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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's really short sighted for AAs to opt out of swim class. Swimming is a life skill. AAs are far more likely to drown than their white peers. In the case of private school AAs, it's less due to historical and racist lack of access to pools than cultural norms. In the end, what is more important--having to wear a swim cap or preventing accidental drowning? [/quote]

What happens to AA hair if it gets wet?

Doesn't it get wet in the shower?[/quote]

This was just an extrapolation from op who assumed AA girls do not want to swim because of their hair. My daughter and 3 nieces have no problem getting in the pool. They just wear a good swim cap. Some hairstyles don’t stay neat very long when using the pool and chlorine is not great for curly hair. But it’s absolutely no reason to not give that opportunity to kids. [/quote]

I taught HS girls PE in Baltimore in the early 2000s, the school was 85+% AA, swimming was a required unit at the school. It was 4-6w, we were able to lay out the schedule at the beginning of the year for class rotation. A lot of the girls would schedule a particular hair style for their scheduled time in the pool. Many of the girls were excited to have the opportunity to learn to swim, many had parents who do not swim and hadn't learned. I think knowing it was coming and it being a group experience worked in favor of most kids having a positive attitude. We also allowed almost any swim attire, tshirts, etc. [/quote]

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