(via CNN) - A state commission issued a finding of probable cause that racism was involved in the decision by a suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, swim club to revoke privileges of a largely minority day care center.
The Valley Swim Club canceled a contract for swimming privileges for the approximately 65 children from the Creative Steps day care center after a visit June 29.
Some black and Hispanic children said white club members made racist comments to them during that visit, asking why black children were there and raising concerns that "they might steal from us."
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, in its 33-page finding, details the incident. It notes that the swim club maintains that it canceled its relationship with the day care center because members were requesting that their membership fees be refunded and because of safety concerns "attendant with overcrowding of the shallow end of the pool by a large number of non-swimmers."
But the commission, in its finding, stated that the club "routinely has members at the facility in numbers that are equal in size or exceed the number of Creative Steps campers." The club has also hosted groups of similar size without raising safety concerns, the commission said.
As the group was swimming at the club, one of its members voiced concerns that "all of these black kids" might "do something to my child." When confronted by a Creative Steps official, the woman -- a teacher at a local school -- denied the comment but said she was concerned because one of the children "was a known thief" and had previously stolen a cell phone. The commission found no evidence that the child was ever accused of or disciplined for stealing at the school.
Other group members sent negative e-mails to club board members after the incident. One board member said in an e-mail, according to the commission, "I feel we were mislead (sic) with the type of camp this was. This camp is a city camp and it is run with tax payers money. This is not the type of camp that is going to bring any new members into the club."
