Affirmative Action Gone Wild? - AZ To Hire Minority Lifeguards Who 'Can't Swim' - Wake Up America

[Teddy B 17,252]

Or it could mean there wasn't such test in place. Meaning these folks will have to pass something in addition to the regular standards.

All lifeguards in public pools have to pass certification tests that include CPR training. Which raises another question, there is no mention of the CPR training in this article, is that not required for this program either?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

This list of census data about who is who on a box is making me ill. What a way to see the world.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

All lifeguards in public pools have to pass certification tests that include CPR training. Which raises another question, there is no mention of the CPR training in this article, is that not required for this program either?

I don't think the article was written as a standard on who can pass the test. The standards would be the same, it's focusing on the swimming part.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

All lifeguards in public pools have to pass certification tests that include CPR training. Which raises another question, there is no mention of the CPR training in this article, is that not required for this program either?

Come on.

Nowhere does it say they will not be taking the required lifeguard courses.

To help diversify its lifeguard ranks, the city raised about $15,000 over the past two years in scholarships to offset the cost of lifeguard-certification courses. Recruits who pass a swim test at the end can apply to be city lifeguards.

So there will be lifeguard-certification courses, I'm sure CPR is included. All the article says is they have to pass a swim test at the end just to APPLY to be a lifeguard.

[decocker 7,198]

Hey, I don't blame you for exercising the right of "association" I simply pointed out you strongly believe in something..... for other people.

Heck your area is not even close the state-wide diversity.

Non-Hispanic White 64.0%

American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. American Factfinder provides census data and maps.

German 11.7% Black or African American 19.7%

English 10.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 8.4%

Irish 9.8% Asian 6.0%

American 9.7% American Indian and Alaska Native 0.5%

Nice little "pocket" ya got there.

wait, what is this right of association you're referring to? what 'something' do i believe in strongly for 'other people'?

Edited October 22, 2013 by val erie

[Teddy B 17,252]

Come on.

Nowhere does it say they will not be taking the required lifeguard courses.

So there will be lifeguard-certification courses, I'm sure CPR is included. All the article says is they have to pass a swim test at the end just to APPLY to be a lifeguard.

Not so sure about that.

If he is selected to be a lifeguard, other pool staff will work with him on his swimming skills all summer.

"If he is selected" is another inference that the standards of the test will be lowered to become a lifeguard. And "if he is selected" they will work with him on his swimming skills? That's not a lifeguard that has passed the standardized tests. That's not the kind of lifeguard I want at my local beach or pool. I wouldn't be surprised if some parents get together against this based on concern for their kids safety.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

So you think these kids are gonna take lifeguard certification courses and swimming and CPR won't be in those?

This is craziness.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

I'm also sure that some of the parents in this school are the same people who are helping donate to offset the cost of the courses.

[Teddy B 17,252]

So you think these kids are gonna take lifeguard certification courses and swimming and CPR won't be in those?

This is craziness.

No, what I'm saying is that no where in this story does it say that they will have to pass the standardized test. If anything a good amount of the text in the story infers that the standards will be lowered. Because you're not reading it the same way I am, doesn't mean it's not so. I'm not just pulling this out of thin air, I'm interpreting it from the text in the story.

[decocker 7,198]

could they lower the standards? the insurance industry has some sort of prerequisites that come into play here, no?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

No, what I'm saying is that no where in this story does it say that they will have to pass the standardized test. If anything a good amount of the text in the story infers that the standards will be lowered. Because you're not reading it the same way I am, doesn't mean it's not so. I'm not just pulling this out of thin air, I'm interpreting it from the text in the story.

I find the idea that a community would support unqualified lifeguards to watch over children to be ridiculous. The lifeguard certification courses will no doubt need to be passed, which is why they were mentioned. There's no reason to believe otherwise.

If they were going to allow simply anyone who could kind of swim to be a lifeguard at this public pool, they would have done so already. That's clearly not what they've been doing. They've been getting their lifeguards from more affluent areas far away from their school because they're the only ones who have had the training and therefor the qualifications.

All they are attempting to do is get people in their own community those same qualifications.

[Teddy B 17,252]

could they lower the standards? the insurance industry has some sort of prerequisites that come into play here, no?

I'm sure they do, but exactly what they are, I'm not sure.

[Teddy B 17,252]

I find the idea that a community would support unqualified lifeguards to watch over children to be ridiculous. The lifeguard certification courses will no doubt need to be passed, which is why they were mentioned. There's no reason to believe otherwise.

If they were going to allow simply anyone who could kind of swim to be a lifeguard at this public pool, they would have done so already. That's clearly not what they've been doing. They've been getting their lifeguards from more affluent areas far away from their school because they're the only ones who have had the training and therefor the qualifications.

All they are attempting to do is get people in their own community those same qualifications.

I find the idea that an entire country would support lesser qualified police and fire personnel to protect their lives to be ridiculous, but it's happening every day. The standardized qualifications to become a police officer or a fireman were lowered years ago as a part of AA to allow more access to minorities for these jobs. Test score requirements and physical requirements were lowered to achieve this. Why is it so hard to believe that one city would do it for lifeguards if all of America has already done it for police and fire?

What they are attempting to do is bridge a language barrier, a barrier that should not exist to begin with.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Teddy B

[decocker 7,198]

i would think that if the standards were changed at all, be it lower or higher, that's a pretty imperative piece of the story and npr would have made explicit reference to the change.

Edited October 22, 2013 by val erie

[Teddy B 17,252]

i would think that if the standards were changed at all, be it lower or higher, that's a pretty imperative piece of the story and npr would have made explicit reference to the change.

I don't. They do a good job of dancing around that issue in their article. NPR tends to have a liberal slant to it's reporting, this is a liberal program.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Teddy B