A black family sues Sesame Place for discrimination

Philadelphia — A Baltimore family is suing a Sesame Street-style theme park for $25 million over allegations of racial discrimination, alleging that multiple costumed characters ignored a 5-year-old black girl during a meet-and-greet event last month.

The lawsuit comes on the heels video, Shared widely on social media, two other black girls were seen apparently being ignored by a dressed-up employee during a show in the park in Langhorne, outside Philadelphia. Sesame Place apologized in a statement and promised more training for its employees after the video went viral earlier this month.

The lawsuit, which is seeking class action status, was filed in federal court in Philadelphia against SeaWorld Parks, owner of Sesame Place, due to “rampant and appalling racial discrimination.”

The lawsuit alleges that four employees dressed as Sesame Street characters ignored Quinton Burns, his daughter Kennedy Burns, and other black guests during a meet-and-greet on June 18.

During a press conference on Wednesday, one of the family’s attorneys, Malcolm Ruff, called for transparency from SeaWorld and the company’s compensation to the Burns family. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.