Dear all,

while I'm not sure how much an issue cheating on the disabled status  
is, I'm sure that stigmatization is a big issue. In the German system  
you get a degree of disability starting with 20 and going to 100 which  
allows you certain privileges, depending on the degree. While these  
privileges are, at least in theory, an advantage - an employer has to  
invite you for a job interview, for example - I know many Germans who  
don't claim their degree of disability. They don't want to be  
stigmatized. Discrimination is real and to pass as "normal" is deemed  
higher than the few privileges they get as people with a disability.

So, the question is if it's really a problem. Do the majority of  
visitors go to the front desk and want to come in with their dogs and  
soft drink for medical reasons? Honestly, I doubt it. But even if, I  
guess the polite advice to carry the drink closed and try to get to a  
quiet place or the coffee corner if needed will be sufficient.

In my experience we as museum professionals tend to see the visitor as  
the born evildoer when we write policies. But in fact, while there are  
always some "special" visitors which will give you headaches, most of  
them just want to have a good time in the museum. A well-trained staff  
will handle possible issues with grace and politeness. Asking a  
diabetic to drink the rest of his soft drink in the coffee corner,  
guiding a family to a quiet bench on the outside if the kid from the  
autistic spectrum has an attack, begging the owner of the service  
monkey to keep away from the child that is afraid of monkeys... Sure,  
an ID card would make it easier for them to decide if someone has a  
"legal claim" to bring in a drink or a dog - but does it make the job  
easier? Is it easier to tell someone "You forgot your licence, so come  
back without the dog", "you don't have a card showing that you are  
diabetic, so leave the drink here, I don't care if you faint in our  
gallery"? I don't think so. It wouldn't be for me and as I know our  
front-house staff is much more patient and polite than me, I guess it  
wouldn't be for them.

Your front-house staff is the one that makes the difference every day,  
not ID cards and policies. When you meet them, give them an  
encouraging smile, because they are the ones that keep your galleries  
safe and your visitors happy.

Best wishes
Angela


Angela Kipp
Collection Manager
TECHNOSEUM, Mannheim, Germany
www.technoseum.de<http://www.technoseum.de>

Join the Registrar Trek at http://world.museumsprojekte.de/
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The views expressed are my own. My museum can't be held responsible  
for anything I write.






Quoting Jan <[log in to unmask]>:

> I agree completely -- different countries, different laws.
>
> U.S. law recognizes that there has been horrendous discrimination  
> against people with disabilities throughout history.  From Eugenics  
> and forced sterilization to being barred from restaurants because  
> "they make us feel uncomfortable with their appearances," people  
> with visible and invisible disabilities have faced and still face  
> enormous prejudice.  People with disabilities have been made to feel  
> ashamed of this very natural condition of disability (anyone can and  
> likely will join this huge minority group at some time in his/her  
> life).
>
> U.S. law tries to eliminate some of that prejudice by limiting at  
> least what entities and individuals can legally require for  
> identification.  Again, while it makes it somewhat easier for people  
> without disabilities to cheat the system, it more importantly  
> insists on greater respect being shown to people with disabilities.
>
> As for service animals, while there is no certification or ID  
> required from the owner for the same reason, an entity can ask what  
> work or tasks the animal has been trained to do to assist the owner  
> with a disability. For more information about service animals, see  
> the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) publication on service animals  
> at http://www.ada.gov//service_animals_2010.htm
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
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