Students with special needs run snack bar, get evicted for violating election law

[kevinUsa]

 Students with special needs were running their own snack bar to raise money for their school, but because they were doing it in a government complex, they got shut down.

A snack bar sits empty after students with special needs were told they couldn't operate during election season. (Source: WESH via CNN)

"It's just not right,” said Maria Roberts, who works at the Brevard County Government Service Complex.

Roberts was a faithful customer of the Coffee Pit, the snack bar run by kids with special needs from Titusville High School.

"They put smiles on people's faces,” said Steven Moran.

"I love them. I love seeing them. I miss seeing them," said Laurie Deal.

The county shut the snack stand down, saying it violated state election law.

The kids gave out coffee and cookies in exchange for a donation, but the state said it technically counted as soliciting voters. According to the state, anyone who walked through the building could be on their way to vote and the mere presence of the students accepting donations for anything qualifies as solicitation.

"There was nothing political about what they were trying to accomplish. It was just they were trying to help their school,” Moran said.

"They're getting a skill that hopefully a lot of them have gone from the program and gotten jobs in other places. And it comes from what they're doing here,” Roberts said.

"These kids are totally apolitical. They are not into politics. They're just there running a snack bar,” said Scott Ellis, the clerk of court.

Officials evicted the snack bar on Oct. 15, when certain election materials became available in the elections office.

Very few people request those materials and most citizens come to the building for other business.

The Coffee Pit can re-open after Election Day, which is Nov. 5.

In the meantime, advocates say the kids are being taught the wrong kind of lesson.