Jenkinson’s Aquarium fires gift shop employee at center of viral video

<p>Jenkinson&rsquo;s Aquarium has fired a gift shop employee following a viral video showing an encounter with the employee and a group of African-American students.</p>

News 12 Staff

Aug 14, 2018, 9:51 PM

Updated 2,087 days ago

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Jenkinson’s Aquarium has fired a gift shop employee following a viral video showing an encounter with the employee and a group of African-American students.
The video purports to show what happened after the employee, who has not been identified, asked the group of girls to leave the gift shop and come back with a chaperon. The girls supposedly came back with an adult, but the employee says does she does not believe them, and kicks them out again.
The woman is heard on the video telling the group that they were “not welcomed” in the gift shop. The group alleges that the girls were targeted due to their race. But some published reports indicate the possibility of the girls misbehaving inside the shop.
Jenkinson’s initially suspended the employee, pending an investigation. The employee’s termination was announced Tuesday.
"In our 90-year history, Jenkinson's has always been and will continue to be the place where people from all races, religions, ages, genders and cultures are welcome,” Jenkinson’s spokesperson Toby Wolf said in a statement.
The incident happened Aug. 10.


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