Members of a day camp from Carnell Elementary School in Northeast Philadelphia were recently denied return access to The Valley Club, a suburban swim club, even though they'd paid, in advance, the fees associated with pool use. (James Heaney / Staff Photographer)
- Merlino says family punished for others' mob ties
- Camden County judge seriously hurt in bike accident
- Racism underlies rage at Obama presidency
- Dogs try out for role in "Oliver!"
- 5 area schools win U.S. Blue Ribbon honors
- New Pa. public-records law: lots of requests ... & lawsuits
- Ronnie Polaneczky: Pen to paper: Will Madoff make him rich?
- Drawn by Obama's proximity, activists spar on health care, abortion & other issues
- Ailing woman, 78, spared eviction after PHA's reasoning collapses
- ACORN shows 'pimp' and 'pro' the door here
- Obama in Philly, fundraising for Sen. Arlen Specter
- Blockbuster may shutter 960 stores
- SnapGlow.TV: Modern Gems Galore!
RELATED STORIES
Valley Swim prez: It was a matter of safety
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY swim club that came under fire this week for alleged racism reopened yesterday as its president said that safety, not "complexion," prompted the decision to ask a group of mostly black and Latino day-campers not to come back.
"We deeply regret this whole situation," John Duesler, president of the board of directors of The Valley Club, told reporters yesterday afternoon at the club entrance.
"It was never my intention to imply anything in terms of racial makeup," he said. He acknowledged "a poor choice of words" when he spoke about his initial explanation for revoking temporary membership for about 65 Creative Steps Day Campers.
The Valley Club, on Tomlinson Road in Huntingdon Valley, drew national media attention after reports surfaced that some white members made racist comments about the campers.
The day camp, located inside Carnell Elementary School in Oxford Circle, had arranged to use the pool Mondays for an hour and a half until Aug. 10, but campers said that when they arrived for their first day on June 29, they overheard members making racist remarks.
Two days later, Duesler told camp director Alethea Wright that the agreement had been terminated and that the club would refund the $1,950 the camp had paid to use the facility.
The club's actions have prompted an investigation by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and have been criticized by the NAACP and several state officials.
As the controversy heated up Thursday, protesters picketed outside the club, which closed early that afternoon. Its Web site was replaced with a statement saying that the club "deplores discrimination in any form, as is evidenced by our multi-ethnic and diverse membership."
Duesler echoed that sentiment yesterday as he stressed that the number of children in the shallow section of the pool, many of them unable to swim, convinced board members that there was a problem.
"It was definitely an unsafe situation," he said.
Duesler said he had heard no racial comments from members and that any such remarks did not represent the club's position.
Many club members ignored questions from reporters last night.
But member John Gadalata said he felt that the whole club should not be held accountable for the unfortunate words of a select few.
"From what I heard, it is all about what one person said to another person and I think that one person should be held accountable, not the whole club." *
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
