Swim Club Controversy Swirling

The swim club embroiled in a controversy now getting national attention responded Thursday to allegations it banned day camp children from its pool because of their race.

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In a statement issued late Thursday afternoon, The Valley Club of Huntingdon valley said racism charges were "untrue."

“The Valley Club is deeply troubled by the recent allegations of racism which are completely untrue," read the statement on the club's Web site. "We had originally agreed to invite the camps to use our facility, knowing full well that the children from the camps were from multi-ethnic backgrounds. Unfortunately, we quickly learned that we underestimated the capacity of our facilities and realized that we could not accommodate the number of children from these camps. “

But a suburban Philadelphia swim member told the Associated Press she didn't see inner-city kids misbehaving at the pool they were later barred from.

Amy Goldman said she has been a member of The Valley Club, located on Tomlinson Road in Lower Moreland Township, for two years. She said the pool wasn't particularly crowded and the children from Creative Steps Day Care were "well behaved and respectful."

She said there had been black members at the club in the past, though she couldn't remember seeing any this year.

The swim club shut down early on Thursday when protesters began arriving at the facility.

Fox 29 first brought you this story Tuesday, and the outrage has been growing ever since.

The controversy began two Mondays ago, when 65 black and Hispanic kids from a Philadelphia daycare showed up for what were supposed to be weekly visits.

The manager of the daycare made the arrangements by phone and Internet and paid for the summer up front. But after only one visit, the arrangement was cancelled.

"I got a phone call from the board chair saying, you're no longer going to be able to swim here,” said Alethea Wright of Creative Steps Daycare.

Day campers allege that they overheard a white mother complaining during their only visit.

"And I heard this lady, she was like, what are all these black kids doing here? She was like, I'm scared they might do something to my child,” said Bymir Baylor.

"She said she don't want any black kids there, and there's too many of them." And what did you think when you heard that? "It was just ignorant,” said Shuron Davis, an 11 year old.

Some members have defended The Valley Club.

"Most of the parents I spoke to, their issue was more of a safety issue than anything else, and not a racial issue,” says Jim Flynn, a club member.

Club President John Duesler told Fox 29 by phone Tuesday the club "underestimated the impact the children would have." He also told Fox 29 News that several club members complained because the children "fundamentally changed the atmosphere" at the pool, but he said the complaints didn't involve race.

The club president said allowing day cares at the pool was an "experiment" that didn't work out. He said other programs were disinvited, as well.

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission will be taking a much closer look at these explanations.

Commission Chairman Stephen A. Glassman said Thursday his agency will launch an immediate probe into allegations that the club discriminated against the day camp.

"The rule of law in Pennsylvania is equal opportunity for all, regardless of race," Glassman said. "Based on the NAACP's request and public outcry following media reports, we will expedite an investigation to determine whether there has been illegal discrimination."

The commission has legal authority to investigate allegations of illegal discrimination, whether or not a complaint has been filed.

"Allegedly, this group was denied the use of a pool based on their race," Glassman said. "If the allegations prove to be true, this is illegal discrimination in Pennsylvania."

Also looking into the matter are Sen. Arlen Specter and the NAACP.

"Protests and public outcry won't do much to help these families," said State NAACP President J. Whyatt Mondesire, who also serves on the commission. "But the Human Relations Commission can determine the facts and hold people accountable for any illegal acts of discrimination. The law simply does not allow discrimination based on race."

The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus has expressed outrage.

Local Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz admitted she was "taken aback" by news reports on the matter, adding, "The decision of the swim club to cancel this contract with Creative Steps, and all other day camps, demands further explanation and clarification. It is not acceptable in our community to hear about these actions and not expect appropriate and necessary response."

Club member Jim Flynn insists, though, that members are not racist.

"No issue,” said Flynn. “It was strictly an overcrowding situation. "Strictly an overcrowding and a safety situation because I believe there were two lifeguards on, and that's just not enough."