A new store policy at a Target in California is not sitting well with parents.
“They had asked us to leave and we asked why and they said we couldn’t go in without a parent or guardian. We’re like ‘Can we at least go inside to get Starbucks real quick’ and they said ‘No,'” said a Bakersfield teen.
This teen is just one of many who said they were denied access to the Target at the Valley Plaza Mall.
Avelina Caywood said her two teens were turned away as well.
Her 19-year-old was questioned at the door in late June.
Eyewitness News confirmed, their new rule is true.
In fact, they said they cannot ask to check IDs but go based on if the person looks underage.
Caywood said after her son told security he was over 18 years old he was let in.
“I told him that doesn’t sound right, did you see anything in writing at the door? Did anybody else tell you? And did you see them stopping anybody else? And he said no,” said Caywood.
Then it happened again two weeks later with her 16-year-old daughter.
“My daughter was questioning, well, ‘I don’t understand, it’s not like I was making trouble and why don’t they kick out the teens that do make trouble,'” said Caywood.
A Target employee told Eyewitness News the reasoning behind their new rule is that there have been too many fights, thefts and teens roaming the store.
The teen’s father asked for them to put up a sign stating their new policy, but a sign has yet to be posted.
Ron Zambrano with West Coast Trial Lawyers said Target is not required to make a sign.
“Now would it be a courteous thing to do and a professional thing to do? Absolutely, but they’re not required per se,” said Zambrano.
Zambrano also said profiling based on age to prevent the risk of theft is not against the law but stopping people based on race, gender, sexual orientation and disability is against the law.
Target employees said this rule could be extended for the rest of the year.
Source : CBSAUTIN
