Phila. School District comments on swim club probe

The School District of Philadelphia issued a statement today addressing comments made by a teacher allegedly involved in racial discrimination at a Montgomery County Swim Club.

Michelle Flynn, a teacher at Laura H. Carnell Elementary School, is quoted in a staff report by the state Human Relations Commission asking why black children were at the all-white Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley.

A report found that the swim club racially discriminated in June when it revoked an agreement to allow a Northeast Philadelphia day camp to use its pool after 56 African American and Hispanic children made their first visit.

Flynn, of Fox Chase, also allegedly accused one of the children of stealing.

"The School District of Philadelphia just became aware of these alleged comments by Ms. Flynn today," read the statement released by the Evelyn Sample-Oates, the district's spokeswoman.

"The District cannot and has no wish to regulate or restrict the free speech of any of its employees," the statement continued. "However, the School District of Philadelphia would hope that none of our employees would be associated with any statement that is hurtful to children or racially offensive.

"We embrace cultural diversity at the School District of Philadelphia and, as part of our Professional Development Training; we will offer multicultural sensitivity workshops at every school throughout the District. The training at schools will last until the end of the 2009-10 school year."

The incident at the swim club drew national media attention when Valley Club officials withdrew permission to allow minority children into their pool - even after a $1,950 check had been delivered to pay for the children to have weekly swimming trips.

The children had reported hearing racial comments after they arrived at the club June 29.