# Philly swimming pool kicks out black kids, "doesn't allow minorities" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 8, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355 "2009-07-08T19:15:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/41 "2009-07-08T20:17:19Z")
> [@Claire\_Beauchamp](#): > > Because if you stand in the same body of water with someone like that, you might get cooties. or sompthin’ :rolleyes: > > Did you ever see the movie _Far from Heaven_? Great scene with a kid dabbling in a swimming pool and alllllll the white peoples bolt outta the water, parents looking very very disturbed. Then the pool is drained and scrubbed. That happened in Caddyshack with lower class white kids, and was hinted at pretty strongly with Jewish kids IIRC in Barry Levinson’s “Diner”, or perhaps “Liberty Heights” ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/42 "2009-07-08T20:18:49Z")
I can’t believe some of you think that the club’s actions should be illegal (and didn’t even know they weren’t illegal until it was pointed out to you). Jesus christ. Take a goddamn civics course already. And, just to be (more of) a dick, I will not include the standard missive re: “of course I disagree with the club’s actions.” If anyone thinks the first paragraph of this post has any bearing on how I feel about the club’s actions then that person is an idiot and I won’t cater to their stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/43 "2009-07-08T20:19:56Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I can’t believe some of you think that the club’s actions should be illegal (and didn’t even know they weren’t illegal until it was pointed out to you). Jesus christ. Take a goddamn civics course already. Would you like to discuss the Findlaw article above, or are you just going to mindlessly yell? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/44 "2009-07-08T20:20:50Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > That happened in Caddyshack with lower class white kids, I think that was more of a reaction to the Baby Ruth. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/45 "2009-07-08T20:21:38Z")
> [@whole\_bean](#): > > What do you have in mind? They breached. They refunded the money. Are you suggesting there are more _actual_ damages aside from the $1,900? The standard for contract damages isn’t restitution, the return of the money, it is reliance. In other words, the breaching party should pay to put the breached party in the position for which it contracted. Hence the $1,900 may well nto cover it. The club should pay for the contracting party to have access to an equally good pool for the same time period, which may, at this stage of the summer, cost sigificantly more. It is a shame the courts cannot operate quickly enough, because this is the sort of situation where specific performance seems to be a good remedy to me. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/46 "2009-07-08T20:23:32Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > What is it about swimming pools and racism? From my childhood memories, swimming pools were the last bastion of whites-only. If I remember correctly, the city amusement park in Oklahoma City (Spring Lake Amusement Park) closed their public pool in the '60’s because whites would not use it after it became integrated. Is it that there’s something more intimate about swimming with someone? My guess is it is to do with the sexual undercurrent that runs through a lot of racism - black people are after white women etc. And of course, with the shameless near nudity of public swimming pools, mixed race bathing is just one step away from miscegenation. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/47 "2009-07-08T20:24:00Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > They can do what they want, and I can do what I want, which is to hope that folks like Al Sharpton take up this cause, and descend on this club like a swarm of locusts, causing them to lose membership, go out of business, and be forced to sell out to a group that isn’t run by a bunch of stinking racists. Please lawd, anyone but him. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/48 "2009-07-08T20:30:27Z")
Why on earth did they agree to hosting 60+ campers without at least checking them out first (for passable skin and hair color, in this case)? And how difficult is it going to be for this camp to find another pool that can host that many kids, this late in the season? ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/49 "2009-07-08T20:31:39Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > They said “we don’t allow minorities.” Horace Gibson, one of the complaining parties, said that they said that. The club president implied that the problem was the sheer number of children showing up at once. Seems implausible to me, but I’d say there’s room for doubt as to the real reason … Eh, no there’s not. As my ConLaw professor used to say, SUE THE BASTARDS!!! ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/50 "2009-07-08T20:48:44Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > Would you like to discuss the Findlaw article above, or are you just going to mindlessly yell? For now I choose mindless yelling, but I’ll read the article tonight if I have time. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/51 "2009-07-08T20:52:22Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I think that was more of a reaction to the Baby Ruth. yes and no. I actually rewatched it recently as my gf never saw it:eek: The kids knew full well what they were doing and that the blowhards such as Ted Knight and his wife, would try to kick them out if only they had a chance. they thought that letting the caddies in the pool once a year for an hour or whatever was the most uncouth thing imaginable. They had ample chances to justify kicking the kids out and were trying to do just that. The candy bar just sealed the deal. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/52 "2009-07-08T20:52:42Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > And, just to be (more of) a dick… FTR, you pretty much never have to start a sentence this way. It’s definitely implied. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/53 "2009-07-08T20:55:30Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Please lawd, anyone but him. I don’t like him either, but he yells real good, and knows how to draw a crowd. This isn’t about encouraging civil discourse, it’s about raining down pain and suffering on racist jerks. Being within earshot of the good Reverend when you’re trying to enjoy your lily-white pool, it works for me. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/54 "2009-07-08T20:56:58Z")
True, but I will (mark the date, y’all) agree with Rand Rover, that noting that something is legal isn’t the same thing as saying you agree or approve. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/55 "2009-07-08T21:02:31Z")
> [@SCSimmons](#): > > Horace Gibson, one of the complaining parties, said that they said that. The club president implied that the problem was the sheer number of children showing up at once. Seems implausible to me, but I’d say there’s room for doubt as to the real reason … Not to defend the racist scumbags, but 60+ kids can be a lot. The pool I go to has some day camps like that show up on weekdays. With maybe 20-30 kids showing up, the entire dynamic changes. What was once a relaxing morning turns into Land of the Rowdy. I went home more than a few times with my beach towel soaking wet because of all the splashing. Eventually I stopped going on weekdays. (Another reason of which is I got a job, so there you go.) ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/56 "2009-07-08T21:07:47Z")
It’d be funny if they just didn’t want a bunch of kids they didn’t expect and the quotes are just people being overly sensitive and assuming there are racist reasons behind the act. And saying they were concerned the complexion the club might change might just be an innocent comment about changing the club to a romper room atmosphere. And white kids from a white neighborhood who are mostly oblivious to black culture outside of WB shows might exit a pool. And the kids who showed up might have been a bunch a crazed, pool-starved kids who didn’t understand the sedated club mentality. Or it could just be racism. ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/57 "2009-07-08T21:08:44Z")
I’m assuming that when the camp made the reservation, the club asked how many kids were coming. So unless the number is radically different than what they were quoted, how can the club claim not to know or to be surprised? And if the club didn’t verify the number of kids that were coming; that’s a whole 'nother level of mis-management and instead of asking the kids to leave, they should have fired the person who booked the camp and found a way to make it work. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/58 "2009-07-08T21:09:32Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Not to defend the racist scumbags, but 60+ kids can be a lot. The pool I go to has some day camps like that show up on weekdays. With maybe 20-30 kids showing up, the entire dynamic changes. What was once a relaxing morning turns into Land of the Rowdy. I went home more than a few times with my beach towel soaking wet because of all the splashing. Eventually I stopped going on weekdays. (Another reason of which is I got a job, so there you go.) The idea of 60 kids coming my way makes me feel a bit nauseous, too. And even polite adults wail like banshees when they hit water, for some odd reason. But surely the club knew how many campers would be in attendance when they took their money? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/59 "2009-07-08T21:12:27Z")
They presumably knew how many kids it would be when they signed the contract. And the president’s statement didn’t say they couldn’t physically manage that number, they said it would “change the complexion” of the pool, whatever the hell that means. I would think if there had been a non-racist reason for throwing the kids out, they would be screaming it from the rooftops. A more innocent reason also requires us to believe that the kids are all just lying about what was said to them. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355/60 "2009-07-08T21:21:46Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Not to defend the racist scumbags, but 60+ kids can be a lot. The pool I go to has some day camps like that show up on weekdays. With may Uh no. A pool at a club like that, on 10 acres, which has a swim team, is probably at least a standard 25 yards by 8 lanes wide. It can easily handle 60 adults swimming laps. When I was in Scouts, I am sure we had as many kids on swimming trips before to pools of that size, and we never felt crowded at all. What probably happened is that the lifeguards were caught by surprise, the lifeguards and managers were undertrained to keep control of that many kids who were happy to be having an experience they were not jaded about because they don’t get to have it every day or even every year. And that is where the damages are - this was probably a very special event for them, they may have worked hard to pay for at least some of it, they surely were looking forward to it, it was not only meant to be fun, but to be a reward for some job well done, a life lesson. And that last bit it surely turned out to be. And that is the part that the club is going to have to put right somehow. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philly-swimming-pool-kicks-out-black-kids-doesnt-allow-minorities/502355.md?page=4)