The Region : L.A. Council Objects to Swim Program

The Los Angeles City Council voted 8 to 2 not to spend Olympic surplus money for expanded summer swimming lessons, on grounds that none of the lessons would be taught in Watts and other predominantly black areas. Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores said none of the 19 city pools targeted for the eight-week, $27,708 program was located either in Watts or Wilmington, which are in her district. Councilman Robert Farrell complained that none of the pools was located in his largely black district, either, although he later discovered that one targeted pool--the Los Angeles Swim Stadium in Exposition Park--is in his district. The plan called for hiring enough teachers to teach swimming to 400 additional children as part of a program set to begin Monday.