An Unfortunate Incident at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore on 07/21/2017

The following incident at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore occurred on Friday, July 21, 2017, during a field trip with the St. Wenceslaus Church “children’s summer camp”.

It was one of the hottest and sunniest days of the summer with temperatures in the 90s and high humidity.  Our group had arrived at the park at about 10:00 a.m. and stayed until about 3:00 p.m.  There were twenty-one children ranging from four-years old to thirteen-years old; we had five adult chaperones, and four senior high school aged junior-camp-aide “volunteers.”  I was one of the chaperones on the trip.

The day went very well until the moment we were departing the park.  We had concluded our walk around the entire park, and had just left the “petting zoo” before heading to the tram for the ride back to the main park entrance.  Our bus was supposed to meet us at the main entrance at 3:00 p.m., and so we had little time to waste.

When we first arrived in the tram waiting area there was a tram waiting, but another larger group was already seated on it.  At first, there was some confusion in our group about how and whether or not to enter the tram area and so several of our members disconcertingly proceeded to go into the street area towards the tram in what in fact was the tram “exit” area (i.e., they tried to enter the “wrong way”).  They were immediately directed by zoo staff to go around to the other side of the portable fence and into the correct entrance area, which they did.  During the time of this confusion, most of our group came to a stand-still almost precisely in the area of the ornate entrance gate near the tram terminal.  Once the confusion was resolved, and with what at first was thought to have been polite help from the zoo staff, our group immediately complied. 

At that point, a decision was made by our group leaders to wait for the next tram so as not to overcrowd the one already waiting, and that was nearly at capacity. And so then most of our group members continued to stay in place near the ornate park gate so as to allow other smaller family size groups to pass us and to board the tram.  We didn’t want others to have to wait in line after us, given that we decided to wait for the next tram. 

During this delay, and while our group had come to a stand-still near the ornate park gate, three or four of our children began to play with the small rocks lining the path nearby.  The children were immediately directed by our staff not to touch the rocks and to return them to their places.  Those original children who had been playing with the rocks complied with our staff’s directions.

Then, once the first tram departed, most of our group members moved into the waiting area and many took seats along the wall.  Two or three of the children then began to play on the grassy hill immediately behind the seating area.  Those children were quickly told by the zoo staff to vacate the grassy area and either to take seats along the wall, or to stand on the sidewalk.  Our chaperones hastily directed the children to comply with the directions of the zoo staff. 

At that moment, and very unfortunately, two or three children who had lagged behind the group also began to play with the rocks along the path near the ornate entrance gate.  Not only did they play with the rocks, but they began to throw them towards one another and into the nearby plants.  Immediately, and almost simultaneously, our chaperones and the zoo staff reprimanded the stone-throwing children and they straightaway ceased their rock-throwing misbehavior.

Apparently at that point, and because some members of our group had either walked into the street, or had climbed on the grassy hill, or had played with the rocks, and/or all of the above (the actual reason was never really made clear to us), the zoo staff on hand called security and asked them to come to the scene.  And our group leaders were not immediately informed that security had been called.   

For several moments thereafter, and before security arrived, all of our children were either seated along the wall, seated on the ground of the waiting area itself, or standing with the group in the same area.  Once things had “calmed down,” and for several moments after the incidents I described had occurred, there were no other instances of misbehavior from our children while we waited for the next tram.  I firmly believe our chaperones had appropriately done their duties in order to reign in the rambunctious behaviors of the children. And again, they were not informed that “security had been called,” nor were even warned that such a measure might be needed. 

Soon thereafter, a tram arrived and all of the members of our group entered it and took seats.  Unfortunately, and before the tram would have moved, at least two unnamed gentlemen arrived who identified themselves to us as “security;” they were accompanied by another zoo employee who informed us that our group would have to exit the tram and instead walk out of the park along the path known as “Buffalo Yard Road.”  One of the “security” men who had come then very loudly shouted: “You heard her, now get moving!”

We were told we had to do this because the misbehavior of the children had caused “security and safety issues” and therefore we couldn’t be permitted to ride on the tram.  They claimed our children posed a risk and therefore might cause damage to the tram, or to other zoo patrons. The only option given therefore was for our group to walk out of the park. 

I believe this was a completely inexcusable overreaction to the situation.  While it can’t be denied our children had misbehaved, the fact is that our chaperones, along with the directives and help of zoo staff members, had immediately dealt with the behaviors and had guided them to come together peacefully in the tram waiting area.  And so for “several moments” before the tram arrived, our group was calmly waiting in the tram area without incident.

But what I believe was most egregious on the part of the zoo staff, “security,” and the other zoo employee, is that in the middle of a dangerous heat wave, where humidity was high and temperatures were in the mid-90s, and at the end of a long and exhausting day, they forced very small nearly heat-exhausted children, some as young as four-years old, to have to make a nearly half-mile walk out of the park.  The vast majority of those children didn’t have anything at all to do with walking into the street, climbing on the grassy hill, or playing with the rocks.

There’s no doubt some of our children were somewhat hyperactive and unruly.  But our chaperones had heroically been keeping them “in-line” for most of a difficult and very hot day.  Having worked with children for many years, and having been on hundreds of field trips, I don’t think the most rambunctious children in our group were that much different than children in any other “average group.”  On field trips, some children sometime misbehave, and chaperones, who sometimes are nearly exhausted themselves, deal with it.  While at the zoo, I believe our chaperones effectively dealt with any and all of our children who might have been in any way unruly.    

I was also a school teacher, and a summer day camp director, for many years, and as such I learned early on that it was unjust to punish an entire class or group of children because of the misdeeds of just two or three of them.  Such punitive tactics are always unfair and very unreasonable.   

We were told the entire group couldn’t ride on the tram because of “security and safety issues.”  Apparently the zoo employee who told us this is completely unaware that, on one of the hottest days of the month of July, that it would be a “safety and health issue” to force nearly heat-exhausted and possibly dehydrated children, some as young as five years old, to walk nearly a half mile out of a park.  Apparently the zoo employee has no idea how unjust it is to punish such children so severely for something almost none of them had anything at all with which to do.  The situations which had caused this overreaction had already been effectively dealt with by our chaperones, and as soon as they had occurred.

Before our group began its trek out of the park, one of the sisters asked me to appeal to the previously mentioned zoo employee for a change of decision regarding the tram ride.  I then approached her and told her I thought she had made a “very poor judgement,” and that forcing exhausted children to walk such a distance on one of the most hot and humid day of the summer was “inexcusable.”  After she “shrugged her shoulders,” and while failing to offer me any reasonable explanation or remedy for her actions, she simply gave me her business card, and she suggested I report what had happened to zoo management.  

Again, I believe this was a completely and inexcusable overreaction to the situation.  It should have, and could have, been dealt with in a much more respectable “safety and health conscious” manner, especially given the very young ages and possible health risks these actions forced upon those children. 

And while it bothered me even to entertain the thought, I couldn’t help but to think that our group was treated in the way it was because the majority of our children were African-American.  Yes, I’m sorry to say it, but I now wonder if a similar situation with a group of children from another racial background would have been handled in the same way.  This perception was frankly agitated by the fact the “security” personnel and the other zoo employee were obviously all Euro-Americans (as I am myself).  On this note, I was embarrassed by their complete lack of professional behavior and their grossly negligent racial insensitivity!  It could be said: The white people kicked the black kids off of the tram and forced them to walk nearly a half-mile to get out of the park on the hottest day of the summer, and with absolutely no regard for their “safety and health.”  I wonder what those children told their parents when they went home after their visit to the zoo.

I believe those zoo employees, and especially the one to whom I directly spoke, should be ashamed of themselves.

And one more thing: The zoo might want seriously to consider renovating the rock feature along the path near the ornate entrance gate.  It looks beautiful, but for God’s sake it seems to me a zoo is a place designed mostly for the delight of children.  In such a location, why would anyone put small loose rocks at a spot where naturally inquisitive children would be able to pick them up and play with them?  Perhaps the rocks could be secured with concrete, or perhaps covered with a mesh of some sort.  It’s just a thought.

Signed:                                                                                                                   

Friar Timothy P. Dore, OFM Conv.

Pastor of St. Wenceslaus Church, Baltimore

July 21, 2017