Photo: RIA Novosti

The staff of the aquarium on Dmitrovskoye Shosse refused to allow autistic children on excursions at normal times - the management stated that visitors do not like to see disabled people because they evoke pity. One of the mothers wrote about this on Facebook and thereby caused a wave of indignation against the establishment. After this, the management of the aquarium apologized. BG asked parents of special children if they had encountered similar cases before.

Marina
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mother of a child with developmental difficulties
employee of the center for social rehabilitation "Turmalin"
“Guys are very different, and when organizing events, you need to understand who can be taken to public places and who is better off staying at home. There is one boy who goes to Tourmaline, who talks to us for fifteen minutes, and then sits in the next room for two hours. One day we went to a concert, and he started throwing shoes - he just couldn’t stand the tension. But these are exceptional cases, very rare.

Every winter my son Kolya goes with his sports club to a boarding house where other people also vacation. In their group, one boy really screamed loudly, about which other vacationers complained to the management of the boarding house. Vacationers can be understood, but, I repeat, these are isolated cases. Children with special needs need to be shown the world as often as possible as it is, as they can perceive it.”

Nikolai (Marina's son)
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student at a school for disabled children

“I believe that the aquarium staff should not have been denied a tour. You just had to set aside a time when there was no one else around. After all, children can be greatly offended, but they will not understand why. They don’t know that they are not like everyone else, and they will be very upset that they are offended.”

Elena
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mother of a child with disabilities

“My son and I go somewhere quite often, but, to be honest, I don’t remember any cases of misunderstanding or intolerance. After all, we are the same people as others, only a little strange. I just take life very easily and trust people very much, which is probably why no one conflicts with me.

Once, however, we were kicked out of the dacha when Leva had a seizure, it was very difficult, but the owners, not the authorities, have the right. And there is another story that I tell everyone. We celebrated our birthday, sang, laughed, and finished not too late, around nine. But the neighbor was still very unhappy and irritated in the morning. As she passed by, Leva came up to her and said: “Can I ask you very, very much? Can I pray for you?”

Catherine
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mother of a child with disabilities

“Once, during a service, the priest asked us to be taken out of the temple. My Lenochka screams and sometimes behaves inappropriately. We don't go to church anymore."

Pauline
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employee of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art
“To book a tour, you need to contact the museum by phone or send a request by fax. Free excursions are provided for children with special needs. After talking with the teacher and understanding what the children would like, we try to adapt to them. After all, everyone is interested in something different. Such children do not need to explain the intricacies of postmodernism; it is more important to tell a short story; discuss paints, materials, maybe let you touch some exhibits. After the excursion, we hold master classes - this way we give them the opportunity to develop creatively, to somehow experience what they saw.”

Elizabeth
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special doctor

“Honestly, it seemed to me that such things no longer happen. In “Faith and Light” (an international movement uniting mentally retarded people, their families and friends. - BG) we often go out, but I can’t remember any difficulties with the administration or other people. If this happens, it is not because people are evil or stupid, but because of ignorance, which gives rise to fear. Other parents and children will only understand through experience that children with disabilities do not need to be afraid.”

Oceanarium for everyone