Parents Reject Swim Club Invitation : People are Torn About the Decision

So here is a quick scenario of the story of the why The Valley Club is under fire for the mistreatment of minority youth. The Creative Steps Camp paid The Valley Club $1.9K to allow the kid in the camp to swim at the pool once a week. A contract was signed and the Creative Steps Camp showed up for their first day at the pool. When the children of the Creative Steps camp arrived at the pool, they noticed things that made them feel uncomfortable such as people pulling their kids from the pool and people making racial comments about them. After that first day, The Valley Club sent the Creative Steps check back to them.

The president of the swim club's board of directors, John Duesler, has said the decision was made because there were too many children in the pool and the situation was unsafe, not because of racial concerns.

Other reporters and radio personalities commented on Deulser’s statement claiming that safety arrangements should have been made before the actual contract was signed. This makes a great deal on sense. I would be totally unprofessional for an establishment to agree to have a certain amount of kids swim in their pool, charge money for that amount, and receive payment without first checking to see if the safety guidelines were met. The Valley Club officials worst mistake was refunding the money out of nowhere, and then having a vote to extend an invitation again once the club received national attention. Let’s face the facts, no one wants to be label a racist, nor does anyone want that kind of negative press. This made The Valley Club appear to be guilty even if they were not.

People are Torn

There are different reporters, like Annette John-Hall who believe that the children should return to the Valley Club and show teach them a lesson on how to deal with some of the issues. Annette John-Hall writes the following in her article.

But while the swim club has tried to make amends, voting almost unanimously to reinvite the campers - albeit under global accusations of racism and a civil rights investigation, and while camp parents have lawyered up for what promises to be a prolonged battle - where's the lesson to be learned here?

In the end, lest we forget, it is about what we can teach our children, who, as 14-year-old Dymir Baylor told me, "only want to have fun."

Wouldn't the bigger thing to do be to accept Duesler's reinvitation - no matter how insincere some may think it is - and return to the pool?

Because the only place unfortunate incidents like these can be healed is on common ground. But somebody needs to shift. Otherwise, all may drown in racial quicksand.

Hall’s words are so true. Anyone’s initial reaction would be to completely write off The Valley Club, but Hall has a valid point. Where would minorities be today if we did not go into diners and public restrooms after the permission was granted? Where would we be if the courageous black students had not gone to school during the periods of desegregation? There is a lesson to be learned, and maybe the campers should return to the pool. They are sure to be greeted with open arms now that the Valley Club has been painted as racists. The members would probably go out of their way to be extra nice to them which is, in fact, very creepy when that happens. What are your opinions. What do you think that the campers should do if you were in their shoes?