“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.
That was overheard by one of the parents once seeing black children playing and enjoying their summer in the pool.
I would like to say this is something that surprises me in this day and age, but alas no surprise.
The 60 Black children were told to leave and never return. The day care where the children were from had paid nearly $2,000 in advance for a access to the pool every Monday for the course of the summer, but according to the Fox affiliate in Philly, the check was returned in full.
The reason for asking the children to leave? The Valley Club’s president, John Duesler, said in a statement: “There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club.”
Duesler admitted some club members had complained, but said none of the complaints were race-related.
Fortunately the kids have found a new place to swim thanks to the staff at Girard College, a private Philadelphia boarding school for children who live in low-income and single parent homes.
“We had to help,” Girard College director of Admissions Tamara Leclair is quoted as saying. “Every child deserves an incredible summer camp experience.”
Normally I am not quick to jump and scream racism, but this troubles me. The club president statement is extremely vague and provides no valid reason for not allowing the children there besides race. He choice of the word "complexion" pretty much sums it up for me.
United States Senator Arlen Specter plans a probe into the allegations.
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