Luanne's post I would like to let everyone know that discrimination is alive and well in Clarion county. Today I was contacted by the Clarion Antique Mall owner who informed me that "those people" (meaning people with disabilities) have no business being in an antique mall and that they are not welcome in her store and they will be ...asked to leave. This came from one person with a disability visiting her store WITHOUT incident. When I was asked by the store owner to communicate this message to all service providers and i declined, telling her she would need to do so herself and that perhaps a public notice in the newspaper would communicate her message better, her reply was, "and what should I say no retards allowed? I don't want to offend people." I told her she already did. So, please when you are in Clarion be sure to stop by the antique mall, and let this store owner know how you feel about her store's discrimination of "those people".

"I am Carol Harris's son, Jason. I've heard both sides of this issue and Luanne, the executive director of ArcSys whom Carol spoke with, carelessly misunderstood the intent of her call and then out of spite posted online. She has later apologized, but the damage is done as apparent by the viral wildfire of posts here. Like most of you, we also have disabled and mentally handicapped in our family tree as well, if you know my family or are from Knox, Shippenville, or Clarion, you would know this to be true. My mother is incredibly sensitive to the needs of the disabled just as I am sure, Luanne is also. The POINT in her call to the executive director of Arcys, Luanne, was that the supervisor assigned to watch over the young individual with him, to my understanding, did not enter the antique mall with him. He was assigned to WATCH this man for a reason, though did not, he sat in the car. Even with supervisors, the mall has had items damaged or broken by individuals in the same condition, let alone without. This is why she was upset with Arcsys's process and why she asked the supervisor whom she could call to check on their policy. She never once said disabled or mentally handicapped were not welcome in the store, what Luanne seemed to leave out (or perhaps misheard), and this is very important, was she was saying "without a supervisor". When Luanne was reached, again to my understanding, she was incredibly spiteful in her demeanor. When Carol asked her if she could let her supervisors know about the policy and Luanne said "no" and perhaps Carol should take a post out in the newspaper to the public to do so, my mother said SARCASTICALLY, "and what should I say no retards allowed? I don't want to offend people." as in, "what the hell? are you kidding me? You seriously expect me to post an article in the newspaper to that end? what is with you, lady?". NOTE, she said "I don't want to offend people." Luanne took the "retard" comment not in sarcasm, but apparently at face value. In 35 years I have never ONCE heard her utter the word retard, it's just not in her vocabulary. Nor has she ever said anything else derogatory about anyone's race or condition. She taught me the meaning of respecting others and if you actually KNEW her rather than thoughtlessly reposting that woman, Luanne's, comment without hearing her side, you'd understand this. All I can say is, think. She's had the mall open since the early 80's, she's welcomed hundreds of disabled and mentally handicapped people into the store. This is the first time, after a number of instances, where she drew a line (not at disabled or handicapped people) but the COMPANY that should have been doing its job and called Sr. Management about it. Would there have been an issue with this young man that was unsupervised? Likely not. But the point is Arcsys wasn't doing their job. If you called the director of a company who is supposed to be managing their employees, making sure they actually are "supervising" as a "supervisor" and instead are sitting in the car, you'd think the director would say, "oh, that is of concern to me, yes, I'll look into this, thank you for making me aware". Luanne, if you read this, you need to put this right. You've already apologized on the phone, you need to speak to these people and put this right."