Update 1: It looks like another pool has opened its doors to this children’s day camp.
Update 2: Now that the story has created a media stir, suddenly the swim club wants to re-invite the day camp back to their pool.
“The board decided we would reach out to Creative Steps to . . . get the kids back to the club in a safe environment,” said John G. Duesler Jr., president of the Valley Club.
Because the issues with overcrowding and safety that the swim club pulled out after the controversy began are suddenly all gone now huh? Sure.
A Huntington Valley swim club is facing accusations of racial discrimination after 65 children from a Northeast Philadelphia day camp claim they heard prejudicial remarks by club members and later had their club membership rescinded.
The children, kindergarten through 7th graders who attend the Creative Steps, Inc. day camp, showed up to the pool at The Valley Swim Club on June 29.
While the campers were swimming, Alethea Wright, executive director of Creative Steps, said three children came up to her and said they heard club members asking what African Americans were doing at the club.
Repeated attempts to reach club President John Duesler and other club officers were unsuccessful. A Philadelphia Inquirer reporter was asked to leave the club premises when he asked for a comment. NBC 10 reported today that Duesler made the following statement: “There was concern that alot of kids would change the complexion …..and the atmosphere of the club.”
Several days after the incident, Wright said the camp’s $1,950 check in membership fees to the swim club was refunded, meaning the children no longer had access to the pool. She said Duesler did not provide a reason for the refund. Philadelphia Inquirer
The Valley Swim Club advertised open membership, and revoked the kids’ membership after finding out their race. A trip to the courthouse is probably a coming.
But what’s so troubling and sad about this story is the impact on the children who were turned away. To be told they’re not good enough to swim with other people.
The club was extra bold for the changing the complexion of the club comment. I didn’t know one’s skin color could taint an entire pool club.
Thanks everybody for discussing and sharing your views. FYI if this concerns you: I haven’t had any issues with this prior to this post, but WLLC is not a forum for personal attacks. Debating the issue is perfectly acceptable, attacking each other and/or using hate speech/offensive language is NOT.
I’ve read numerous reports today concerning the Valley Swim Club’s assertion that the accusations of racism are untrue and that the reason the club was turned away was because of overcrowding. I take issue with this, as well as those who argue that people are just trying to make this a racism story when it’s not. This is not just people nit-picking to find evidence of racism.
- The club didn’t know its capacity limit before it started taking in members? Only after taking people’s money did the pool club’s overseers realize, oh, we can’t let all these people swim?
- Okay, giving them the benefit of the doubt that they were having crowding issues, this still doesn’t make the accusations of racism invalid. @ Deborah – I have to cosign: Were the other groups (who I have yet to see any actual names of – leave a comment if you actually have) told that they would change the atmosphere and complexion of the club? Were they turned away from swimming after people pulled their kids out of the pool and someone asked “What are all these __ people doing here?”
- There’s a statement from a club member who was there that day and her statements contradict the overcrowding issue: From Fox Philly — A suburban Philadelphia swim member tells the AP she didn’t see inner-city kids misbehaving at a pool they were later barred from. Amy Goldman said she’s been a member of the Valley Club for two years. She said the pool wasn’t particularly crowded and the children from Creative Steps daycare were “well behaved and respectful.” She said there had been black members at the club in the past, though she couldn’t remember seeing any this year.”
- Today, the board of the club released this statement: “Whatever comments may or may not have been made by an individual member is an opinion not shared by The Valley Club Board.” Sooo, the president of the swim club doesn’t reflect the opinions of the Valley Club? While the president initially stated that the kids would change the “complexion and atmosphere” at the club, in a later interview, he changed it up a bit: “The president of the Valley Club told Fox 29 by phone the club ‘underestimated the impact the children would have.’ He said they ‘fundamentally changed the atmosphere” at the pool.”
- At this point, the Valley Swim Club is just trying to cover itself to make it look like the accusations are untrue. But it’s a little too late for that, especially after the original statement made by the club’s president. Clearly, the reason these children were turned away was not just because of the group’s size. But at least another pool has opened its doors to the group.
No, just no. if you would care to research the club had compaints from members of overcrowding. 3 day cares were given $$ back and of course Americans only care about the little black children. What about the other 2 day cares? really don’t care about them do you? Why? cause they are white.
“But Duesler told two Philadelphia television stations that the children had changed “the complexion” and “atmosphere” of the club.”
That may be, Ian, but I wonder if those two clubs received the above statement also?
Ian, No, just no. If YOU research you will see that racist comments were made TO the children when they were there to swim and that the President of the Swimming Club, Mr Duesler, said himself to the press, that the reason had nothing to do with any overcrowding, but that they were worried that the kids, “would change the complexion …..and the atmosphere of the club.”
Only later (after a Club Board meeting), did the club CLAIM that it was because of over-crowding (it’s called covering your ass) and only then did they CLAIM (haven’t named) that two other non-minority groups had also been turned away due to over-crowding.
Get your facts straight before suggesting this is just a racist story made up by blacks or those who “only care about little black children.” You’re the one that looks like the fool here!
A white woman in AZ
Ian is right. This is only news because the media is MAKING it news. It’s not news when predominantly white day cares are told that their kids can’t come but when it’s predominantly black, well now THAT’S a story, regardless of whether there is a legitimate reason and reagardless of whether the same standard has been applied to others.
As far as the comments? He is being misrepresented as usual. He probably didn’t say “complexion”. He probably did say “atmosphere” due to the crowding.
Face it white America, there is no room for you in this country anymore and, try as you might, you simply cannot do ANYTHING without it being interpreted as racially motivated. Don’t get in a tizzy about this; even if the story is corrected to reflect what REALLY happened at a later date, the damage is done and can’t win either way.
I am sick and tired of the AA community and the NAACP always making racial issues out of everything. The other 2 day cares showed class and did not complain — something the AA community needs to learn to do. Stop blaming everything that goes wrong on the whites.
Looks like John Murtha was right when he said during the Presidential campaign that parts of Pennsylvania were populated by ignorant, rednecked bigots.
Guys, CNN actually reports “He said two other day-care centers, neither of which included minority children, had previously been similarly disinvited.” So can we put the race card to rest? Racism is a two way street. Can’t really blame someone else for it, then in turn use it as an excuse when things don’t go your way. Does that make me a racist? If it does, I blame the fact that I had an ancestor I never knew who suffered a potato famine back in the day. There, played the potato famine card 5 times today, wonder if I can get it up to 20 before the day is over.
Charlie, Nice to see you used your name on this site as opposed to the others, like http://viewonthenews.blogspot.com/2009/07/racism-is-alive-and-well.html . Just cutting and pasting all over the place, huh?
Again, they admitted on the record that it was about racism! Only after the club’s Board meeting did they come out with the CLAIM that 2 other groups (non-minority) to cover their ass. We still haven’t gotten confirmation on those other two white groups that allegedly got kicked out too.
No we cannot put the race card to rest, until racism is put to rest. I understand that the race card is sometimes abused, but if you actually read from the article you quoted, from CNN, you’d see that this is not one of those cases.
Also, I’d stop using the potato famine analogy unless you want more people to realise how simple you are. To equate an act of God with the slavery and centuries of racism is the epitome of idiocy. Guess you never made it out of high school : potato famine is to Act of God as Slavery and racism is to . . .
White woman in AZ
Hey I can’t be smart remember? I don’t even bother trying because I had a relative who suffered a potato famine. It would be a lost cause so why bother. See how retarded it is? Of course I don’t relate potato famine to racism, but constantly use it over and over again as an excuse is not only demeaning to the people who fought for equal rights and the chance to better yourselves. But no, just claim that the system is “holding you down” is just as effective as they smoke weed, and take crack.
I dont know why anyone is surprised by this. With minorites in the limelight more and more, white folks is feeling mighty threatened. The exclusivity of these kinds of clubs is their last hope of keeping themselves seperate.
Those Philadelphians pay dearly for exclusivity/safety. Rather like a church, they desire nothing more than like-minded associations. In other words, those from homes with standards of behavior, speech and education. Is this too much to ask? After all, these are the folks whose taxes pay for a myriad of minority subsidies.
Those Philadelphians pay dearly for exclusivity/safety. Rather like a church, they desire nothing more than like-minded associations. In other words, anyone from homes with standards of behavior, speech and education. Is this too much to ask? After all, these are the folks whose taxes pay for a myriad of minority subsidies.
They did not conduct some type of social behavior test, they saw the skin color and assumed that their “standard of behavior, speech and education” was not their own. You Nancy are also a racist because like them you also assumed the same.
i agree that people have the right to have a private club and to only include who they want. that doesn’t bother me. however if they’d wanted exclusivity they probably shouldn’t have opened up their club to allow a day camp to pay to use their pool in the first place.
no matter what the race of the children. it’s wrong to make children not only feel unwelcome but like they were unworthy, and less than the club members. that behavior is uncalled for and should not be tolerated.
Why does everyone AUTOMATICALLY jump to racism!? Listen people, 3 clubs were turned away…3!!!! Not one! If you apply the word complexion (appearance; aspect; character) and atmosphere (surrounding or pervading mood, environment, or influence) then what the guy was basically saying is he sent these people (3 groups NOT 1) away because it would affect the normal atmosphere and appearance of the club i.e. little kids running around everywhere, not enough lifeguards, basically a community pool as opposed to a CLUB pool. Obviously he didnt want the club running rampant with kids everywhere. I will admit that when faced with the issue the word “complexion” was poorly chosen given the circumstances, but if you take out the racist card (which you must since he turned white kids away too) then the statement makes sense and there really should not be any issue. You simply CANNOT dote on teh racist subject when 2 other groups were turned away for the SAME reason and they were WHITE.
the day camp paid to use the pool. the club knew they were going to have extra kids running around.
and since they paid to use the facility it would then be the responsibility of the club to either add the addition lifeguard fee into the cost of coming to use their pool or getting extra lifeguards themselves.
the white kids from the other two groups may have been turned away but i’m sure they weren’t told that their complexion was a problem. nor were people asking “what those white kids were doing there”
Jon, african americans segregate themselves already. ‘Some’ of them are very loud and disrespectful as well as way to sensitive. But judging by the kids that I saw on the news, they were actually pretty kewl.
I live close to Newport News, Va and Hampton. Some of the African americans around here are very uncomfortable to deal with…while others are nice. The main issue to me seems a difference in cultures.
I think it also depends on club rules, had this been merely a club rules issue of no loud playing and jumping into the pool, etc then i would understand that it was merely that. Some clubs can be VERY restrictive on horseplay and the like. But the changing complexion remarks and atmosphere seemed strange to me.
I would just like to ask black people this question: why do you insist on moving into areas, joining clubs, working, etc., where you are clearly not wanted? If you are not wanted in a specific area then why insist on forcing yourself upon that area?
Here’s some food for thought? Why not create your own swimming club? Then you can do what you want. And please spare me that there isn’t any blacks who don’t have money to create something like that. Instead of spending money on bling, bling, bling…LOOK AT ME…why not help someone out within YOUR OWN COMMUNITY instead of insisting others from other communities bare the burden?
I’m white and I blame whites like you with you ignorant stereo type. If you aren’t a member of this club, I’m sure they’ll let you swim for free.
Clearly not wanted? Seriously? I can buy a house in a mostly white neighborhood because its my right, just because you don’t want someone there isn’t going to stop it. I guess you never got past your backwards mindset.
Umm, your ignorance is showing. These Hispanic and black kids didn’t know that they weren’t wanted at this club before they showed up. And what kind of logic is why even go if you’re not wanted? How does it somehow make the situation any better? And how exactly is keeping your company/pool open to the general public of all races a burden?? Where does this so-called burden lie? Finally, now that my rant is almost over, as soon as a group of black or Hispanic people did open their own club in response to this, there would be people crying reverse racism! We can’t have white’s only clubs but these minorities can open their own clubs?!! So, um yeah, I’m not understanding your argument here at all.
It breaks your heart to see the disappointed and defeated looks on those young faces. This not just out-right racism, its in injustice. Kids of any race should not be treated that way. How do you think its going to affect their psyche, confidence, and self-worth? This is a great way to train young people on racially anamosity. I don’t know how the people who did this can sleep at night. To those who defend the action of this club, you’re either incredible naive or so bigoted that even you don’t know the difference between right and wrong. You’ll call the clan burning a cross in a backyard some good ol boy making a camp fire!
And equality NICE to see how you take the words from a blog posting his opinion. Nowhere in there does it say that the other clubs where turned away because that wouldnt go well the with the whole racist complaint. Nowhere in the blog YOU posted as reference does the director say BLACK children “fundamentally changed the atmosphere of the pool” (NOTICE HOW THE BLACK CHILDREN IS NOT IN PARENTHESES? THAT MEANS HE DID NOT SAY THAT) and if you had done your research a little better you would realise that he actually said to Philadelphia televsion station WTXF that “the CHILDREN fundamentally changed the atmosphere of the pool”…….that would mean ALL of the children, all 3 groups he turned away. QUIT TRYING TO MAKE IT RACIST….Oh and let me guess the lady was racist for asking why all the black kids were in the pool right? Obviously she didnt know they were supposed to be there (quoted in MANY articles BY the lady running the club) and cause she said the word BLACK shes racist? Would it have been better if she said what are all these african american kids doing in the pool? You know what? From now on I want to be know as caucasian! I swear to you if I hear one black person call me white then Im calling them racist.
Naive or Bigoted? Please! WHITE KIDS WERE TURNED AWAY TOO! Are you freaking kidding me?
What?
“two other day-care centers, neither of which included minority children, had previously been similarly disinvited.”
That doesnt matter they heard bad things said about them
And they were dis-invited.
So it must be a racist thing… it has to be… because their black right?
I guess no one reported crap they said about white kids, day in and day out, as that isnt racist.
Sorry but just another example of pulling a race card, anywhere, and all the dam time!
No proof of racism here — people used to a quiet pool asked the mgmt to get rid of a mob of 60 kids — not the 1st time they’ve requested this.
We cannot automatically assume racism just the pool’s mgmt didn’t handle the situation well.
It’s not fair to ruin the names of the pool mgmt and it’s members just because black people were upset.
Bottom line — if you show up at an relaxing place with 60 kids you will not be welcomed by those trying to relax. Pretty simple.
God bless all you on-line crusaders.
they didn’t SHOW UP at a relaxing place with 60 kids. they paid the club so that their Day Camp could use the pool.
the club knew they were coming.
but even with that, had they been turned away last minute JUST because the club realized that it wasn’t prepaired to handle the extra bodies it would have been fine. its the name calling and racist remarks that have black people upset.
what i don’t get are the white people taking the time to complain about blacks pulling the race card. this is america. black people get upset and nothing EVER changes-think about it, if it did would we be blogging about 60’s civil rights issues today.
so relax white people you’re workin overtime to defend something, and you don’t need to waste your time
Actually you got your facts wrong there. They in fact did not know they were coming that day. Officials were quoted as saying the camp did not bother calling in advance of their visit. Hence why alot of the usual members who were at the pool were ticked off when they were invaded by 65 random kids.
swimming? blacks?
what am i missing here?
Sarah,
You are also the voice of rationality. I agree that the words “complexion” and “atmosphere” were totally taken out of context and that the reporter heavily edited the story to give it the desired meaning, which is to create a huge frenzy when in reality, there is none. I will be REALLY curious to see what kind of crapola our Government has up its sleeve while the minions are distracted by this nonsense.
It’s a shame the kids were disappointed like this, but, it doesn’t mean this was an act of racism.
I don’t want a group of 60 kids showing up at my health club when I’m trying to swim.
You know Sarah, why are you trying to contest something that blatanly obvious? If everything that you said was true then why did they take Creative Steps money in the first place? Why didn’t they veryify whether there were kids in this group? Why did those kids say they overheard the “Why are African Americans here?” remarks. Why did they refund Creative Steps money without an explanation? Why didn’t they defend themselves against these accusations? You are the incredibly niave or bigoted person I’m talking about. Why don’t you stop defending intolerance and look at the facts? I don’t call the race card very lightly, but this is so blantant that theres no common logic behind it.
First of all being a white southerner I can tell you first hand that when someone says they fear a group will “change the complexion,” they are being a racist. The so-called “race card” is completely appropriate here.
Also, I would like to point out, CNN mentions a private boarding school in the area has offered their pool to the children.
And ALSO, I believe Charlie was referring to the fact that while the potato famine started out as a “act of god”, the government did little to nothing to help the hundreds of thousands of starving people and actually increased exports of food to England but left nothing for the Irish, therefore leading to a backwards form of genocide for the purpose of land and destruction of the Irish ethnical group. I would consider that racism.
Leave no child left behind…
stupidity reigns in America… when education programs get cut, when public schools go bankrupt… this is what we get = stupidity.
No wonder America is in the position it is in, we have reached our Idiocracy.
Who knows why ALL of these kids where invited? Maybe they thought that it would be okay and then other club members like Jim Flynn in the article, complained about too many kids and they decided in the interest of the CLUB members they shouldnt have all these kids around, hence ALL the clubs being sent their money back. Who knows if ANY of the other clubs got an explaination….DO YOU KNOW? Did the other clubs get an explaination? And he has defended himself, he said it wasnt racially related. If it were me, I would do the same. Im not going to address EVERY SINGLE news group who decides to report this….Id just have my simple one time comments that said “No it wasnt race related” and Id be done with it.
You may say its blantantly racist, I disagree fully. I see people trying to MAKE it racist. Simply put 2 other groups were refunded their money too and they were white.
It seems to me that the membership should have been notified that the board had sold this membership to the day camp. It is a private club and they should have a say. It is also my opinion that if the membership knew about and agreed to this, the camp children would have been swimming and playing together with the members. Kids seem to get the things that are similar in us and ignore the differences. Too bad the grown ups don’t!
I’m sorry but if you’re living on an island surrounded by water and there’s a potato famine and you’re not smart enough to start fishing, you’re probably all idiots anyway and got what you deserved
Ever been fishing in that area of the world? It’s not exactly a tropical paradise and, I might be going out on a limb here, but, I don’t think the abject-poor in the area had the means to fish. They’d die from pneumonia first, which they did with alarming regularity back in those days. But thanks for the great suggestion!
BTW, what Government entitlements are you partaking of, food stamps, welfare, WIC, Section 8, free and reduced lunch, medicaid? C’mon now, you can admit it…
Hmm…I’m not sure, let’s see my mother has a Doctorate in Education from the University of Maryland, my father had his PhD in Public Administration and was a professor at Morgan State Univ for 30 years. We have a 2 story single family home in a suburb of Washington DC. We have three Mercedes Benz in our garage. Each summer we took trips around the country and more than once spent summers in Europe. In college I mowed enough lawns to spend 6 weeks in Prague. I now make $40 an hour as an audio visual technician. Together, my boyfriend and I made over $100,000 last year.
So no. I’m not taking any gov’t handouts. Does CR stand for Cracker?
Flawed Logic,
I agree with you. If I were the club owner then I would have just said “they didn’t tell us in advance and that’s why they were turned away.” Period, the end.
I would in no way, shape, form or manner try to defend my actions to any media outlet in this case, because, no matter what, since it is a minority group that feels slighted, there is virtually no chance whatsoever that the white owner has a dog in this fight. Zero, zilch, nada.
Regardless of the very rational reasons, regardless of the same policy being applied to predominantly white day care centers, it simply doesn’t matter.
The voice of reason and logic will not win in this case so I would just throw up my hands and say “yeah, we’re a bunch of robe-wearing, cross-burning racists and we don’t want blacks here. Had I known this was a black day-care center I would have said NO from the get go.” Because you know what? People like you believe that already so why not just get it over with? That way he won’t have to issue an apology, other than to say “I’m sorry, I’m a racist and that’s just the way it is.”
Sarah, you keep repeating that 2 other groups were refunded their money and told they could not swim. Where is the proof?? Because the swim club president SAID SO?? He’s not someone I’d take at face value at all. This is clearly a racial issue. Those people should feel ashamed to have treated those children that way for just wanting to swim. Disgusting.
Btw, not that it should matter, but I’m white.
Oh, ok, you won’t believe the club owner, but you will believe the day care owner, the kids, and the reporter who has a vested interest in spinning this thing by heavily editing it by picking out bits and pieces of statements then stringing it together thereby taking it out of context?
Ever heard those black athletes back-peddling on something quoted in the newspaper saying “I was taken out of context”? Happens ALL THE TIME.
Why do you think public relations firms exist and people often-times issue a “no comment” statement to the media? Because they know that the spirit of what they say will be violated if it creates a selacious story.
Wake up and stop believing everything you read.
@ CR: I really don’t think anyone’s taking the club president’s words out of context. He knew what he was saying when he said the kids would change the complexion and atmosphere of the club.
DC – How can anyone afford three Mercedes on a mere $100K per year???? What are you doing on the side to afford such a lavish lifestyle???
And those PHD’s? Big deal. An undergraduate degree in business is much, MUCH harder than a PHD in Public Administration. Heck the first year of business undergrad is harder than a PHD in Education.
Apparently your family has made a living working for the Government though, so let me be the first to say “you’re welcome” before you can thank those of us in the private sector for the lavish lifestyle that you “public servants” with your useless degrees get to live at our expense.
Eby here … the editor and writer for Whatlookslikecrazy.
Thanks everybody for discussing and sharing your views. FYI if this concerns you: I haven’t had any issues with this prior to this post, but WLLC is not a forum for personal attacks. Debating the issue is perfectly acceptable, attacking each other and/or using hate speech/offensive language is NOT. Just a heads up: If your comments violate the above, they will be deleted.
[...] On Saturday, the club’s gates were padlocked and a few protestors stood outside. Club member Jim Flynn came up and told reporters he was at the pool on the 29th. He said he voiced his concerns because “the pool was too crowded, not because the children were black.” This is where I throw the “bullshit” flag. According to Creative Steps’ director Alethea Wright, who was also there that day: the Valley Club covers 10 acres, has a nice-sized pool and a kiddie pool, the club knew her group size was 65, and none of her kids misbehaved. “We were not welcome, once the members saw who we were,” she said. The over capacity defense doesn’t pass the common sense test. [...]
The black leadership in this nation needs to get a grip! They have caused this kind of hysteria because it is the key to their political power. Sixty kids of any kind would change the complexion and atmosphere of a private pool Black, Green, or White, it wouldn’t matter.
The pool handled this whole affair poorly, but not every bad decision is driven by racism. Black America will never be fully American until they quit allowing their skin color to be their defining characteristic.
TWO OTHER SIMILAR GROUPS WERE TURNED AWAY BEFORE THE AA GROUP. The media hasn’t reported this fact because they love stoking hate and racial division.
We were closer to peace and racial equality in the late 70s than we are today. The vast majority of whites, jews, hispanics, and asians in this country want to be color blind. If you are a part of the black community and feel the same way, you need to find the courage to tell those in leadership to quit creating hatred over issues like this one.