• The Outdoor Recreation Center of Wendell, North Carolina, was criticized for banning weaves, dreadlocks, and baggy pants as part of its dress code.
  • The pool owners, John and Theresa Freeman, told ABC11 that they have posted the same rules in the pool’s office for six years.
  • John Freeman said the ban was in place because artificial hair can get stuck in the pump and strainers, causing pool shutdowns – something he said he learned in a Certified Pool Owners course.
  • He later apologized in a Facebook post, calling the it “ignorance” to ban dreadlocks.
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A recreation center pool in North Carolina is facing backlash over its ban on weaves, dreadlocks, and baggy pants, which some community members have called racist.

The Outdoor Recreation Center of Wendell, North Carolina, posted guidelines about the outdoor pool’s dress code on its Facebook page, and later deleted the post, according to ABC11.

One of the 14 rules stated: “No baggy pants, no dread-locks/weaves/extensions or revealing clothes will be permitted or you will be asked to leave.”

Social media users accused the rule of being racist, saying it targeted people of color.

https://twitter.com/ImThatMofo/status/1140630188163829760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Diana Powell, Executive Director of Justice Served NC told ABC11 people had been tagging her in posts about the rule on Facebook.

"It did look racist, a racist statement," she said, adding: "He told me that his wife is … they're not racist. His wife just actually made a mistake."

The pool owners, John and Theresa Freeman told ABC11 that they have posted the same rules in the pool's office for six years.

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John Freeman said he tries to "accommodate any and everybody" at the pool, which charges a one-time $100 registration fee and a $6 daily admission fee for use.

He said the reason the pool bans dreadlocks and weaves is because artificial hair can get stuck in the pump and strainers, causing pool shutdowns - something he said he learned in a Certified Pool Owners course.

He said in a now-deleted Facebook post seen by the News & Observer said that the rule was meant to be "no hair attachments."

In another post, the owners apologized for the rule, according to the News & Observer.

"Due to ignorance of the meaning of the word dread-locks, ORC rules should have stated NO artificial hair," the post said.