The headline: Pool Boots Kids Who Might “Change the Complexion”
The situation: A day camp in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania paid the private Valley Swim Club for a membership that allowed the 65 kids to swim there once a week. On their first trip to the pool, the kids were thrown out without an explanation. The swim club’s official statement was “There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club.”
Yeah, the “complexion”. Just when I thought we’d gotten far, far away from racist nonsense, someone forwards this article around.
In a companion article, Campers “Complexion” No Problem for New Pool, a local boarding school stepped up to the plate and offered the day campers their pool one day a week.
The article also states that Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) plans to launch an investigation into the apparent case of discrimination.
As usual, the comments to the article are full of people lamenting the blatant racism, defending the private club’s right to regulate their membership, and trolls who are so dumb, they can’t spell “bigot”.
Speaking of dumb, if you’re trying to prove you’re not racist, shouldn’t you avoid the word “complexion” in your official statement to the press?
From the comments, it’s clear that many people assumed that the kids were low-income because the kids were black. I must admit that I, too, thought the kids were from a low-income area, but not because of their race. In my childhood, the only kids who went to “day camp” were the ones whose parents (like mine) couldn’t afford sleep-away camp. Regardless of how much money the campers and their parents might have, to assume that they don’t have any is racist in itself.
There’s no indication that the children were being unruly, as some commenters claim. I think what bothers me the most about this is the assertion that the swim club has the right to turn away members due to race. That somehow, this situation would be better if the person who sold the camp the membership had said, “And what color are the children? Black? Oh, no, we can’t have that. Sorry.”
This is not Alabama in the 1950s. This is Pennsylvania in 2009. This is insane.
Wonder how many parents of kids belonging to the club will pull their kids out of the program because of the way management treated the black kids…sadly, probably not many. Just my assumption. I’ve also read this article and a few different blog posts about it, and the comments…I should just stay away from the comments…full of assumptions, hate, and white privileged. My heart hurts for my black son.
Apparently, the club is back-pedaling now. Still, I’m disappointed in how many people are blaming the kids and denying racism.
I am a biracial(black and white) adoptee who was adopted by a white family in the early 70’s in Detroit. I can’t tell you how many “pool” incidents we experienced. It is a shame that still go on. Unfortunately, a large majority of our country doesn’t understand racism and prejudice because they are never exposed to it. Racism can be disguised but those who have first hand knowledge of it scream “foul” when we see it.
I am writing a book on my experiences growing up the only minority in my family. I explain the struggles we faced in my blog @ http://mymindonpaper.wordpress.com/
It is a shame to see something we struggled with 40 years ago are still around.
[...] Just When You Thought It Was 2009 (July 8, 2009): about a club in Pennsylvania that kicked black day campers out of its pool, citing they would “change the complexion” of the club. (I also wrote a follow-up.) [...]