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Swim Club Invites Kids Back after Racism Allegations

Monday, July 13, 2009
CNN: A suburban Philadelphia swim club has invited children from a largely minority day-care center to come back after a June reversal that fueled allegations of racism against the club, a spokeswoman said Sunday.

The Valley Club
The development came during a hastily called Sunday afternoon meeting of the Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. Club members voted overwhelmingly to try to work things out with the day-care center, which accused some swim club members of making racist comments to black and Hispanic children contracted to use the pool, said Bernice Duesler, the club director's wife.

Duesler said the club canceled its contract with the Creative Steps day-care because of safety, crowding and noise concerns, not racism.

"As long as we can work out safety issues, we'd like to have them back," she told CNN.

She said the club has been subpoenaed by the state Human Rights Commission, which has begun a fact-finding investigation, "and the legal advice was to try to get together with these camps, " Duesler added.

Alethea Wright, Creative Steps' director, said, "They should have done that before."

Wright has repeatedly lambasted the club for its tepid response to the charges and said the children in her care were "emotionally damaged" by the incident.

"These children are scarred. How can I take those children back there?" she said.

However, Wright's lawyer, Carolyn Nicholas, said the center will give the Valley Club's offer "due consideration" once it is received and looks forward to sitting down with the parties.

"The children are our primary concern," Nicholas told CNN.

Swimming privileges for about 65 children from Creative Steps were revoked after their first visit June 29. Some children said white members of the club made racist comments to the children, asking why "black children were there" and raising concerns that "they might steal from us."

Days later, the day-care center's $1,950 check was returned, Wright said.

Club director John Duesler told CNN that he had underestimated the amount of children who would participate, and the club was unable to supervise that many kids. He called his club "very diverse," and said it had offered to let day camps in the Philadelphia area use his facility after budget cuts forced some pools in the area to close.

Wright has rejected the camp's contention that the swim club's pool was overcrowded. The club had accepted a 10-to-1 ratio of children to adults and was considering adding up to three lifeguards, according to e-mails obtained by CNN.

But John Duesler said last week that the Valley Club also canceled contracts with two other day-care centers because of safety and overcrowding issues.

The Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission launched an investigation last week after allegations of racism at the Valley Club. The commission said that as part of any investigation, the two sides eventually could be asked to sit down face-to-face with its investigators.

"We always encourage opposing parties to communicate with one another if they feel they can resolve these issues amicably," Commission Chairman Stephen Glassman said.

Bernice Duesler said she wasn't yet sure how the club will "reach out" to Creative Steps and the other two camps. And Wright said she still has concerns about the issue.

"Are the members who made those comments still there?" she asked.

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3 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

 
It is difficult for me to digest the way the situation handled. Safety should have been a concern when the contract was made but in hearing the club’s own safety position they had enough life guards on hand that day. Even if some were short they could have allowed the kids to swim in shifts if “safety” was actually the major concern.
- Spencer
Posted 07/13/09 12:57 PM
 
Blacks cry and get w/e they want, they’re all children, not just the kids. Now watch as white attendance drops as the little black kids, bully them around and destroy the place.
- Truth
Posted 07/13/09 04:05 PM
 
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) Goes Racist Defending Green Jobs. Her condescending talk to the ceo of the black chamber of commerce, talking carefully slowly about what she is entering into the record to show him what good black groups think on the alternative energy bill as opposed to expert data or testimony was offensive. Her how dare you not side with me when your folk all do attitude was priceless. She is a racist and needs to resign. I was so proud when he called her on it and it got heated as she kept digging a hole on the issue, saying she just wanted to show the diverse opinions on the issue and he kept questioning why she was focusing on black groups and not expert. See it here. http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/07/video-gold-black-chamber-of-commerce.html
- ed
Posted 07/17/09 03:31 PM
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