‘White Only’ Pool Sign Draws Criticism, Government Intervention

A “White Only” public swimming pool sign posted at an apartment complex in Ohio has angered local residents and led to an official complaint filed with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

The complexes landlord Jamie Hein has come to the defense of her sign by calling it an “antique.” However a former tenant disagrees with Hein and has revealed that her views are in line with 1930s Alabama (where the sign originated). According to the former tenant:

“We invited my daughter, who is African-American, to visit and swim in the pool for the Memorial Day weekend,” he wrote in the civil rights complaint “The owner, Jamie Hein, accused my daughter of making the pool ‘cloudy’ because she used chemicals in her hair. Days later, she posted a sign on the gate to the pool which reads, ‘Public Swimming Pool, White Only.'”

Speaking to ABC News Hein says she’s “not a bad person” and “I don’t have any problem with race at all. It’s a historical sign.”

Hein says the man’s daughter never saw the antique sign because the gate to the pool was already open. Hein also revealed “I’ve never said anything to that child,” and “If I have to stick up for my white rights, I have to stick up for my white rights. It goes both ways.”

Hein also claims that tenants and even her own father have to ask for permission to use the pool which makes it a private swim area and therefore outside of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission reach, tenants however say that’s not the case and unrestricted access to the swimming area has always been given.

If Hein isn’t guilty of blatantly being a racist her choice for displaying the “white only” public swimming pool sign shows a complete lack of respect for black tenants who have to look at the sign every single time they visit the pool, unless of course the pools gate is left open before they arrive.

Do you think the White Only sign should be removed and an apology be given by Jamie Hein?