Pa. swim club - accused of racial discrimination - agrees to settlement
By Khara Lewin, CNN
(CNN) - A now defunct suburban Philadelphia swim club has agreed to a settlement more than three years after being accused of racism and discrimination for denying children from a largely minority day-care center access to their facility, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Under the terms of the deal with the Justice Department and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the Valley Club of Huntingdon Valley - which filed for bankruptcy in November 2009 and had its property sold for $1.46 million the following June - agreed to payouts to more than 50 children who were part of the Creative Steps Day Care Center, their counselors and Creative Steps itself.
The distributed money includes whatever "remaining assets" from the sale of the club's property to Congregation Beth Solomon of northeast Philadelphia are leftover, once closing costs and associated fees have been covered, the Justice Department said Thursday in a press release.
The settlement also sets aside $65,000 to create a leadership council made up of former Valley Club members, Creative Steps counselors, campers and their families.
"No one may be denied the right to use a swimming pool because of their race or the color of their skin," said Thomas E. Perez, the assistant attorney general heading the federal department's civil rights division.
About In America
What defines you? Maybe it’s the shade of your skin, the place you grew up, the accent in your words, the make up of your family, the gender you were born with, the intimate relationships you chose to have or your generation? As the American identity changes we will be there to report it. In America is a venue for creative and timely sharing of news that explores who we are. Reach us at inamerica@cnn.com.
Black in America
iReport
Is it just me or does giving $30,000 to each of 50 kids who were denied the ability to swim at the club-seem outrageous? This club for $1900 sublet the use of the pool to kids from a day care program. Racial comments flew-and the club backed out of the deal. What happens-the kids parents sue-the club goes bankrupt and the property sold and money given to the kids. Is this not an outrage! The kids who one day showed up to swim now win the lottery.
If it's a private club anyone for any reason can be denied access. But article don not mention either way
Justice is served. There is no room for racism or discrimination in America. Congratulations to all those kids and the Creative Steps daycare.
"No one may be denied the right to use a swimming pool because of their race or the color of their skin," said Thomas E. Perez, the assistant attorney general heading the federal department's civil rights division.
Ya'll remember this if you ever wish to put a pool in your backyard.
I HAVE a swimming pool in my Georgia back yard, and several times every summer we have pool parties and BBQ involving close Black, Irish American and Hispanic family and friends, and we have a BLAST, young and old; so I guess that leaves out nitwits like you...
above comments showshow stupid people who dont know or care about the facts respond when their narrow minded beliefs are not held but fair minded people.
if you take the time to look up the facts of the case and what happened you will find that.
The children were denied access and kicked out for no other reason then the color of the skin.
Let us in, even though we'll have no respect for your facility or the other patrons – we demand to be included or we'll sue!
Those enwerds got seriously paid. After a synagogue scooped up the property, no less.
At this point, no rational non-ideologue can seriously doubt we live in a dictatorship.
Not any more. Slave owners no longer "dictate" the life and death of the HUMANS the "own".