Valley Club Discrimination Controversy
Posted by admin on October 14, 2009
The Valley Club of Hunnington Valley is facing a widely debated discrimination suit. Recently, the Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission issued a Probable Cause Finding for discrimination pertaining to the Valley Club’s denial of service to certain African American children participating in the Creative Steps day care program. The majority of the children who participate in the Creative Steps Programs are African American. The Creative Steps day care, had contacted the Valley Club seeking to have 60 children participate in the Club’s youth group swim. Creative Steps was to pay $30.00 per child in order to retain 90 minutes of swimming a week. Soon after, a check was issued to Valley Club from Creative Steps for $1,950.00, this represented the $30.00 per child, there was to be 65 children in total.
Other camps and organizations had contacted the Club after this and had received a $5 per child deal. The Story Book Children’s Center received this deal from the Valley Club and was to bring 20 children to the facility each Wednesday. Also an arrangement was made between the Club and Pastor Shon allowing some of his bible study campers to use the Valley Club Facilities.
On June 29, 2009, The Creative Steps program arrived at the Club, and entered the swimming pool just after the Pastor Shon Camp had left. Creative Steps arrived with 56 children 46 of which were African American and 10 of which were Hispanic. At the time Creative Steps’ children entered the pool, there were only 15 Valley Club members in the pool at the time. 30-35 of the Creative Steps children entered the shallow end of the pool and a majority of all the campers had life jackets on. At the time they entered the pool the other 15-20 members exited immediately. Approximately 20 other Creative Steps campers entered the children swimming pool because they could not swim, and a few others sat out because they had forgotten their swim trunks. After 35 minutes of swimming the campers all exited the pool and made their way over to the snack bar area.
At this time a member of the Valley Club, Michelle Flynn, was overheard by a Creative Steps affiliate making the following comment “what are all of these black kids doing here? I am afraid they might do something to my child.” Employees for Creative Steps then informed the Valley Club director, Mr. Duesler, about the comment that was overheard; he then confronted Flynn about the comment. Soon after a Creative Steps camper overheard Flynn making the same comment, yet again.
At around 5:00 that day the Creative Steps Campers left the Valley Club. Within the next few days to follow, a variety of emails and letters were sent to the Valley Club expressing concern over the fact they were allowing Creative Steps to utilize the facility. In response to the emails, Mr. Duesler, explained that he was sorry for not informing members that the campers were coming. He said that from here on out he would post the dates and times that campers would be using the pool. Letters and emails began continued to bombard Mr. Duesler and the Valley Club Board of Directors. Most of the letters expressed dissatisfaction with the campers and begged for the Board to reconsider its decision to allow them. After continuing complaints from members, the Board decided to end its relationship with the Creative Steps Program and explained that they would refund the$1950.00. Weeks later the Story Book Campers arrived at the Club and entered the pool, out of the 23 campers, only 11 of them were African American.
The Club and its board of directors insist that the decision to cancel the Creative Steps camp agreement was due to overcrowding and financial constraints and not due to race. However, the Club often has groups of over 100 people attend the facility on any given day, and at times over 40 people would often be swimming in the pool. On Holidays the pool would often hold over 50 people and on Fourth of July over 60 persons could be swimming in the pool. Overcrowding or blatant racism? Let us know your feelings by commenting below.
Click here for a PDF version of the Probable Cause Finding
Tags:controversy, discrimination, race
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