The suburban Philadelphia swim club, Valley Club, has invited minorities back after allegations of racist statements from club members.
Black and Hispanic children, from the predominantly day-care center Creative Steps Inc, stated that they heard members of the Valley club use racial remarks in relation to them as well as escorting their children from the pool.
The camp was refunded its $1,950 by the private club, but was told that the club members wanted the campers to stop using their facility to swim at. This became final when the camp’s contract was canceled by the club. According to Bernie Duesler, the wife of the club director, the contract was canceled as a result of potential safety, noise and crowding issues.
According to the club director, John Duesler, the children were not turned away due to the color of their skin, but due to the fact that the quantity of children was underestimated and supervision of everyone could have posed a problem. He also added that their contract was not the only one canceled as two other day-care centers dealt with the same issue.
Since this incident, the club has invited the camp back as long as the safety concerns are all taken care of.
Member of Creative Steps Inc, however, may no longer want to associate itself with the club any longer. The director, Alethea Wright, said that she has attacked the club due to its lack of enthusiasm in dealing with the charges against them. She has also stated that the children have been “emotionally scarred” by everything that transpired at that pool. With this in mind, there would be no reason for her to want to bring those children back and possibly deal with even worse treatment.
Carolyn Nicholas, Wright’s lawyer, has stated the center will actually give the invite some consideration once all parties have sat down and undergone an in depth discussion.
A woman filed a lawsuit in Philadelphia last week making allegations that the club did not allow her four children to swim there because they were Black. The two instances have stirred the attention of the state Human Rights Commission who is investigating the club. Sen. Arlen Specter has also asked for the Justice Department to find out if the club has violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The club, as well as the neighboring towns, has maintained that they are not racist and actually have a very diverse community.
Man white folk just hate that Black folks are taking another sport from them. Recently African American gold medalist Cullen Jones broke the American record in a 50-meter freestyle swim-off at the U.S. national championship Saturday. All is well though white America. Just look at it this way…at least you still have rugby and hockey because they’re sure to be popular again sometime.
