The nightclub responds — and students to hold press conference this afternooon
Washington University student leaders will hold a press conference at 3:30 this afternoon to announce their next steps in addressing the incident in which six black seniors were denied entrance to a Chicago nightclub. Students have considered a range of responses including demanding an apology from the club to holding another protest nearby the venue.
In the meantime, the club in question — The Original Mothers — has put out a statement on the issue, saying that is almost finished with its internal investigation into the matter. The bar said it is also reviewing its security and admissions policies and is considering more rigorous employee training to ensure policies are understood and enforced properly.
“Discrimination against our patrons on the basis of race or ethnicity is not and will not be tolerated,” the statement says.
I have copied the full statement below:
Statement of The Original Mothers
Chicago, Illinois
October 27, 2009This updated statement is provided in response to media inquiries regarding the events of October 17, 2009 at The Original Mothers:
The management of The Original Mothers is nearing completion of the internal phase of its investigation into the October 17 incident involving a small group of students from Washington University. We also hope to speak with the students directly over the next few days, and have had discussions about this matter with the president of the Washington University senior class.
In the meantime, we are also reviewing our security and admissions policies, the way in which we enforce them and how we communicate these policies to our patrons. We are considering conducting more rigorous employee training to ensure that policies are well understood and appropriately enforced. Once we gather all the facts and complete a top-down review of policies and procedures, we will determine the most appropriate next steps to avoid this kind of situation in the future. Our goal is to create an environment in which all of our customers have an enjoyable experience.
Like virtually all establishments in our business, we have security policies in place to protect patrons and employees alike and help ensure a positive experience in our club. We strive at all times to ensure that these policies are enforced fairly and equitably. Discrimination against our patrons on the basis of race or ethnicity is not and will not be tolerated.
Stay tuned for details about the 3:30 press conference. For more immediate updates, check out my twitter feed at: http://twitter.com/kavitakumar.
The Grade is the St. Louis region’s premier blog on education and child welfare. To read other recent posts, go to www.stltoday.com/thegrade.
Kavita Kumar covers higher education for the Post-Dispatch. 
Ahh yes, Mothers Bar in Chicago. I remember furthering my higher education there too back in the early 80’s. Bouncers bounce… why is this news? Big deal, I got tossed out of the American Tap onto U. S. 51 in Carbondale for calling the bar maid a ‘bar wench’. Ouch that hurt. No suit.
I’m inclined to think that this was a major goof-up by the bouncer, and not a policy of discrimination on the part of the club. What happened was wrong, in that a dress code can not only apply to one particular race/sex/age group without being discriminatory.
The club probably instructed the bouncers about the dress code, and explained that it was to filter out area gang members. Because those gang members are mostly black, the bouncers enforced the rule as “no black guys in baggy clothes”, which is discrimination, instead of “NOBODY in baggy clothes”, which is a fair dress code.
As most people who go out to clubs/bars know, bouncers are hired for their muscle more then their brains. Hopefully the students at Wash U consider these factors, and carefully enact their response so that their reaction - which is quite understandably an angry one - comes across as fair-minded, and not over-reactionary.
What about the racism WUSTL practices everyday in their admissions? Denying higher qualified whites to fill quotas is direct racism yet every single person at this ‘rally for justice’ facilitate this very injustice. Shame.
Unfortunately I can’t make the press conference, but on behalf of everyone with lives and real problems: Go away geeks, nobody likes you.
Now I have to go punch myself in the face for clicking on this and then commenting.
Truth -
Just wondering if you have documentation to back up your outlandish claim.
WB
Good Lord, here they go. These spoiled rich kids at Wash U once again decide it will be cutting edge to launch into some kind of meaningless but trendy protest before they graduate and move on to a high-paying exec position secured through their daddy’s connections. Spoiled brats, where were your protests when one of your fellow students got raped? What about when several of them were robbed? No, you won’t protest that because it’s not something that will make you look cool when you twitter about it.
By the way, I am a Wash U graduate that earned my way into the school and routinely watched these misguided buffoons pretend as though their thoughts and actions are relevant to the real world.
I can’t get into some ‘clubs’ with a hat on… or tennis shoes. Yet these 6 black guys want to get into a club when their pants are nearly around their knees, and then they’re upset when they aren’t allowed access? Seems a real simple solution: Pull your pants up and people may respect you a tad more.
So NO black people are ever allowed in this club? Or just these particular black people? Cause if black people come in all the time then they cant really claim racism. I understood they were dressed like gangbangers so they were told they could not come in. If you dont like being treated like trash then stop dressing like trash. Dont most places have the right to deny service if they see fit?
Am I missing something? This was a Chicago club and a St. Louis university is protesting? Where was WashU when a boy was murdered because he was homosexual? Where was WashU when a woman was stoned to death because she was thought to be an adulterer? Where was WashU when a child was abducted, killed and thrown in a landfill? I’m all in favor of students rallying around rights but this seems so odd given the other cases and issues that have recently been in the news. Is there a hidden agenda?
Ok folks, before you all comment on the students being gang bangers and such. Look at the pictures that were taken before and after the incident. The African-American student in question that was pictured was in no way dressed that you would consider a gang banger, but when he switched clothes with a fellow classmate, that would be considered on the line of the stereo-typical look of a gang member. From someone who grew up in Chesterfield and is African-American, I think I would know the difference between a Abercrombie & Fitch look or etc.. to that of a gang banger. Pull your heads out folks and look at the details close before you continue and spew that hatred that happen to these students in Chi-town. I lived there and experienced the same thing many times at that particular establishment. Stop trying to continue the racism that exist around the world. We are all equal and there are bad people in every sex, color, religion, and whatever else you want to say. This was a bad situation for all and needs to be rectified. Thanks and have a wonderful day folks. Peace Out.