Private Pool Club Boots Campers

[GrayMatterWife]

By placing this in "Grand Rounds," as versus "Debates," I guess I am presuming that there really is no legitimate defense for this. While I concede that it is perfectly legal for a private club to discriminate on race, gender, etc., and that they are free to break their contract with the summer camp (although they will owe damages for that breach), from a morality and decency point-of-view, this seems inarguably inexcusable. Be sure to read the second-to-last paragraph.

Could you imagine being one of the kids?!
____________________________________

Pool Boots Kids Who Might "Change the Complexion"

Campers sent packing after first visit to swim club

By KAREN ARAIZA

Updated 11:46 AM EDT, Wed, Jul 8, 2009

Dymire Baylor says he overheard a woman ask, "What are all these black kids doing?" when he and his freinds showed up.

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.

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 [sent home]. "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.

"I said, 'The parents don't want the refund. They want a place for their children to swim,'" camp director Aetha Wright said.

Campers remain unsure why they're no longer welcome.

"They just kicked us out. And we were about to go. Had our swim things and everything," said camper Simer Burwell.

The explanation they got was either dishearteningly honest or poorly worded.

"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.

While the parents await an apology, the camp is scrambling to find a new place for the kids to beat the summer heat.

[v-girl]

That is terrible! Makes me sad for the kids.

[GrayMatterWife]

That is terrible! Makes me sad for the kids.

Makes me want to rent a bunch of electronic billboards throughout Philly, with the name of the club in HUGE letters, reading: "HERE ARE THE MEMBERS WHO PAY FOR SEGREGATION!" then list, one-by-one, in big letters the names of the members.

How hard would it be to obtain a list of members? It is not privileged under the law. And it is not illegal to advertise a fact.

If these people are not completely impervious to public chatisement.

Ummm..how could this seriously happen?! Sickening.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Makes me want to rent a bunch of electronic billboards throughout Philly, with the name of the club in HUGE letters, reading: "HERE ARE THE MEMBERS WHO PAY FOR SEGREGATION!" then list, one-by-one, in big letters the names of the members.

How hard would it be to obtain a list of members? It is not privileged under the law. And it is not illegal to advertise a fact.

If these people are not completely impervious to public chatisement.

Well to be fair, the members might not be condoning this comment. I do not support such appalling comments but I can easily see myself joining a local swim club without thinking about the diversity of its members simply because it was the closest pool to my house. My working assumption would be that these children should be allowed to swim there so I guess it wouldn't occur to me to verify that this was the case before I joined.

[mommax3]

This is horrible. I feel sad for all of those kids who were excited about going swimming! From the way the article reads, it sure does sound like race was the reason and that is inexcusable.

However.....

I can't tell you how many times I have gone to a pool or a park or some other play place as a special treat for my kids and then the day care vans pull up. All of the sudden there are hordes of kids everywhere with (imo) inadequate adult supervision, and the family groups are immediately outnumbered. I have been on both sides of this, since I worked at a very chi-chi center during college, and I felt the same way then. It makes no difference to me what color the kids are.....if they are unsupervised and rude, I don't want to be around them, *especially* when I planned in advance to avoid the crowded weekend times to do something fun with my kids.

Just another perspective, although like I said before, it sure seems from the quotes like race was the issue here, which is abhorrent.

[scrub-jay]

I'm sure things like this occur everyday, I am glad that this story has been highlighted. I can only hope that more awareness will help and that club members who had no idea will respond appropriately.

It is shameful to hear this type of story, and even worse to have been targeted at children.

But then again, I am always ready to hear the other side...I tend to be skeptical of one-sided stories and having worked at a pool for my college years, some day camps are more safe & behaved than others (I think this has more to do with the camp's organization, leadership and discipline policies) and we have definitely banned day camps that are especially unsafe and difficult; just to maintain the safety of all swimmers in the water.

Poor kids though.

[scrub-jay]

This is horrible. I feel sad for all of those kids who were excited about going swimming! From the way the article reads, it sure does sound like race was the reason and that is inexcusable.

However.....

I can't tell you how many times I have gone to a pool or a park or some other play place as a special treat for my kids and then the day care vans pull up. All of the sudden there are hordes of kids everywhere with (imo) inadequate adult supervision, and the family groups are immediately outnumbered. I have been on both sides of this, since I worked at a very chi-chi center during college, and I felt the same way then. It makes no difference to me what color the kids are.....if they are unsupervised and rude, I don't want to be around them, *especially* when I planned in advance to avoid the crowded weekend times to do something fun with my kids.

Just another perspective, although like I said before, it sure seems from the quotes like race was the issue here, which is abhorrent.

Haha - While working at pools, I thought that most people just thought of the recreation pool hours as the cheapest day-care around!! ($4/kid for 3-4 hours!!) *sigh*

[Sheherezade]

This is horrible for the kids involved. I can't believe that anyone would have the balls to say some of the things that were quoted in that article. It almost seems fake to me. The pool attendant told the staff that minorities were not allowed in the club? Seriously? I can't imagine that a pool club in suburban Philly would legally hold such a policy. You'd think that it would have already come under fire in years past. As for the woman stating "What are all these black kids doing?" - well. She's just an idiot. I would hope she is in the minority and that the other people at the club would be embarrassed by her comments.

All that said, I've can relate to Sally's comments re: day campers. I have an almost instinctive reaction to turn away from a museum visit when I see buses and matching T-shirts. An overly large poorly managed group of kids can ruin any venue fast.

The only time I have ever actively intervened in someone else's child's care was the result of a crazy day-camp visit to my local playground in Baltimore. A large group of minority children came to play. It was bedlam. The "staff" crashed under a tree and polished off a case of beer. I found a three year old girl with NO PANTS on under a tree crying. She had tried to go to the bathroom on her own in a bush. I helped her find her clothes and took her over to the group beneath the tree. They told her to keep playing. Kids got hurt on the playground equipment and were ignored. The moms in the park handed out band aids and glared at the staff. The group stayed for almost two hours and then loaded the kids in to cars with no car seats and not enough seat belts. I was horrified - and I felt for the poor families that had put their kids in the care of this irresponsible group. I reported them to a child care authority and worried that I may have made life more difficult for the parents that now had to question their child's care.

If this is the whole story, I hope the Philly club has trouble ahead. Still, I'd be open to hearing a rebuttal.

[madeintaiwan]

Well to be fair, the members might not be condoning this comment. I do not support such appalling comments but I can easily see myself joining a local swim club without thinking about the diversity of its members simply because it was the closest pool to my house. My working assumption would be that these children should be allowed to swim there so I guess it wouldn't occur to me to verify that this was the case before I joined.

Um, it stated that the club does not allow minorities at the club. I'm sorry but, it doesn't take a genius to look around and figure out which way is up. Even in the most homogenous of neighborhoods, if the people are "open," there is usually always at least one "other" around.

I don't even have words for these situations. Stuff like this just doesn't surprise or shock me. People like this exist in an abundance. Just the other week, another resident was telling DH that in his hometown in Alabama, the KKK still burn crosses on the lawns of biracial couples.

The PRESIDENT of the club stated, "There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club." Hmmmm.. "complexion" A lot of kids? Really? Why did they take the fee and grant them permission to join then. Surely they knew how many kids were in the camp prior to their arrival.

[scrub-jay]

I reported them to a child care authority and worried that I may have made life more difficult for the parents that now had to question their child's care.

If you were in those parents' shoes, wouldn't you want to know? Just imagine if you hadn't and there had been a car accident, injury, or worse? I say, better to avoid tragedy than to recover from it.

[Rapunzel]

I suspect a lawsuit is now in the works.

[Sheherezade]

The nasty lady comment doesn't bother me as much as the comments by the pool workers and the club statement to the press. If it is a club rule, shouldn't that be illegal? I would think they could be prosecuted for discriminating by race.....or is that just my ACLU card talking?

Those statements are what make this story unbelievable to me. I'm sure it happens --- I just can't believe that in this day and age they'd get away with being so blatant without opening themselves up to litigation.

[madeintaiwan]

Private institutions can have whatever rules they want.

[Sheherezade]

If you were in those parents' shoes, wouldn't you want to know? Just imagine if you hadn't and there had been a car accident, injury, or worse? I say, better to avoid tragedy than to recover from it.

Yes - and that's what got me to make the phone call and the report. It was obviously a low budget operation. It made me sad because I realized that for some parents this may have been their only way to get to work without a toddler and keep a roof over their heads.

But yes...I'd still want to know.