At first I thought it was a joke. A friend had posted a picture of her sixteen year old son, Jonah, clearly upset on Facebook. The caption below the photo read that the source of his anguish was the refusal of employees of Legoland in Yonkers to allow him admission into Legoland. When I asked her about it she told me that, Legoland, which bills itself as an indoor amusement venue, denied Jonah (who was accompanied by his parents and one of his friends) admission because they said their policy is not to let anyone in unless accompanied by someone thirteen or younger. Jonah, who is a Lego enthusiast, at sixteen, could not get into the venue with just his parents. He needed to be accompanied by his younger brother as well.

For a while I believed this to be an isolated incident. Then Jonah’s parents posted an article about a sixty-one year old self admitted “Lego Fanatic” who was also denied admission to Legoland in Canada because he did not have a child with him. Even though his daughter explained to the employees that she had traveled with him on the three-hour drive from their hometown to realize her father's long-time dream, that was not enough to get them through the door.

When asked about the policy, a Lego representative stated, “Legoland Discovery Center's primary objective is to provide a safe and fun attraction for families with children aged three to twelve years to enjoy together.” The stated purpose of the policy is to maintain a safe environment for the children. But does it? I just do not understand how refusing admission to my friends and their sixteen year old son ensures safety. Do you?