Posted on 04/07/2012 2:43:19 PM PDT by the scotsman
'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.
The US has almost 3,500 accidental drownings every year, almost 10 a day. But according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fatal drowning rate of African-American children aged five-14 is three times that of white children.
A recent study sponsored by USA Swimming uncovered equally stark statistics. Just under 70% of African-American children surveyed said they had no or low ability to swim. Low ability merely meant they were able to splash around in the shallow end. A further 12% said they could swim but had "taught themselves".
The study found 58% of Hispanic children had no or low swimming ability. For white children, the figure was only 42%.
"It is an epidemic that is almost going unnoticed," says Sue Anderson, director of programmes and services at USA Swimming.
The swimming body would like all children to be taught to swim.
"We would like it to be like seatbelts and bicycle helmets," says Ms Anderson.
But the situation in the US can vary hugely even within a single state.'
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
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Post of the day!
“Does anyone else read stories like this and feel like they fell down a rabbit hole, and the country has turned into an insane asylum?”
Even more interestingly, we learn about our “failings” from the BBC, while their $hitthole country goes down the tubes faster than ours is. Our news is bad, theirs is off the charts!
The water molecule is obviously racist.
The same reason they dont ski,ice skate(there are a few).
Not many in baseball anymore.
“Oprah should float like a cork!”
I heard early in her career she was arrested for “carrying 50# of crack!”
Is it true that they have slightly higher bone/muscle density making them float less well and ruining the whole experience?
This meme comes up every few years in the MSM.
The agenda is for taxpayers to provide more swimming pools in black neighborhoods.
Thats a joke, I say thats a joke son.
No pools by basketball courts?
Oh dear!
....My late father told me his first swimming lesson was his uncle taking him to the deep end and throwing him in, while he shouted, SWIM!
As it happens, my father taught me to ride a bike by putting me on one, pushed me down the drive and yelled PEDAL!......
We may be related....lol...
actually I was given lessons in swimming and floating before I got tossed into the deep end- the old sink or swim- now the bike thing I can really relate to....by the time I made it around the block (without training wheels) with dad following/pushing I could ride a bike and knew what bruises and abrasions were.
Now, I wouldn't want to leap to conclusions, but it's hard not to draw some inferences about the parental support available to DeKendrix, JaTavious, Takeitha, JaMarcus, Litrelle, Latevin, and LaDarius.
Forgot to put the [/s] tag on my post.
I learned to swim in school.
Not even with full lungs.
Fear of shrinkage?
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