HARTFORD, Conn. — The Discovery Zone Learning Center has entered into a settlement agreement after its staff allegedly discriminated against a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Vanessa Roberts Avery, the U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced on Friday that the private childcare center with locations in Columbia, Hebron and Marlborough, Conn. allegedly violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A complaint made with the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of a child with Autism resulted in an investigation, and the government discovered that Discovery Zone failed to reasonably modify its programs to accommodate the child, the department said in a press release.
As part of the settlement agreement, Discovery Zone has promised not to discriminate against children with disabilities moving forward. The childcare center will implement new policies and procedures to handle requests for reasonable modifications that are consistent with the ADA at each of its locations, the U.S. Department of Justice reports.
Discovery Zone will also pay $1,500 to the complainant.
“No family should have to worry that their child will be excluded from group childcare because the child is disabled,” Avery said in the release. “I want to commend the Discovery Zone Learning Center for doing the right thing by cooperating with our investigation and agreeing to comply with the ADA going forward.
The settlement agreement is in effect for the next three years, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will monitor compliance over that period, the U.S. Department of Justice said, noting that the matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart C. Dearing.
“Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700 and ask for the Civil Rights Intake Specialist,” the press release said.
More information about the ADA can be located at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at 800-514-0301 and 800-514-0383 (TTY). To learn more about the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces, one can visit www.justice.gov/crt.
Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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