Racism Alive And Well In Philadelphia

[Sionnach Glic]

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.

"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.

Source

[Nickswitz]

Um... isn't that Um... Illegal in the US now, since like the 60s?

[Tsukiyumi]

Um... isn't that Um... Illegal in the US now, since like the 60s?

Seriously.

[Nickswitz]

If they don't get a call from a lawyer, someone can't do their job... This is as blatant a violation of those kids rights as could happen....
And every kid that got out of that pool should have be slapped for being assholes

[Sionnach Glic]

The problem is that all the management needs to do is give some BS excuse like "they were making too much noise", or something similar, and they'd be perfectly well within their legal rights to throw them out. Even though this is blatant racism.

[Nickswitz]

Yes, except that they said this

"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."

Which would screw them over completely, as well as this

"There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion and the atmosphere of the club,"

Complexion, really, he couldn't find a better word, moron...

These are places that once I heard about this I would go in and cancel my membership right then, as well as encourage others to

[Mikey]

This an appaling example of the worst type of failing of the human mind, but unfortunately I don't see how it's illegal. This swim club isn't a public instituation.

[Nickswitz]

It's still discrimination, which is illegal.

It means they could sue the owner for discrimination, or whoever decided to kick the kids out.

[Monroe]

I wish this happened in my town so I could protest it. Seriously I always thought Philadelphia was somewhat past this.

[Tyyr]

I'm pretty sure as a private institution they can do as they please. They can choose to not serve someone for any reason they want. Most places don't because active discrimination like that is a good way to have Jesse Jackson show up on your doorstep but if its a private club they don't have to let in anyone they don't want to.

[Monroe]

I'm pretty sure as a private institution they can do as they please. They can choose to not serve someone for any reason they want. Most places don't because active discrimination like that is a good way to have Jesse Jackson show up on your doorstep but if its a private club they don't have to let in anyone they don't want to.

If it works like businesses you can only discriminate up to 9 employees working for you. Like say you own a small business of 8 people. If one gets pregnant you can fire her. But if you have 12 employees if one gets fired you have to give her maternity leave. It might work that way for discrimination of race too.

[Nickswitz]

I'm pretty sure as a private institution they can do as they please. They can choose to not serve someone for any reason they want. Most places don't because active discrimination like that is a good way to have Jesse Jackson show up on your doorstep but if its a private club they don't have to let in anyone they don't want to.

Nope, if you don't let someone in because of race, gender, sexual preference, or religion, whoever you don't let in can sue your a** off by claiming discrimination... or of course they could call Reverend Al Sharpton who would go there and probably blow down the doors and beat everyone with them, or something to that effect

[Nutso]

So. who's going to show up first: Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton?

[Nickswitz]

Well, lets hope for those guys sake it isn't both, then their really dead...

[Sionnach Glic]

Yes, except that they said this

"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."

Which would screw them over completely, as well as this

"There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion and the atmosphere of the club,"

Complexion, really, he couldn't find a better word, moron...

These are places that once I heard about this I would go in and cancel my membership right then, as well as encourage others to

All the owners need to say is that they're making shit up.
His word against their's.