Inutusang humingi ng paumahin ang isang prestihiyosong kapilya sa Cambridge, United Kingdom matapos palabasin sa misa ang tatay at anak nitong may autism.
Pinalabas si Dr. Paul Rimmer, propesor sa Cambridge University, at ang 9-anyos niyang anak na si Tristan sa King’s College Chapel sa kasagsagan ng Father’s Day service dahil umano masyadong maingay ang bata.
Sa open letter na ipinadala ng ama sa dean ng King’s College, sinabi aniya ng bahagyang nahihiyang usher na nagpalabas sa kanila na sinusunod lamang nito ang direktiba ng isang nakatataas sa kapilya.
Nakasaad din sa open letter, na ibinahagi niya rin sa Facebook, na non-verbal ang kaniyang anak at sadyang maingay at hindi mapigilan ang mga ekspresyon nito.
“He is also non-verbal, and expresses his excitement by calling out and laughing. His expressions are often loud and uncontainable. It is part of who he is, so there is no realistic way for him to be quiet,” ani Paul.
Tila lumalabas daw na nakakaantala ang ekspresyon ng kanyang anak sa ibang nagsisimba.
“I can only imagine how terrible it would be if autistic people, others with disabilities, those with mental illnesses, and people with dementia, were all equally welcome to attend Evensong, how this would get in the way of the choir’s performance, how it would distract the choristers, and how upsetting seeing these sorts of people at the chapel would be for the tourists who have come such a long way,” dagdag ng ama.
Hindi man daw nakapagsasalita ang anak, naiintindihan naman nito ang mga nangyayari sa kanyang paligid.
“This is not the first time my family has been asked to leave a church on account of his being “too disruptive for other worshipers.”
Gamit ang kaniyang personal na blog, sumagot sa open letter at naglabas ng public apology si Reverend Dr. Stephen Cherry ng King’s College.
Hi John, please find here a public apology in respect of this: https://t.co/Fit8VX1VYG
— King’s College (@Kings_College) June 18, 2019
Aniya, “Every week we welcome thousands of people to services in King’s Chapel and we do our best to meet all their various needs and expectations. Sometimes we fail and I realize that we especially failed you and Tristan on Sunday afternoon. I apologize for that most sincerely.”
Pinabulaanan din ni Cherry na sa kanya nanggaling ang utos na palabasin ang mag-ama.
Pinaniwalaan naman ito ni Rimmer at sinabing posibleng nagkaroon lang ng hindi pagkakaintindihan sa pagitan nila ng usher.
