Why Do More Black Children Drown?

There's a swimming "race gap," and it has a long history

Image: AP

A terrible thing happened in Louisiana last month. Seven teenagers were wading in a river, and one of them, DeKendrix Warner, stepped into deep water and panicked. His friends went to help him, and six of them drowned. None of the teenagers could swim, and neither could the adults present, including DeKendrix's mother Maude Warner, who watched three of her children drown.

Everyone involved was African American, and most black Americans never learn to swim, according to a survey reported by the BBC. 70% of black children can't swim, compared to 60% among Hispanics, and 40% of white children. African American kids are three times more likely to drown than white kids.

What's behind the disparity? Black parents who don't teach their children to swim cited a fear of drowning as the main reason. Most kids who can't swim have parents who can't swim either. And historians say that racial segregation, which denied blacks access to pools during the "swimming boom" of the 1960s-70s, has contributed to the problem.

Why do you think so many Americans can't swim - especially African Americans? Should the government mandate swimming in schools?

[BigPoppaPhat]

Yea its gotta be racism, there's no other explanation.

[ded]

Maybe a factor is that in urban areas wealthier people are the ones who pay for swimming lessons? It would be interesting to know how drowning/swimming ability correlates with income.

[MrGrey]

I think it's clear that it's something that needs to be fixed. We should start providing service based scholarships to young people who go into these neighborhoods and teach swimming lessons to young children. Overtime this will make the population more likely to Engadge in these physical activities which can lead to better overall health.

[PolitixMarg K]

Drowning is one of the leading causes of deaths of all children under the age of 12, would be interesting to look into the racial breakdown of that statistic. So sad.

[classychazy]

I was shocked that the mother of 3 just stood on the bank and watched her children drown! I can swim, but even if I could not I would have died trying save my children. What is wrong with those adults that just stood there and watched this happen?