Racism in Valpo Area? (South Bend, Gary: neighborhoods, public school, subdivision)

[skyeINIL]

Highland and Griffith are also moderately diverse. IMO, Griffith has the better school system.

[pcg]

Originally Posted by elani

If you're looking at NW IN in general, I would avoid Griffith. I grew up there and was continually astonished by the degree of racism and hostility toward difference of any kind that still exists there

That surprises me. I have lived there for the past 12 years. Sent my kids to school there and would suggest to the OP that Griffith might be an ideal place for them. The schools are very good and the town is racially diverse. You will find people of color in every neighborhood and they seem to get along well.

We still have our home on the market there. 10 year old 6 bed almost 4000 sq' custom split level home for under $300k in the best subdivision in Griffith. It is a great place to raise your kids. The chancellor of IUN lives two doors down.

[valpoguy]

I know I'm a couple months late for this, but was the original poster planning on commuting to Chicago or Notre Dame for school? Nobody has bothered to mention that Valparaiso University doesn't offer doctorates in Psych or Social Work. I don't believe that PUC, IUN, or PNC do, either. I have some strong feelings about the racism I've seen in Valparaiso (including the recent apparent arson at the former MLK center covered in one of the links above), but if you were planning on going there to get doctorates in those fields, it's a moot point.

[UrbanQuest]

Maybe Hobart...

[rmsi]

Originally Posted by valpoguy

I know I'm a couple months late for this, but was the original poster planning on commuting to Chicago or Notre Dame for school? Nobody has bothered to mention that Valparaiso University doesn't offer doctorates in Psych or Social Work. I don't believe that PUC, IUN, or PNC do, either. I have some strong feelings about the racism I've seen in Valparaiso (including the recent apparent arson at the former MLK center covered in one of the links above), but if you were planning on going there to get doctorates in those fields, it's a moot point.

Yes, I was planning on looking to commute to Chicago... but thanks for the info on the local schools!

So I assume you feel that racism is alive and well there then?

[219Dave]

If you are planning on commuting to Chicago, and want good public schools, and some diversity, I recommend that you check out Munster. My wife and I moved up here 5 years ago from Miami. It was a work-related move. My wife's half Ethiopian and half Indian, and I'm Jewish. Our kids are therefore, like yours bi-racial (or multiracial, I guess). All my snooty East coast friends made all sorts of jokes about Indiana being all white and hicks, but I've got to tell you that my neighborhood here in Munster is as diverse as any I've lived in. (and I've lived in Miami and DC!). My block alone has mixed black-white couples, black-South American, a couple of Indian families, Pakistanis and Filipinos. In addition to all white families. Not to stereo type too much, but any town with a good hospital seems to attract lots of educated Indian, Asian and Jewish families. I of course am not naive, and realize that racism exists everywhere, but my wife and I really haven't noticed it. The one thing that you won't get here is huge lots, and it's a bit pricier than other towns.

I know much less about Valpo, but know that it and Munster have the two best school systems. I really, really, wouldn't let your desire for land let you get drawn south of Valpo. It gets pretty rural pretty fast, and towns like Kouts have all sorts of Klan and white supremacist bikers.

Best of luck with your move.

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by 219Dave

It gets pretty rural pretty fast, and towns like Kouts have all sorts of Klan and white supremacist bikers.

Wow. Wow wow wow wow.

I would think that someone with multiracial children, who seems to very sensitive to diversity - would know better than to make such a racially charged comment about Kouts.

Makes me sad, actually.

And especially since you said you didn't really know much about the area either - and you're so quick to stereotype rural Indiana.

[219Dave]

I am sorry if I offended. I of course do not mean that a majority of people there (in Kouts) are racist. I am sure that the vast majority of people there are good, kind people. That goes for most of rural Indiana. It is simply that I believe that there is more of a racist element there than in some other parts of NWI. I don't know how to post links, but dig up the news stories on a meth ring that was broken up there last year, which had a scary white supremacist element to it. I work with people from Kouts, Lowell, DeMotte, etc, who all tell me that while their towns are basically pleasant, they do lack diversity.

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by 219Dave

I am sorry if I offended. I of course do not mean that a majority of people there (in Kouts) are racist. I am sure that the vast majority of people there are good, kind people. That goes for most of rural Indiana. It is simply that I believe that there is more of a racist element there than in some other parts of NWI. I don't know how to post links, but dig up the news stories on a meth ring that was broken up there last year, which had a scary white supremacist element to it. I work with people from Kouts, Lowell, DeMotte, etc, who all tell me that while their towns are basically pleasant, they do lack diversity.

Thank you for apologizing - and if I came across as harsh, I apologize as well.

Just as I get irritated at the people who are traumatized at the THOUGHT of driving on the tollroad through Gary in the middle of the day, the knee jerk response of saying rural Indiana is Klan county sets my nerves on edge as well.

I'm happy you and your family have found a home in Munster.

[domergurl]

wow ... been too busy mulching I guess. People move to the rural communities for that reason ... they want a rural community. Blanket statements about such hard charging subjects as the KKK and white supremacy will elicit nothing but ire and I suggest a more gentle approach.

Munster is lovely, good schools, proximity to Chicago ... but if one wants land, it's not the place to be. Everyone has priorities and what's great about NWI is that if you want it, you can find it.

Peace.