There are reports that The Valley Swim Club is offering the Creative Steps Day Camp an opportunity to return. I know nothing more than what is being reported in the Daily News at http://tinyurl.com/moea74.
That’s a good first step. But I don’t know whether the club has offered an apology for its actions or is willing to take other steps to undo the harm it has caused.
In the meantime, while things remain unsettled, the pastors, and people in the neighborhood, and those of us who have been organizing protests to this point, believe they should continue.
Someone asked at Young Philly Politics, why protests are continuing when The Valley Swim club is continuing to be shamed in the nation. I’m sure people will ask that question again now that the club appears to be reversing direction.
Aside from just the uncertainty about what the club has offered, I think the reasons I gave for continuing protests on Saturday still apply:
1. I think the national shaming should continue to keep pressure on the club to apologize and the government to investigate thoroughly. There is a symbiotic relationship between protest and national media attention continuing.
2. The local folks who made up most of the protesters wanted to come back to, shall we say, uphold the good name of their neighborhood.
3. The camp kids really appreciated us being there. What happened to them was really painful. If our being there another day or two helps ease that pain, we should do it
In addition I’m aware of additional political and educational efforts to build on and broaden the message of these protests. Keeping them going for a little while may help there as well.
Of course lots of folks who really pay attention to the news know of both the initial camp decision and the protests. But, , the most important lesson I ever learned as an organizer occurred the day someone asked me “what ever happened with that new Acme you were working for in Mt. Airy” while we were standing a few blocks from where it was half finished. It takes time and effort to get attention to even the most important issues.
Please stop feeding us your sensational and biased view of what is happening in my community. Contrary to the context that you are creating for this “story”, the private club terminated at least two other camp contracts before terminating the Creative Camp contract; no complaints of racist activity or comments were reported either on the day of their visit to the pool nor immediately afterwards; the camp director has a history of running her business in a non-conforming fashion, and, ergo, has suspect motivations in this matter, and private individuals have a right to free speech, regardless of its stupidity or bias.
More importantly, Alethea Wright has a CRIMINAL conviction for violating labor laws in running Creative Steps. AND, City of PHILADELPHIA IS LOOKING FOR ALETHEA WRIGHT TO FILE (AND PAY) AT LEAST THREE YEARS OF HER NET PROFITS TAX AND BUSINESS PRIVILEGE TAX. The last time they went looking for her for these taxes, the charges were dismissed because they couldn’t find her to serve her. …. WHAT?!?!? Is this the reason why she is running her business from a public building? or taking the children to activities outside the city? And, exactly how much money has the city given a tax evader here to run her business? Maybe she is looking for a windfall to help her come clean with her tax bills…
Perhaps if she and the other numerous tax evaders in this city paid their taxes, there would be plenty of pools available within the city!
Your reporting does little to contribute to the health and development of our community–a community made of a wide variety of people’s who need other people to carry their fair share and to be non-confrontational “neighbors” and business allies.
So, try it again, Marc. This time let us know how the camp director’s own anti-social activities have contributed to the destruction of our city’s infrastructure and the delivery of services to our children. That’s the real story here.