Why don't black Americans swim?

[Middleman]

Interesting article. I learned to swim at age 3, so can't imagine not knowing how to swim. Yet, many American children don't learn, with Black Americans with a huge percentage of non-swimmers. According to the article, in the UK swimming is a part of the curriculum of their educational system. But, in the U.S. it's up to the parents.

BBC News - Why don't black Americans swim?

A month ago, six African-American teenagers drowned in a single incident in Louisiana, prompting soul-searching about why so many young black Americans can't swim.

When 15-year-old DeKendrix Warner accidentally stepped into deeper water while wading in the Red River in Shreveport, he panicked.

JaTavious Warner, 17, Takeitha Warner, 13, JaMarcus Warner, 14, Litrelle Stewart, 18, Latevin Stewart, 15, and LaDarius Stewart, 17, rushed to help him and each other.

None of them could swim. All six drowned. DeKendrix was rescued by a passer-by.

Maude Warner, mother of three of the victims, and the other adults present also couldn't swim

Just as a side note, I notice that the drowning victims all have quite creative names...

US swimming stats

USA Swimming/University of Memphis study found ethnic differences
68.9% of African-American children with no or low ability to swim
57.9% of Hispanic children
41.8% of white children
Study quizzed 2,000 children and parents in six US cities
CDC recorded 3,443 fatal accidental drownings in 2007
Drowning is second greatest cause of accidental death in children under 14
African-American children aged 5 to 14 3.1 times more likely to drown

 

[Samson]

In focus groups for the study, Prof Irwin said many black parents who could not swim evinced sentiments like: "My children are never going to learn to swim because I'm scared they would drown."

The parents' very fear of their children drowning was making that fate more likely.

No Shit Sherlock.

Obviously, the Federal Government hasn't invested enough in educating black americans.

Perhaps they should be required to swim across a pool with Charlie Rangle and Al Sharpton to receive free and reduced lunches?

 

[Douger]

Leave a plasma TV on a floating boat dock in the middle of a lake.
they'll figure it out .QUICK

 

[Article 15]

In focus groups for the study, Prof Irwin said many black parents who could not swim evinced sentiments like: "My children are never going to learn to swim because I'm scared they would drown."

The parents' very fear of their children drowning was making that fate more likely.

No Shit Sherlock.

Obviously, the Federal Government hasn't invested enough in educating black americans.

Perhaps they should be required to swim across a pool with Charlie Rangle and Al Sharpton to receive free and reduced lunches?

 

[Middleman]

The rate of non-swimming in White kids is 41%. Probably non-swimming is more related to low-income than anything else.

 

[Samson]

The rate of non-swimming in White kids is 41%. Probably non-swimming is more related to low-income than anything else.

I'd like to believe that, but, based on the article in the OP, that's not the case.

Its not like all POOR live in the desert, and have never seen a body of water.

 

[xotoxi]

I think the question is not: Why don't black Americans swim?...

The question is: Where did they come up with names like DeKendrix, JaTavious, Takeitha, JaMarcus, Litrelle, Latevin, and LaDarius?

 

[Madeline]

I liked the kids' names, xotoxi. You name your kids something you like, donca?

Seems weird to me, any parent not teaching their kidlet to swim. What happened to that silly idea a brand new baby could learn? We have Y's and public pools here in Cleveland, and the kidlets seem just as many blacks as whites in them to me.

Is it regional, do ya think? I gather there are few public pools down south as a hangover from the days of desegregation.

 

[Samson]

I think the question is not: Why don't black Americans swim?...

The question is: Where did they come up with names like DeKendrix, JaTavious, Takeitha, JaMarcus, Litrelle, Latevin, and LaDarius?

What The Fuck kind of name is "xotoxi?"

 

[Samson]

I liked the kids' names, xotoxi. You name your kids something you like, donca?

Seems weird to me, any parent not teaching their kidlet to swim. What happened to that silly idea a brand new baby could learn? We have Y's and public pools here in Cleveland, and the kidlets seem just as many blacks as whites in them to me.

Is it regional, do ya think? I gather there are few public pools down south as a hangover from the days of desegregation.

What The Fuck is a "kidlet?"

 

[syrenn]

I think the question is not: Why don't black Americans swim?...
[/I]

The ANSWER is LAZY PARENTS!

 

[Samson]

I think the question is not: Why don't black Americans swim?...
[/I]

The ANSWER is LAZY PARENTS!

You're getting warmer.....


But why are black parents lazier than any other?


How come they're not lazy about teaching their kids how to play basketball?

 

[syrenn]

I think the question is not: Why don't black Americans swim?...
[/I]

The ANSWER is LAZY PARENTS!

You're getting warmer.....


But why are black parents lazier than any other?


How come they're not lazy about teaching their kids how to play basketball?

You know the answers just as i know the answers Samson..so why dont you just SAY it.

 

[Samson]

The ANSWER is LAZY PARENTS!

You're getting warmer.....


But why are black parents lazier than any other?


How come they're not lazy about teaching their kids how to play basketball?

You know the answers just as i know the answers Samson..so why dont you just SAY it.

Ok, I will.

Slave owners told blacks that all bodies of water had sharks that would eat them if they went swimming.

This made escape back across the Atlantic more difficult.

 

[Madeline]

WTF? Lazy? Who is a lazier parent than the broad who drops her kidlets off at a public pool when it opens and never bothers to pick them up again until closing time? Kidlets without lunches, running around like crazied beasties, driving the lifeguards nutz......

O wait. That was me. He he he.

 

[Middleman]

WTF? Lazy? Who is a lazier parent than the broad who drops her kidlets off at a public pool when it opens and never bothers to pick them up again until closing time? Kidlets without lunches, running around like crazied beasties, driving the lifeguards nutz......

O wait. That was me. He he he.

You didn't feed your kids lunch?

 

[syrenn]

You're getting warmer.....


But why are black parents lazier than any other?


How come they're not lazy about teaching their kids how to play basketball?

You know the answers just as i know the answers Samson..so why dont you just SAY it.

Ok, I will.

Slave owners told blacks that all bodies of water had sharks that would eat them if they went swimming.

This made escape back across the Atlantic more difficult.

And what does you answer have anything to do with your questions about basketball?

What part of slavery ended a century ago haven't you gotten.

 

[syrenn]

WTF? Lazy? Who is a lazier parent than the broad who drops her kidlets off at a public pool when it opens and never bothers to pick them up again until closing time? Kidlets without lunches, running around like crazied beasties, driving the lifeguards nutz......

O wait. That was me. He he he.

And for all of your "laziness" you still got them to the pool and abandoned them. (Very bad mother!) They do know how to swim though.

The lazier parent is the one who never bothers to even TAKE them to the pool or bother to have them to learn how to swim.

 

[Madeline]

WTF? Lazy? Who is a lazier parent than the broad who drops her kidlets off at a public pool when it opens and never bothers to pick them up again until closing time? Kidlets without lunches, running around like crazied beasties, driving the lifeguards nutz......

O wait. That was me. He he he.

You didn't feed your kids lunch?

Of course I did, Middleman.

I am e-x-a-g-g-e-r-a-t-i-n-g.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Interesting article.

because they have basketball courts and not pools?

a few years back people asked why Negroes couldn't play Golf.