Racism in Valpo Area? (Gary, Merrillville: 2009, house, school districts)

[HFO]

While Valpo is more diverse than other NWI cities, I would agree that Munster is worth looking into. Definitely a closer commute to Chicago and the schools are pretty good. Heroin has been a problem in Porter County including Valpo High School (yes I know there are drugs everywhere). A lot of people from Illinois have been moving into the Crown Point/Dyer area so I believe those cities are becoming slightly more diverse as well, but I don't know them that well.

[UrbanQuest]

I guess Munster is pretty diverse. 81% white. The only cities in South Florida to even come close is Parkland and Jupiter. 80 and 79% respectively. Hobart is 79% white. Valparaiso is 92% white.

[humddumd73]

Originally Posted by Taylor.52719

My family is also looking at Valpo and the surrounding areas. We are an African American couple and want to know about the areas to absolutely avoid! We have lived in the S. Suburbs of Chicago for a long time now so we pop in and out of Indiana a lot but we are not very familiar with living there?? We also have a three year old that will start Pre-k soon and would like to place him in a school that is at least somewhat divers. Thanks for your help!

My husband and I are also considering moving to the valpo area We are currently located in Phoenix AZ but my family is from South Bend, IN and his is from Chicago. I am white and he is black so we are also trying to find a good central area where we can raise a biracial family. Please keep us posted on anything that you find as far as locations/neighborhoods that have potential

[NotGivingUp]

I know this is an old topic, but I feel I must reply in the event that someone either wants to move to or has experienced racism in Hobart.
I lived in Chesterton prior to moving to Hobart, and you would think that Chesterton would be worse. I found out that because there are so many people from Chicago that moved to that Chesterton due to the South Shore in town, it's quite diverse. Although you're still dealing with the Porter County people from the hub town of Valpo which is, imho extraordinarily racist.
It's like these small people believe that they should enjoy mid to upper level lifestyles with a faux "city" wise attitude, but can't handle the diversity that a real city brings. So they lock down even the white people into this over-controlled and corrupt in my opinion county of a big fat plastic lie.
Back to Hobart. I believed that being next door to Gary, the town of Hobart would enjoy less racial bias, but I was severely wrong.
If you are Latino, you're probably ok. There is a large population of Latinos in New Chicago/Lake Station and the Hobart folks are basically worn in. But Gary having so many socio/economic issues right next door scares the hell out of these small people.
When it was decided to bus children from Gary to other schools in the area in order to ease the financial strain on Gary and allow the children there the same education that all of the kids in other towns are afforded....Hobart crapped their pants. Sorry for the crude language, but it's so true.
Especially with the new high school going up, they were out of their little minds! I heard about it for the last 3 years and let me tell you...people are really ugly.
Okay, so now my experience. And I'm hoping that somehow if someone has experienced something like me here in town, they will speak up so that we can somehow connect and change these little people.
First of all....overcompetitive sports is a real nasty here. So if you're black and stereotypically good at basketball or big for football or fast for track....you'll do fine! Oh yes...so long as you're not getting in the way of the coaches son or daughter.
Next, there is visible racism amongst the children. Where do they learn that? Hmmm let me think. Not too difficult to figure.
My son is white and my daughter multiracial. My daughter was an athletic "rockstar" before coming to Hobart. She's always been academically above average. My son struggled.
Upon coming to Hobart, my (caucasian) son is all of the sudden "in" and has loads of friends and my daughter....regularly called slang names for her race and can't make it trying out for a PUBLIC school sport to save her life! She is harrassed by school personnel regularly...like every 2-3 months we have some issue.
Example: She was beaten up by another girl and then blamed because she scratched the girl in trying to get away. Oh btw...when I say beaten up...She was put in a headlock dragged across the school yard and then this 5'8", #185 girl (mine is 4'11", #100) dropped her to the ground and sat on her hitting her.
These people have reduced her to very few friends because the kids know that if they hang around with her in school, they too will be harrassed. There are a few that don't care and are still with her thankfully.
I'm not belittling my son's good graces or betterment since coming here, but the bias is just obvious.
I NEVER in my life thought we would experience this. My kids are really wonderful, well-behaved and thoughtful people. They've been raised with diversity and to rise above the small behavior of people like this. But it's becoming exceedingly more difficult to ignore. Especially when a beautiful, young, bright spirit such as my daughter seems to be getting broken down little by little each day by what she experiences. The truth is only now surfacing because she's such a rock.
She doesn't allow her emotions to surface (unlike mom) and so for a very long time I didn't realize how badly people behaved towards her.
Thank you to all of those who read my message. I'm looking for a reporter or even just others to relate to at this point. I'm a sick person and just too sick to fight this alone.
Not only that....I don't my children retaliated against. The school says they don't do that, but I already know better.
Oh and by the way! The State Dept. of Education could care less about this type of behavior. They are only interested in exactly what the school board and superintendant's office are interested in.....Liability. As long as it won't cost them money, they don't care.
Good luck to anyone of any race besides white or Latino in Hobart, IN. You'll need it.
Prayers welcome.

[rubydarkstar]

i had a co-worker who lives in valpo that has biracial children and from what i could tell from her she really hasn't had many problems with racism there. your more likely to get funny looks in chesterton than valpo, but then again chesterton/porter is filled with nothing but angry old farts

[GLOBELINK]

My thoughts exactly.
I've been following this thread with interest for a couple of months now, as we are looking to relocate to NWI from Marion. We are Africans, with 3 children, the choices are, Valpo, Merrillville and La Porte .
Major concern - environment for the children, I read the story of the Law lecturer that had to move back to Minneapolis with some trepidation, the Mayor of valpo has set up a diversity program (is that in itself good or indicative of the extent of the problem).
Any constructive advice will be helpful.
Thanks

[Tom Jefferson]

Michigan City would probably be the most diverse with a black pop of appr 40%. Then there is Gary, with a blk pop of appr 85%. Education would probably be iffy in either of these NW In cities.

[domergurl]

I don't know what to make of the Valpo Law faculty member's experience, except that it's too bad that she felt the need to air it out in the media, sigh. I think that if anyone uses her experience coming into Valpo, then it will repeat itself, a get what you give kind of situation. I'd suggest to anyone considering Valpo, if a prior person's bad experience makes you the least bit concerned, then don't move there. I know I would do the same with my family with any possible relocation city.

[pcg]

Originally Posted by GLOBELINK

My thoughts exactly.
I've been following this thread with interest for a couple of months now, as we are looking to relocate to NWI from Marion. We are Africans, with 3 children, the choices are, Valpo, Merrillville and La Porte .
Major concern - environment for the children, I read the story of the Law lecturer that had to move back to Minneapolis with some trepidation, the Mayor of valpo has set up a diversity program (is that in itself good or indicative of the extent of the problem).
Any constructive advice will be helpful.
Thanks

Have you considered Griffith? It is a great community to raise childern. Small town atmosphere, good schools and close to everything. I have lived there for 15 years, put 5 kids through the school system and have not seen any racial problems. Our subdivision has many black, hispanic and asian family's in it. It is probably the nicest area in town.

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[GLOBELINK]

Thanks Tom Jefferson, Domergurl and PCG for your comments. I've spoken with a few people since the post, and will be paying in another visit in a couple of weeks to attempt to get a better fell for the area, and make up my mind.