An incredible story is being reported out of Philadelphia where in Huntingdon Valley, a Philadelphia suburb, the Valley Swim Club is being accused of denying children from a Northeast Philadelphia day camp called, Creative Steps, from using their pool. After one day of use the Valley Swim Club called up Creative Steps to tell them that they were refunding them their $1,950 back without explanation. When told the news Aetha Wright, the director of Creative Steps replied back, "The parents don't want the refund. They want a place for their children to swim." However, the privately owned Valley Swim Club reassured her of their decision to refund the day camp their money.
Children from the diverse day camp, which is predominately African American and Hispanic, cited racism as the probable cause. One child camper stated how he overheard one woman indignantly questioning why so many black kids were there and announced that she was fearful for her child's safety. Another camper recalled when all the minority children entered the pool all the Caucasian children immediately exited it and that the pool attendants told them that they weren't permitted into the pool, because they were minorities.
John Duesler, President of the Valley Swim Club addressed those accusations by saying it was for safety concerns not because of racism. He pointed to the fact that there were just too many kids on top of each other and many of them couldn't swim. Duesler has also released a statement saying, "There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion ... and the atmosphere of the club."
Now the incident has gathered lots of media attention, the day camp has hired a lawyer, and a formal complaint with the state commission was filed by the NAACP on their behalf.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Pool-Boots-Kids-Who-Might-Change-the-Complexion.html http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/11/us/11pool.html
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