Walmart Apologizes After Booting Kids From Store For Singing 'God Bless America'
PEMBROKE PINES (CBSMiami) — Walmart has apologized to a chorus of students after they were kicked off store property Wednesday evening for trying to sing a patriotic song to honor the victims of 9/11.
According to Coconut Palm Elementary School Principal Terri Thelmas, the store manager gave her approval last week to bring the students to the store to sing a one-minute rendition of "God Bless America" inside the Walmart, located at Pines & Flamingo in Pembroke Pines.
Around 7 p.m. Wednesday, the group of 75 students and their parents showed up and the manager-on-duty told them they were a "liability" and that the kids would not be allowed to sing.
So, the kids went outside the store to sing. That's when things got ugly: the manager called Pembroke Pines police to have them removed from the property.
Thelmas said she didn't understand why, on a day reserved for patriotism and reflection, Walmart was more concerned with lawsuits than exemplifying its commitment to the local community.
In a statement, Walmart told CBS 4, "We regret this happened and apologize to the students, parents, and the school for this experience. Unfortunately this was a situation of miscommunication and should have been handled differently. We are inviting the kids back to the store to help honor the victims and fallen heroes."
There is no word as to whether or not the school accepted the offer.
