STORM2K

By JANET ST. JAMES / WFAA ABC 8

ARLINGTON, Texas - Six Flags Over Texas has new words of caution for some people who plan on visiting the amusement park this summer.

It's a very specific warning: anyone with a history of sex offenses is being discouraged from even walking through the gates of Six Flags.

The amusement park has added wording on season passes, saying it reserves the right to deny admission and cancel the pass of anyone convicted of a sex crime.

Concerns have been raised about convicted sex offenders getting too close to children. In 2000, the Great America theme park in Illinois was sued for $1.4 million in a such a case.

Though Six Flags executives said they won't be running background checks on everyone who enters the park, visitors seen acting inappropriately could be subjected to a check - and thrown out.

Park administrators refused requests for an on-camera interview, but by phone Thursday, public relations head Sandra Daniels told News 8 the park is doing this "as a way to protect the safety of our guests." They hope just having the wording on the season pass will be a deterrent; others say it's merely grandstanding, and won't make any difference.

Still, Six Flags is the first chain of amusement parks to make this an open policy - one that is already in effect.

Though Six Flags executives said they won't be running background checks on everyone who enters the park, visitors seen acting inappropriately could be subjected to a check - and thrown out.

I would hope they are going to throw out anyone who is acting innappropriately toward children, regardless of whether or not they have a sex offense record. I fail to see the point of this policy, other than PR. Wording on a ticket is going to discourage them from coming? Please.

Now cometh the question of enforcement...how do they plan to implement this?

streetsoldier wrote:Now cometh the question of enforcement...how do they plan to implement this?

Bill good question, but this is a step in the right direction. Hope the ACLU doesnt challenge this.

george_r_1961 wrote:

streetsoldier wrote:Now cometh the question of enforcement...how do they plan to implement this?

Bill good question, but this is a step in the right direction. Hope the ACLU doesnt challenge this.

Oh, they WILL...gotta do something to keep busy.

Anyone with a history of sex offenses ought to be in jail and not free to go to Six Flags anyway. There should be no such thing as a repeat offender. It seems like every time a child is molested and/or killed by one of these sickos, he has previous offenses and has been let back into society to do something again.

southerngale wrote:Anyone with a history of sex offenses ought to be in jail and not free to go to Six Flags anyway. There should be no such thing as a repeat offender. It seems like every time a child is molested and/or killed by one of these sickos, he has previous offenses and has been let back into society to do something again.

Amen Kelly. But you and I both know thats not the way it works The ones that get out of prison should be made to feel unwelcome in the community. And if the lawmakers cant keep them imprisoned they should be barred from places that children are likely to hang out. The problem with that is few if any offenders are likely to comply with such an order.

While I agree with Kelly and George, there are unfortuantely a host of legal issues to be resolved for this to occur.