Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) announced a settlement with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., resolving allegations that the company discriminated against a group of students from Dr. James Craik Elementary School based on their disabilities during a visit to its Waldorf, Maryland restaurant.
The incident occurred in December 2024 when 11 students and their teachers from two special education programs visited the Waldorf Cracker Barrel as part of a community-based instruction program designed to help students practice social and life skills. Teachers alleged that the group experienced delays and mistreatment because of the students’ disabilities. Under Maryland law and the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, public accommodations are prohibited from denying individuals with disabilities the full and equal enjoyment of goods and services.
Following the incident, the Civil Rights Division opened an investigation and MCCR issued a Commission-initiated complaint against Cracker Barrel. The Civil Rights Division and MCCR joined forces to conduct the investigation.
Cracker Barrel denied the allegations but agreed to resolve the matter voluntarily and without litigation.
Under the terms of the settlement:
- Cracker Barrel will revise and strengthen its public accommodation policy nationwide to ensure compliance with state and federal disability rights laws.
- Cracker Barrel will pay a total of $75,000 to the affected students, allocating $7,500 per child.
- Cracker Barrel will donate $17,500 to the Dr. James Craik Elementary School SORE and ACHIEVE programs to expand classroom technology, including adaptive learning tools, communication devices, and interactive software designed to support students with developmental disabilities
- Cracker Barrel will reimburse $446.56 for the school’s cost of meals purchased and transportation on the day of the incident.
- Cracker Barrel will contribute $9,000 to the Civil Rights Enforcement Fund, supporting education, outreach, and enforcement efforts across Maryland.
“When businesses break the law and fail to treat people with disabilities with the dignity and respect they deserve, my Office will step in and hold them accountable,” said Attorney General Brown. “This settlement compensates these students and their school while requiring Cracker Barrel to update its policies – advancing inclusion and accessibility not just across Maryland, but across the entire country.”
“This agreement is a reminder that every child, every family, and every Marylander deserves to move through our communities with dignity, respect, and full inclusion, said MCCR Executive Director Cleveland L. Horton, II. When harm occurs, we do not look away—we confront it with truth, with accountability, and with a steadfast commitment to building a state where our shared humanity is never in question. Today’s resolution is not the end of a case; it is a reaffirmation of our collective responsibility to ensure that equity is practiced, not promised, and that every public space in Maryland welcomes all of us, without exception.”
In making today’s announcement, Attorney General Brown and the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights applaud the parents of the children for their tireless advocacy and thank Charles County Public School leadership. Additionally, Attorney General Brown and the MCCR thank Chief Jonathan M. Smith, Assistant Attorney General Janee Fountain, Deputy Chief Rashida Ogletree-George, Assistant Attorney General Julianne Cozzetto, and Chief Investigator Latonya Bishop of the Civil Rights Division, as well as MCCR Civil Rights Officer Lead Rafiel Bowen for their work. This matter reflects the strong partnership between MCCR and the Attorney General that works to safeguard all Marylanders’ civil rights.
