Out of the pool! No minorities here...............

Nonno

Habari Na Mijeldi
"More than 60 campers from Northeast Philadelphia were turned away from a private swim club and left to wonder if their race was the reason.

Kids at Creative Steps Day Camp were thrilled to go swimming once a week at the Valley Swim Club. But after only one trip to the private club, they were...

The Creative Steps Day Camp paid more than $1900 to The Valley Swim Club. The Valley Swim Club is a private club that advertises open membership.

"I heard this lady, she was like, 'Uh, what are all these black kids doing here?' She's like, 'I'm scared they might do something to my child,'" said camper Dymire Baylor.

The Creative Steps Day Camp paid more than $1900 to The Valley Swim Club. The Valley Swim Club is a private club that advertises open membership. But the campers' first visit to the pool suggested otherwise.

"When the minority children got in the pool all of the Caucasian children immediately exited the pool," Horace Gibson, parent of a day camp child, wrote in an email. "The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately."

The next day the club told the camp director that the camp's membership was being suspended and their money would be refunded. "

""There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club," John Duesler, President of The Valley Swim Club said in a statement."

More at: Pool Boots Kids Who Might "Change the Complexion" | NBC Philadelphia
 

limblips

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
I am no teller of the future but I see an Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson intervention coming along with a big lawsuit!
 

Bonehead

Well-Known Member
That is just plain wrong, on so many levels. They are just kids for the love of God let them enjoy themselves.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
"The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately."

That would be pretty bold of an attendant to be that blatant. You'd think they'd have come up with a different excuse for PR purposes. So I probably don't believe this story as written.

It's entirely possible the kids were booted because they were black, but I'd be surprised if the club was so overt about it, knowing the bad publicity they'd receive.
 

PsyOps

Pixelated
That would be pretty bold of an attendant to be that blatant. You'd think they'd have come up with a different excuse for PR purposes. So I probably don't believe this story as written.

It's entirely possible the kids were booted because they were black, but I'd be surprised if the club was so overt about it, knowing the bad publicity they'd receive.

Nonno posted this. It has to be true.
 
T

tiny_dancer33

Guest
It's entirely possible the kids were booted because they were black, but I'd be surprised if the club was so overt about it, knowing the bad publicity they'd receive.

Yeah, mte. I mean, yeah, I can see that being the reason, but you'd think they'd come up with a better excuse, like, I don't know, it's too crowded with 60 kids running around in here - which wouldn't be a reason to boot them, really, because they sold the 60 kids the club membership in the first place and only changed their minds when they saw the kids, so it would be fishy, but a little better than the response provided. The owner, Duesler, said there were complaints about changing the "complexion" of the club. I'm sure he meant like the "character" of the club, but seriously, omg, buy a thesaurus, dude. =/

Either way, I hope they enjoy their impending investigation and lawsuit.
 

itsbob

I bowl overhand
That would be pretty bold of an attendant to be that blatant. You'd think they'd have come up with a different excuse for PR purposes. So I probably don't believe this story as written.

It's entirely possible the kids were booted because they were black, but I'd be surprised if the club was so overt about it, knowing the bad publicity they'd receive.

Reading the article. I find it hard to believe what the attendants have been quoted as saying.. I tend to believe the words of the President..

".. a lot of KIDS... " Not black kids, not white kids.. just KIDS..

Maybe they expected the camp to bring 10 or 15 kids to the pool, NOT 60 or more.. 60 is a LOT of kids in one pool, no matter their race or color of their skin, and I'm sure would take away from the quiet relazing atmosphere an adult might want to have or expect on their time off spent at the pool.
 
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tiny_dancer33

Guest
Maybe they expected the camp to bring 10 or 15 kids to the pool, NOT 60 or more.. 60 is a LOT of kids in one pool, no matter their race or color of their skin, and I'm sure would take away from the quiet relazing atmosphere an adult might want to have or expect on their time off spent at the pool.

Nah, Fox in Philly said other children were at the pool and were not asked to leave. In fact, parents of other kids at the pool were the ones who complained. What they complained about was unclear. I'm pretty sure I know what it was about. But anyway.

The camp didn't buy memberships and then just surprise, show up with 60 kids. Their purchase was for a scheduled 90 minutes of swim time, once a week, with their whole camp. Fox and Philly also reported the club's website says their pool has a 90-adult capacity, more than comfortable enough for a lot of small children, and that's if every person were in the water the whole time, which they wouldn't be.The owner knew they were coming and when, it was scheduled - maybe the other club members didn't, though. Sounds like an overly greedy pool administration, charging the camp all of that money ($1950 for an hour and a half once a week?) without considering what their actual club members would think, and then backing out just as quickly.
 

MrZ06

I love Texas Road House
It sounds like they don't want the pool greased up from all of the black kids swimming gin it. Its a private club. They have the rite to deny any body they want.
 

onel0126

Bead mumbler
It sounds like they don't want the pool greased up from all of the black kids swimming gin it. Its a private club. They have the rite to deny any body they want.

On so many levels that is wrong. Funny but wrong. Brought back memories of the grease spots on the chalk boards in school............:drummer:
 

bcp

In My Opinion
interesting.
in one story we have black kids that got kicked out of a pool for unspecified reasons.
and its racist.
In another story in the forums we have a group of black kids that attack white people while claiming this is a black world,,
and its not racist.

see, now this to me is a serious problem.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Swim Club Members: "Nothing to Do With Race" | NBC Philadelphia
"This has nothing to do with race," member Lori Slowinski said. "I paid my money for a private swim club…if they're gonna have it out to camps, then I want my money back."

This is actually a good point. If you wanted to take your kids to a public pool, you'd do it. But if you pay for a private pool, that's what it should be. We'll put that on the club directors.

And I'm wondering if this isn't a race thing so much as a class issue;
Our Valley Club deplores discrimination in any form, as is evidenced by our multi-ethnic and diverse membership.

I'd be curious what their membership *does* look like - if they have black and Hispanic club members. And what they think of all this.

I just think a lot of times people are too quick to scream "racism" without exploring other possibilities.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
In another story in the forums we have a group of black kids that attack white people while claiming this is a black world,,
and its not racist.

While those kids themselves are a bunch of racist scumbags, it's unfair to use them as an example of blacks in general. And unfortunately, that's what happens a lot of time. Just like those dumb people who were raving that Obama was going to pay their rent or buy them a car - they do not represent blacks in general.

How would you like it if some toothless illiterate redneck was presented on the news, and suddenly he's the stereotype of a white person?
 

Tech

Well-Known Member
How would you like it if some toothless illiterate redneck was presented on the news, and suddenly he's the stereotype of a white person?

And he would be clutching his bible and guns?:whistle:

This may also have a "city" v. suburban angle to it. The pool is outside the city.
 
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