More businesses require teens to be chaperoned by adults, curbing their independence

Associated Press ^ | May 28, 2023 | Anne D’Innocenzio

[Olog-hai]

Jennifer Sepulveda used to drop off her 14-year-old son, Jorden, at the local mall on a Friday or Saturday night, where he would catch a movie with his friends and then hang out afterwards at the food court or elsewhere.

Not anymore.

Starting April 18, Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey — the second largest mall in the state — is requiring anyone under 18 years old to be accompanied by a chaperone at least 21 or older on Fridays and Saturdays after 5 p.m.

The move, according to the mall, follows “an increase in disruptive behavior by a small minority of younger visitors.” That included a reported brawl in the food court last year and a fight in March that brought swarms of policemen to the center but ended up being a smaller altercation than initially reported.

Sepulveda of Passaic, New Jersey said she was fine with the new policy. […]

Requiring an adult chaperone at malls, at least for certain times of the day, is not new. Mall of America, the nation’s largest shopping mall, imposed a chaperone policy back in 1996 and has been increasingly tightening it as recently as 2020 when it mandated that teens be accompanied by adults after 3 p.m. daily.

But experts say Garden State Plaza joins a growing number of shopping centers, amusement parks and even a few restaurants that have implemented similar policies in the last few months ahead of the summer season. And they all cite increased incidents of bad behavior among teens as the reason, some of it inspired by social media like TikTok. …

[dfwgator]

“an increase in disruptive behavior by a small minority of younger visitors.”

Hmmm, I wonder who that could be?

[Drew68]

Hmmm, I wonder who that could be?

"Scholars"

[dfwgator]

All I can say is, good luck with enforcing it.

[Responsibility2nd]

Could that small minority be 13%?

Just asking.

[Gene Eric]

the parents of the problematic teens are likely no better

[Chad C. Mulligan]

Curbing their bad behavior. If they acted responsibly, they could have all the independence they want. But far too many parents don't teach this. Too much like work.

[SaveFerris]

It’s a different kind of mall experience.

Altogether!

[Leep]

Turn the mall into housing for illegals?

[Hambone 1934]

THE AMISH ARE ATTACKING..TAKE COVER(NOT IN THE MALLS)

[Uncle Lonny]

The usual suspects.

[dfwgator]

It’s always Them, Boo Boo.

[wastedyears]

Wait for 18-19 year old chaperones.

[dfwgator]

Plenty of older gang members.

[TermLimits4All]

That’s it, more feral will fix the situation. Just ban them, not require another feral sideshow.

[No name given]

Probably.

[No name given]

Indeed.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“ It’s a different kind of mall experience.

Altogether!”

It’s a different kind of mall experience.

[SaveFerris]

Thank you!!

[dfwgator]