Senator Arlen Specter has drafted a letter asking the Department of Justice to investigate allegations surrounding the controversial swim club in Pennsylvania which has caused quite a stir recently due to alleged racial discrimination.
“If these allegations are true, then there appears to be a violation of Title II of the Civil Right Act of 1964,” Specter wrote to Justice Officials.“I would appreciate it if you would review this matter, to determine what action, if any, is warranted by the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.”
This comes just hours after state officials announced they would also investigate the club.
But those in charge at the Valley Club say it was all a misunderstanding, not a racially motivated incident.
“We never meant to offend anyone here,” club president John Duesler told reporters Friday after two days of relative silence.
The Creative Steps camp in Northeast Philadelphia had contracted for 65 children at the day camp to go each Monday afternoon to The Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley, camp director Alethea Wright said Thursday. But shortly after they arrived June 29, she said, some black and Hispanic children reported hearing racial comments
“A couple of the children ran down saying, ‘Miss Wright, Miss Wright, they’re up there saying, ‘What are those black kids doing here?”‘
Wright said she went to talk to a group of members at the top of the hill and heard one woman say she would see to it that the group, made of up of children in kindergarten through seventh grade, did not return.
Specter Calls For Swim Club Investigation
Senator Arlen Specter has drafted a letter asking the Department of Justice to investigate allegations surrounding the controversial swim club in Pennsylvania which has caused quite a stir recently due to alleged racial discrimination.
From CBS News:
“If these allegations are true, then there appears to be a violation of Title II of the Civil Right Act of 1964,” Specter wrote to Justice Officials. “I would appreciate it if you would review this matter, to determine what action, if any, is warranted by the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.”
This comes just hours after state officials announced they would also investigate the club.
But those in charge at the Valley Club say it was all a misunderstanding, not a racially motivated incident.
“We never meant to offend anyone here,” club president John Duesler told reporters Friday after two days of relative silence.
The Creative Steps camp in Northeast Philadelphia had contracted for 65 children at the day camp to go each Monday afternoon to The Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley, camp director Alethea Wright said Thursday. But shortly after they arrived June 29, she said, some black and Hispanic children reported hearing racial comments
“A couple of the children ran down saying, ‘Miss Wright, Miss Wright, they’re up there saying, ‘What are those black kids doing here?”‘
Wright said she went to talk to a group of members at the top of the hill and heard one woman say she would see to it that the group, made of up of children in kindergarten through seventh grade, did not return.
This entry was posted on July 11, 2009 at 1:29 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: Alethea Wright, Arlen Specter, Civil Rights, Department of Justice, Pennsylvania Swim Club, Philadelphia Swim Club, Racism, Racist Comments, Swim Club, Swim Club Controversy, Swim Club Racism, Valley Club
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