Delaware Public Pool Kicks Out Muslim Swimmers


Tahsiyn A. Ismaa’eel is the leader of an Arabic enrichment program during the summer that sometimes takes the kids it focuses on to various activities in and around Wilmington, Delaware. For the past four years, the Foster Brown public pool in Wilmington has been one of the places on the group’s activity list. For four years, there had never been a problem until now. This time, the pool manager asked them to leave.

Ismaa’eel stated to Delaware Online, that the pool manager told her that she, and the elementary school aged children at the pool with her, could not use the pool because they were wearing cotton. His claim was that it is against city policy to wear cotton clothing in public pools. At the time Ismaa’eel was told this, they were dressed in shirts, shorts, and hijabs. She pointed out that nowhere on the grounds does it say the wearing of cotton garments in the pool is not allowed, and she wondered “Why are my kids being treated differently?”

Ismaa’eel told the pool manager she understood, and would inform the children’s parents of the rule for future reference. A couple minutes later, a police officer the pool manager had summoned arrived and asked when Ismaa’eel and the children would be leaving. She told the Delaware Online that the police officer told her that people were waiting to get in and they had to leave.

The Daily News reported that Ismaa’eel felt as if her group was being discriminated against.

“We were approached first about the cotton, and then it became, ‘Oh, the pool is over capacity so you need to leave. I felt very unwanted.”

Mayor Mike Purzycki’s office issued a statement, carried in part by the Daily News, in defense of the cotton garments rule which stated that cotton garments are a legitimate safety concern because cotton is absorbent and can become heavy when it’s wet, which could weigh down a young swimmer. He also said that cotton is bad for pool filtration systems. Delaware Online reported that according to state regulations, bathing suits are recommended attire, but they say nothing about cotton garments not being allowed in pools.

Mia Miller told KIRO 7 that last month her family was asked to leave the pool; her two daughters wear hijabs. Naveed Baqir, the executive director of the Delaware Council on Global and Muslim Affairs, told KIRO 7 that this was a clear act of discrimination.

“I’m surprised this happened in the city of Wilmington that is supposed to be more progressive and accepting. It’s difficult to walk away from these situations when they happen in places you feel you belong. What message are you giving to these kids? That they don’t belong?”

John Rago of the mayor’s office told KIRO 7 that “the city is revising its pool signage to more clearly communicate pool swimwear regulations.” He also said that until a sign is posted, the kids can swim. While that may help in the future, it was no help when the kids were actually there, and there are questions as to whether they will want to return after the incident. It is unclear if anyone else at the pool was checked for wearing cotton garments on the same day and was asked to leave, but no reports have surfaced.

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