Minority Children Asked Not To Return To Private Swimming Pool

HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa.(AP)- Members and officials of a private swimming pool in a Philadelphia suburb reacted to a visiting group of minority children by asking them not to return and pulling other kids out of the water, according to a day camp director who said Thursday that parents are considering legal action against the pool.

Creative Steps in northeast Philadelphia had contracted for the 65 children at the day camp to go each Monday afternoon to The Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley, camp director Alethea Wright said Thursday. But shortly after they arrived June 29, she said, some black and Hispanic children reported hearing racial comments.

"A couple of the children ran down saying,'Miss Wright, Miss Wright, they're up there saying,'What are those black kids doing here?'"

Wright said she went to talk to a group of members at the top of the hill and heard one woman say she would see to it that the group, made of up of children in kindergarten through seventh grade, did not return.

"Some of the members began pulling their children out of the pool and were standing around with their arms folded," Wright said. "Only three members left their children in the pool with us."

Several days later, the club refunded the camp's $1,950 without explanation, said Wright, who added that some parents are "weighing their options" on legal action.

Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., issued a statement calling the allegations "extremely disturbing" and said he was looking into the matter.

Club president John Duesler told Philadelphia television station WTXF that several club members complained because the children "fundamentally changed the atmosphere" at the pool, but that the complaints didn't involve race.

The club's telephone message system was full and a message could not be left there by The Associated Press; Duesler did not return calls to his home.

A club member told a newspaper that she understood the problem was the size of the group, not race. But Wright rejected that explanation, saying the club covers 10 acres with a "nice-sized" pool and a separate pool for younger children. The board, she said, knew that her group included 65 children, and none of them had misbehaved.

"We were not welcome, once the members saw who we were," she said.

Wright said that the children were upset, and that she was looking for a psychologist to speak to them next week. Some have asked her whether they are "too dark" to swim in the pool, she said.

"I'm not going to validate this behavior by adults," Wright said. "It's unacceptable. This is preposterous, and I won't stand for it."

Wright said Girard College had offered to host the children for the summer, and a meeting was scheduled later Thursday to work out the details.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

"We were not welcome, once the members saw who we were," she said.

So what, its a private pool.

And you guys make a thread asking "when will white America be off the hook." Well...this proves that "white America" needs to recognize and be honest with itself and admit that it was never "on the hook." This clearly shows that some things have not changed. This is not some blurb in history from "slavery". This ignorance continues today.......

DemonsEye wrote:

"We were not welcome, once the members saw who we were," she said.
So what, its a private pool.

Had you read the story, you would know that there was a "contract" in place that was not honored. This is not a "so what" situation and you continue to perpetuate the very thing that you are telling minorities to "get over".

Its a private pool. Not public. Any contract can be rescinded at owners discretion.
Dont be fooled by what is said here, this isnt about kids, its about money.

Just Wondering wrote:

<quoted text>
Had you read the story, you would know that there was a "contract" in place that was not honored. This is not a "so what" situation and you continue to perpetuate the very thing that you are telling minorities to "get over".

so there were 65 kids in one group that came in all at once? how many people were already in the pool? how big was the pool? these are questions i would have.

DemonsEye wrote:

Its a private pool. Not public. Any contract can be rescinded at owners discretion.
Dont be fooled by what is said here, this isnt about kids, its about money.

We are still watching you.

i'd also want to know how many life guards were on duty at the time. i'd also like to know if PA law requires a certain number of life guards per number of people in the pool. you can't just have 100 people or more crammed into a pool. someone is bound to get hurt.

maybe the club over extended and that is the real issue which is a disservice to all members including this group. if the racial slurs happened that is certainly wrong and never should have occurred. i personally wouldn't want to be in a pool with 65 or more other people of any race. that would be a crazy atmosphere and wouldn't be fun at all.

DemonsEye Don't worry about him. He's a fat loser who failed to start a business he talked about all the time. He is like most of his friends on topix, an unsuccessful blob with a big mouth. He is dirt, not worth a listen.

DemonsPie wrote:

<quoted text>
We are still watching you.

good. then you see my middle finger.

DemonsEye wrote:

<quoted text>
good. then you see my middle finger.

It is probably up your azz, pu**y

demonspie wrote:

DemonsEye Don't worry about him. He's a fat loser who failed to start a business he talked about all the time. He is like most of his friends on topix, an unsuccessful blob with a big mouth. He is dirt, not worth a listen.

nobody's worried but you. we can all tell by your comments lame brain.......

DemonsEye wrote:

<quoted text>
nobody's worried but you. we can all tell by your comments lame brain.......

OOOOOHhhhhh, you are so quick. You are a waste of space, chubby.

curiousgeorge wrote:

<quoted text>
so there were 65 kids in one group that came in all at once? how many people were already in the pool? how big was the pool? these are questions i would have.

Did you not read the story?

curiousgeorge wrote:

i'd also want to know how many life guards were on duty at the time. i'd also like to know if PA law requires a certain number of life guards per number of people in the pool. you can't just have 100 people or more crammed into a pool. someone is bound to get hurt.
maybe the club over extended and that is the real issue which is a disservice to all members including this group. if the racial slurs happened that is certainly wrong and never should have occurred. i personally wouldn't want to be in a pool with 65 or more other people of any race. that would be a crazy atmosphere and wouldn't be fun at all.

Please don't make excuses for these actions. One of the children was literally crying because he couldn't believe that people were still saying things like that, and to him specifically. This has nothing to do with this "private club" overextending itself. However, if that is what you want to believe, you most certainly are entitled.

It is what it is.

demonswhy wrote:

<quoted text>
OOOOOHhhhhh, you are so quick. You are a waste of space, chubby.

Troll alert. This waste of skin has been instigating crap on several threads. Tell me, big guy, when are you going to be in Jacksonville so I can take you up on your offer? You spew a lot of shit for someone to cowardly to even register.

what they did might have been nasty and deplorable...but it is a private club and they refunded the full amount to the group. im not saying what they did was right by any means, but this would be interesting to follow legally.

why did they not air the story of the 40 kkkneegrows that beat that white family up who were out just to enjoy a night of fireworks right after this one? them kkkneegrows told that family that this is a black world and they were not welcome in it! time to revolt!

Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, the next thing you know the people of Philadelphia will be booing Santa Claus.

Mr Logic in Jax wrote:

Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, the next thing you know the people of Philadelphia will be booing Santa Claus.

did you see the interview they did with that little 7 year old black boy on abc tonight? boy was that rehearsed! that little kid even said that he was appalled! he did not even know what that word meant!