There’s nothing funny about the fact that at all ages, African-American children drown at dramatically higher rates than white, Hispanic, or Asian children. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control shows that black children, age 5-14, drown at three times the rate; in swimming pools, black children, age 5-19, drown 5.5 times more often than whites, 11-12 year olds at 10 times the rate.
Editorials, letters, and even a cartoon last week make fun of the high school swimming pool plans by bringing up the achievement gap issue. Maybe it’s time to look at the drowning rate. Our goal should be to assure that all children of all races learn to swim. Since many do not learn in grade school, high school becomes our last chance to assure that non-swimmers become swimmers to protect themselves from drowning.
When I attended OPRF High School in the 1950s, it was required that all students pass the “deep water test” in order to graduate. Some of us struggled through several courses of swimming in order to finally pass the test. But thanks to that required training, I still enjoy swimming and snorkeling. We complained a lot about wet hair and walking through the cold and drafty tunnel, but we survived. Do we need to revisit this requirement?
Nationally, a number of groups headed by black Olympic swim champions are trying to correct the problem of black children being non-swimmers. Also parents and siblings of black children who drowned are leading the movement for swim classes at an early age. Some of the challenges they face are a lack of good pools in all black neighborhoods, parents who do not swim and are afraid of the water, and a fear of pool chemicals affecting straightened hair. No doubt there are other reasons for black children not learning to swim.
Before the Civil War, more blacks than whites could swim. Today, 70% of black children are non-swimmers, 60% of Latinos, and 40% of whites.
We have an opportunity in Oak Park to correct this problem. Hopefully, the high school will recognize it and utilize the new pool for a program in which all children would learn to swim. Yes, they presently have swim programs and lessons in the summer, but the number of black children who participate is very small.
The tragedy of drowning permanently affects families. Drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintended injury in the U.S. The good news is that we are seeing more black lifeguards and pool employees at our two outdoor pools. But we see too much rough-housing from children, especially the already mentioned 11-12 year olds. We need to see more actual swimming.
Let’s stop looking at the new high school pool as an elitist opportunity for rich white kids to play water polo. We should look at it as an opportunity to eliminate the racial gap in swimming.
Bobbie Raymond is one of the founders of the OPRF High School Alumni Association.