Racism in the 'burbs? reality or myth (Dallas, Arlington: apartments, health insurance)

[cheatah036]

That shouldn't even be a concern...

[southern living]

I wouldnt call it racism. Nobody is going to be rude to you or "racist" against you, but it is naive to think there is no bias and stereotyping. North Dallas's growth was largely fueled by white flight and as more minorities move into these northern burbs, these biases flare up. consider the article by Mathew Haag of the Dallas morning news:


".......Two decades ago, nearly nine out of every 10 students in Plano ISD were white. Now, the proportion of whites and minorities is about even districtwide. (50.6 percent of Plano students are white.) But at some campuses, minorities far outnumber whites.At Mendenhall Elementary School, for example, white students make up only 17 percent of the student body. And at Mendenhall and nearby schools with similar student body compositions, some white parents are transferring their kids with increasing frequency, according to transfer data kept by Plano ISD.
According to transfer data available for the past three school years, the exodus of white students is most evident at three Plano schools -- Mendenhall Elementary School, Bowman Middle School and Williams High School. They are all located within a mile of each other.
At Mendenhall, a short walk north of downtown, a third of the school's white students have transferred out in recent years. Most of those students have opted to attend an elementary school three miles away whose student ethnic makeup is two-thirds white. This school year, white students make up only 17 percent of Mendenhall's student body but 61 percent of the transfer requests.
At Bowman, the proportion of white students has dwindled to about 20 percent of all students. Despite that, white children have accounted for 43 percent of the transfers this year.
And while overall enrollment at Williams has ballooned the past three school years, the percentage of white students has dipped slightly from 41 percent to 38 percent. White students requested 48 percent of the transfers from Williams this school year.
"Some of us see it as white flight and that parents are trying to get away from the diversity," said Cyndy Schrader, who is white and whose children attended east Plano schools. "My neighborhood is white and Asian, and they have all transferred."
PLANO Blog | The Dallas Morning News



So no, there is no racism. but as you move into your new neighborhood, you can bet there will be neighbors blinded by bias and racial stereotyping who will start thinking about selling and moving out or moving their kids to another school because your kids enrolled at that school.

[bricor]

The problem with quotes like above is they only use the data relevant to making their point (supporting white flight). What about the other factors that often come into play when looking at schools, like how well the school does at providing an education or crime in the area?

You can always find data to support an argument while totally ignoring other relevant data that might support other reasons for the actions taken.

Most people that moved to the burbs years ago did so for jobs and newer housing. Just like they do today.

The burbs are just as diverse, just in a different way. In Dallas, you'll have different income classes living in close proximity to each other and that's because everything in Dallas is in closer proximity to each other.

In the burbs, things tend to be more spread out and the neighborhoods are more separated by income level but not by race or ethnicity. In most of the newer areas, you'll find a good mixture of whites, asians, blacks, indians, and middle eastern, etc.

So move to an area you like and can afford without worrying about racism because the reality is, racism doesn't care about money or location, it can be anywhere.

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by Big G

OK, who had "6" in the "number of posts before Lakewooder chimes in to denigrate the suburbs" pool?

Hey, when someone calls my hometown plastic and pretentious, I am going to take a shot - only fair - watch Perry Mason.

[Korel]

We moved to Plano to escape the issue, (from north Dallas) and we're lilly faced white folk. We had middle school aged boys at the time. The neighborhood we moved into was so diverse, there was a family of every culture right in our little section of the neighborhood. One afternoon down in our Game Room, our boys had a mess of their friends over and it looked like a session at the United Nations. Everybody was having a real good time and I thought to myself, this is the way it's suppose to be. We still live in Plano a few miles from where we first moved to and my neighbor to the west of me is Asian. Next to her is an African family. When I go to my grocery store a few blocks away, once again it's a UN meeting. I've live here for sixteen years now and have never sensed a racial issue. I hope you find a nice home here in DFW.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by Korel

We moved to Plano to escape the issue, (from north Dallas) and we're lilly faced white folk. We had middle school aged boys at the time. The neighborhood we moved into was so diverse, there was a family of every culture right in our little section of the neighborhood. One afternoon down in our Game Room, our boys had a mess of their friends over and it looked like a session at the United Nations. Everybody was having a real good time and I thought to myself, this is the way it's suppose to be. We still live in Plano a few miles from where we first moved to and my neighbor to the west of me is Asian. Next to her is an African family. When I go to my grocery store a few blocks away, once again it's a UN meeting. I've live here for sixteen years now and have never sensed a racial issue. I hope you find a nice home here in DFW.

My wife and I want to buy in Plano for that reason. Coming from the LA, even I was suprised at what it had to offer multiculturally.

[southern living]

''The problem with quotes like above is they only use the data relevant to making their point (supporting white flight). What about the other factors that often come into play when looking at schools, like how well the school does at providing an education or crime in the area?''

These 'factors' only seem to arise when the percentage of minority children goes up.

"So move to an area you like and can afford without worrying about racism because the reality is, racism doesn't care about money or location, it can be anywhere. "

absolutely true. I dont live in Plano but I know it to be a great burb that is having growing pains that eventually, most major burbs will have to contend with.

[Big G]

Southern Living:

Matthew Haag's article is way off-base, and I can tell you exactly why.

Given that in the PISD realignment thread, you chose to post a picture from the Little Rock segregation battle, I doubt you'll be willing to believe it, but here goes:

A sizable portion of Mendenhall's attendance area is located nowhere near its location "a short walk north of downtown". In fact, it's considerably SOUTH of downtown. It's south of the George Bush, in Richardson!

That area was, at one time, promised its own elementary school to relieve overcrowding. That never materialized. To relieve the resulting jam session at Mendenhall, PISD has for years offered ALL parents in the Mendenhall area the option to get a free transfer (and bus ride) to Aldridge Elementary, not-so-coincidentally located south of George Bush (and in the City of Richardson).

Those living close to Mendenhall (largely Hispanics) have little reason to be interested in that option. Those living south of George Bush (largely white and Asian) who are probably just as close, if not closer, to Aldridge than to Mendenhall, take that option in greater numbers. Also, note that 39% of the transfers are NOT white. That would seem to undermine your hypothesis that the transfers are race-related.

As for Bowman and Williams - those are the middle and high schools that Mendenhall feeds to. If the kids who transfer to Aldridge want to stay with their classmates beyond elementary school, they have to file transfers AGAIN away from Bowman and Williams.

So, racism? Or just a neighborhood taking the best option, seeing as how PISD never built them the school they were promised? You decide.

--

Aside from this one elementary school, where transfers are a designed part of its attendance zone, did Mr. Haag present any other evidence? I'm going to guess not, because he wouldn't be able to find it. All told, somewhere between 3-5% of the PISD school population transfer from their assigned school, below that of most districts with an open transfer policy. That hardly seems like "white flight" to me.

[pappy97]

Originally Posted by MurphyPl1

Except Murphy! We're welcoming and diverse and don't care what you look like as long as your sporting a smile. :-)

And Wylie as far as I can tell. Our small street for example boasts several African-American families, a Hispanic Family, and us (I'm asian but my wife is not).

[pappy97]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

I also would not write off looking in Dallas so quickly. With $160k in income, you'd net approx $10k per month. You could live in an area like Lakewood/ Hollywood Heights/ M Streets where Lakewood and Stonewall Jackson elementary schools are exemplary. People choose private or public for middle and high school there. Search zip 75214. With the market being a little soft now, you can probably pick up a 2500sf 3-4br home built between 1920-1950 for around $300-350k. This area is very close to Baylor and Presbyterian hospitals.

Also check Lake Highlands which is in northeast Dallas. City of Dallas but Richardson public schools, which again are good. Zip 75238. Several good private Christian schools in the neighborhood, including Schofield and Highlander. Homes were built in the 1960-1970s and run about $100k less than Lakewood. Very close to Presbyterian.

Take another look at Dallas before running to the suburbs!!

And in Wylie, zip code 75098, you can get a big newer house for your money, great school system, and unlike 99% of the City of Dallas, you can get Verizon FIOS internet and/or TV service which gets rave reviews here. I personally go DirecTV + FIOS internet and couldn't be happier.

Anyways I do think you, the OP, are on the right track thinking about North Dallas suburbs: great schools, low COL, and diverse. You may not see as many African-Americans as you might like, but you'll see all kinds of ethnicities and I suspect it's that diversity which is key to you.