received from an NTUC FairPrice executive on Nov 7.
The group of 14 Down's, autistic and learning-challenged students were on an outing at FairPrice's Queenstown branch, part of a routine to equip them with life skills, including doing simple tasks like going to the supermarket.
They were at the supermarket to complete a Home Economics worksheet helping them to search for basic food ingredients, and making price distinctions and purchasing decisions.
A few minutes into the visit, a woman executive approached the group and asked to speak to the teacher in charge.
She insisted that the group should not be in the supermarket because prior permission had not been obtained.
She highlighted that the group's presence might affect the level of service to other customers even though the students did not create any disturbance or inconvenience others.
The executive harped on the fact that the group was blocking an aisle even though the supermarket was relatively empty around 4pm.
Despite a gentle request to allow the students to complete their assigned task of identifying seven items, the executive refused to relent. The students were rather disturbed by the incident and asked why they had been evicted from the supermarket.
Although this was an isolated incident, it reminded me that our society still has some way to go towards being more accepting of people with special needs.
Despite their disability, they deserve basic respect and compassion, like any other person on the street.
Koh Siew Yuen (Mrs) -
this is sheer discrimination..
I dun think that person is a parent, no compassion for these disable people at all.
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As I've said, the day Singaporeans stop using their wealth, power or status to bullying the weak or the less fortunate, that day will be the day Singapore has arrived.
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no doubt the supermarket shd have been pre-empted (and perhaps be nice and send a representative as guide), the students shd not be asked to leave in such manner.
FP can now offer $1,000 worth of vouchers for the special school as token of compensation for the students' fright and the lack of compassion -
From what I read, I think there is a misunderstanding about this event.
The executive I think was just objecting to a group excursion.
If it is a group of normal schoolkids or teenagers, she would also be approaching the teacher and objected to the teacher.
But because these kids were special kids, some observer who saw this then concluded herself, wah discrimination against people with special needs. Wah must be because they are different, so they were chased out by a mean person.
That observer concluded that they were chased out because they were different, not because it was a group excursion. While I believe the executive objected to the fact that it was a group excursion. But the observer made her own guessing/ conclusion that it was ill-intentioned.
This is what I guess happened.
Meat Pao. -
Personally, I've never seen any special needs person being chased out of major supermarkets, whether or not they are being a nuisance.
That said, there's some misunderstanding. An outing to learn something would often, if not always, require a permission of some sort, regardless of whether one is normal or are being challenged in some ways.
Then again, it shows how wood block some people can be. -
Yes I agree.....the executive was just objecting because there was no prior notice or permission for this group excursion, and so she worried it would disrupt operations....
But because these were kids with special needs...some observer who saw this then made her own 'biased' conclusions which actually show her own bias.
Meat Pao. -
Well, perfect example of local (No U-Turn Sign) NUTS syndrome. IMO, the store supervisor should seek to improvise rather than take the "No prior approval means cannot!" stand.Originally posted by Meat Pao:Yes I agree.....the executive was just objecting because there was no prior notice or permission for this group excursion, and so she worried it would disrupt operations....
But because these were kids with special needs...some observer who saw this then made her own 'biased' conclusions which actually show her own bias.
Meat Pao. -
My dua sen.....
1. NTUC Fairprice should have been informed beforehand about this excursion.
2. At the same time, the kids shouldn't have been ejected just like that. A better way would be to let the kids finish up whatever it is they were doing, with a kind and gentle reminder to the teacher in charge to inform the store management beforehand the next time. -
Wasn't it recent that our beloved LHL proclaimed that we are an INCLUSIVES society??
Perhaps it was just mere words..?
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That NTUC staff should have treated them as potential customers.
What if the teacher had intended to buy some sweets for her students after the tour ?
They would have become customers.
KNN NTUC should reprimand that staff for her stupidity. -
Store exec counselled over eviction of students
I REFER to the letter by Mrs Koh Siew Yuen, 'Special-needs students evicted' (ST, Nov 14).
NTUC FairPrice thanks Mrs Koh for her feedback and sincerely apologises for the conduct of the branch staff member, which was not in line with our corporate philosophy of being socially aware and community-spirited.
We have taken immediate steps to counsel the staff member.
We welcome the school to contact us on 1800-552 2722 so that we can offer our apologies directly.
Pamela Pung (Ms)
Manager
(Corporate Communications)
NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Limited -
so.. why the hell is this in SC?
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Ah...coz its erm corporate social responsibility mah and we must explore corporate ethics on the micro, molar and of course macro levels...its something good to think about lah..like where singaporeans stand on such matters..Originally posted by the Bear:so.. why the hell is this in SC? -
it's not political is it?
it's a matter of a corporation which is run by a bunch of brutish asswipes...
no matter how screwed it is, the corporation has a right to do it..
just like we have a right to never walk in there again..Originally posted by kramnave:Ah...coz its erm corporate social responsibility mah and we must explore corporate ethics on the micro, molar and of course macro levels...its something good to think about lah..like where singaporeans stand on such matters.. -
Only the price if fair
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what is political and what is not ?Originally posted by the Bear:it's not political is it?
it's a matter of a corporation which is run by a bunch of brutish asswipes...
no matter how screwed it is, the corporation has a right to do it..
just like we have a right to never walk in there again..
Besides its our biggest union, govt-linked too. -
so, i run off the road and hit a fence.. the fence is built by LTA or whatever.. it's government-linked.. i've just committed a crime against the state and should be tried for treason?
ahahahaha!
Originally posted by kramnave:what is political and what is not ?
Besides its our biggest union, govt-linked too. -
If I were the teacher I will sure whack that executive upside down. There is no reason why the school should back down in this case. Anyone can go and recce prices and products, whether it is in a group or alone. As long as no disturbance is caused, there is no basis to throw the group out. Consumers are not even obligated to make purchases. The teacher can also claim that she will be buying something and just pay for a stick of mints at the end of the trip. This is BS from that executive.
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DOn't let the title "executive" fool you. There is a reason why this "executive" holds the title in a little known supermarket. It means he/she has the calibre and mental capacity that is matched to the requirements of the job. The job of running a supermarket.
It is not a PR position. All I can say is that a little flexibility was lacking. -
Seriously, what is political and what is not ?Originally posted by the Bear:so, i run off the road and hit a fence.. the fence is built by LTA or whatever.. it's government-linked.. i've just committed a crime against the state and should be tried for treason?
ahahahaha! -
well, no offense but has anybody consider the possibility that the executive might get into trouble if the students made a mess in the supermarket? Not that I am supportive of her ungracious behavior in any way. I believe that there are many who feel that safeguarding your own rice bowl is more important than giving a damn about discrimination.
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actually i have faced similar situation when I brought mainstream students to another supermarket HOWEVER I was simply told not to do it again or ask permission from management first rather than this very severe mishandling of the situation.
The ISSUE (stupid as it seems) appears to be that the students were taking down the PRICES. aand you can't take dpwn a list of the supermarkets' prices.
BUT i think in general supermarkets should REALLY see the difference between students learning life skills (AND becoming potential customers in future) AND competitors coming to learn abt your prices or what shit!!
AND if the supermarket is not crowded at that moment, there really isn't much rationale in doing this at all. -
Hohoho, another in topic for the day, isn't as good as being racist?
Is like thinking that students or teenages cannot stay and disturb the place while the adults won't. Now who say adult won't? -
Regarding the event that took place at the supermarket, my brother, age 11, happened to be present as he and his classmates were chased away by the hypermart's executive.
I find the incident truly appalling, that my brother, along with the rest of the special kids, are being robbed of the opportunity to learn life skills- skills that the rest of us took for granted, whereas special kids can only learn through a step-by-step approach. With the kids delighted to learn a new life skill during their fieldtrip, and I know that for a fact because by brother would hold on to the product that he purchased for hours every time he returned home form his guided shopping trip, only to be to be considered a nuisance to other shoppers and chased out of the hypermart that claims to be FAIR,.
Is there something truly wrong with our social fabrication??? I read a front-page article on TODAY paper not long ago about SingaporeanÂ’s apathetic social tolerance towards foreigners and expatriates. What I find an even larger social problem is that we cannot even tolerate, or a more subtle word, accommodate special groups of people within our own society because it is simply more convenient to detach them from the society at large.
My brother and his friends shunned away from what could be an educative and eventful experience just so that a hypermart which claims to be FAIR can uphold its pristine image to its customers when there were hardly any in the middle of the afternoon. And in return, a mere apology that truly counts for nothing constructive. And we expect to become a more accommodating society with apologies after apologies, it seems like we have a really long way to go.