POINT PLEASANT BEACH – Jenkinson’s Boardwalk is performing an internal investigation, and has suspended an employee who was accused of treating customers in a racist manner.
The video was posted by Attiyya Barrett, director of the Princess to Queenz outreach group, that showed a confrontation on Aug. 10 between her and an employee of the gift shop at the aquarium. What both women seem to agree on, given the short video, was that a group of girls from Barrett’s group entered the shop, but were asked to leave because they didn’t have a chaperone. Then, when they returned with a chaperone, the employee told them they’re “not welcome here.”
The employee said, in the video, that it was because she did not realize that they had been sent back in with a chaperone.
Barrett said that it was because the girls were black.
The video itself is short, and the beginning and end appear to have been cut off.
Jenkinson’s put out a statement that the employee has been suspended while the investigation is conducted.
“Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated at Jenkinson’s. We strive to provide all of our customers with an enjoyable experience and we clearly missed the mark this time,” the statement said. “We sincerely apologize to the girls from the camp group for the way they felt upon leaving. We have been in contact with the group leader and will continue to work with her to make amends.”
Princess to Queenz is not on a list of youth camps regulated by the State Department of Health.
