ACLU: Emagine Palladium's 'Tough Love' Policy Discriminatory

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The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan says a decision by the management of Emagine Palladium theater in Birmingham to ban young theatergoers is discriminatory.

In a letter, ACLU of Michigan urged Emagine Palladium owner Paul Glantz to repeal a policy that requires theatergoers 18 and younger unless they’re accompanied by an adult or have purchased a $350 “platinum membership.”

Glantz instituted the policy shortly after the newly renovated theater opened earlier this month. About a half dozen teens misbehaved and annoyed other moviegoers, disrupting a pricey experience.

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At the time, Glantz told the Detroit Free Press the policy is “the ultimate tough love to ensure our guests, who are paying a substantial amount for the experience, get what they pay for.”

He also said similar policies could be coming at the Emagine’s other southeast Michigan locations in Royal Oak, Novi, Canton, Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Woodhaven, Birch Run and Clio.

Glantz did not immediately respond to Patch’s request for comment on the ACLU letter.

In it, ACLU of Michigan deputy legal director Dan Korobkin wrote that “discrimination against teens based on blanket stereotypes is not only wrong, it is illegal.”

“They should be able to watch a film without being targeted because of their age or banned because their families may not be able to afford a pricey annual membership,” Korobkin wrote.

The ACLU pointed out that age discrimination is prohibited under the state’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.

“To be clear, there is nothing wrong with any business ejecting individual customers, regardless of age, who are actually disruptive or otherwise engaged in inappropriate conduct,” the letter reads. “What is unlawful under our state’s civil rights law is discriminating against an entire group based upon the bad acts, or anticipated bad acts, of a few.”

In the letter, the ACLU of Michigan also said the policy is troubling because it bans only those teens whose families have not purchased pricey membership packages, while allowing teens whose families are members.

“This sends the message — perhaps unintentional but quite unfortunate — that teenagers from wealthy families can be trusted on your premises, whereas youth from less affluent backgrounds cannot,” the letter says. “As you are probably aware, the wealthier suburbs of Detroit (including Birmingham) have a long history of being perceived as unwelcoming to residents of Detroit and its less affluent suburbs, with racial segregation playing a large part of that history.

“Even if the purpose behind your policy is entirely unrelated to these issues, we think it is important for the business community to send a message that all customers are welcome.”

The theater, known previously as the Palladium 12, re-opened to the public on Oct. 12 as the Emagine Palladium. It features reclining theater seats, a casual-fare restaurant and a bar.

Read the letter below.

» Screenshot via EmagineEntertainment.com