roosevelt high school down the tubes (St. Louis, St. Charles: middle-class, public schools, mall)

[JaySTLouis]

If she believes that then let her continue believing that. That's what she saw so it's instilled in her mind that the cause of downfall is "black" people. I agree with some of the things she stated and disagreed with some also.

We should not dwell on who did what and when but our main focus should be how to fix the problem and bringing the neighborhoods, schools, etc...back to an ideal and respectable level. We've all played the blame game for so long and there isn't one person or a group of people to blame. All of us are to blame for letting things get to where there are now.

I'm quite tired of having discussions about the blacks and whites, rich and poor, city and county, Democrat and Republican, apples and oranges, this and that......Shut up and do something about it. There is no point in taking a side and arguing it when at the end of the sentence you just spent a few seconds typing you sit there and either wait for a reply or just log off and go on with you daily routine. We as a people will never progress when there are so many things that can easily divide us. It's pathetic.

*Stepping down*

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by JaySTLouis

If she believes that then let her continue believing that. That's what she saw so it's instilled in her mind that the cause of downfall is "black" people. I agree with some of the things she stated and disagreed with some also.

We should not dwell on who did what and when but our main focus should be how to fix the problem and bringing the neighborhoods, schools, etc...back to an ideal and respectable level. We've all played the blame game for so long and there isn't one person or a group of people to blame. All of us are to blame for letting things get to where there are now.

I'm quite tired of having discussions about the blacks and whites, rich and poor, city and county, Democrat and Republican, apples and oranges, this and that......Shut up and do something about it. There is no point in taking a side and arguing it when at the end of the sentence you just spent a few seconds typing you sit there and either wait for a reply or just log off and go on with you daily routine. We as a people will never progress when there are so many things that can easily divide us. It's pathetic.

*Stepping down*

Well in that case, lets close down all message boards.

As far as there being many things that divide us. I am sorry, I will let myself be divided from somebody who views one race of people as being inferior from another. Crazy, I know.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

I am sorry, I will let myself be divided from somebody who views one race of people as being inferior from another.

I couldn't possibly agree more. I've spent too much of my adult life physically and emotionally distancing myself from some of the racist baby boomers that seem so prevalent in St. Louis to put up with it on a forum. If, at 9, I yelled at my dad for saying the n word, then I'm pretty freakin' sure I'm not going to sit idly by while an internet stranger does all but the same thing.

[60'sGal]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I couldn't possibly agree more. I've spent too much of my adult life physically and emotionally distancing myself from some of the racist baby boomers that seem so prevalent in St. Louis to put up with it on a forum. If, at 9, I yelled at my dad for saying the n word, then I'm pretty freakin' sure I'm not going to sit idly by while an internet stranger does all but the same thing.

I never used the "N" word. Don't lie. I also never said Blacks are inferior. A question was posed, I answered it. You didn't like my answer. Tough.

I was there...I saw it...I lived it.

Now, there is no need for you fret that you might live near me and my "racist, baby boomer" ideas"....I don't live in St. Louis.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by 60'sGal

Now, there is no need for you fret that you might live near me and my "racist, baby boomer" ideas"....I don't live in St. Louis.

That actually makes me feel much, much better.

But you still wont answer the other questions I asked. Why is that?

[60'sGal]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

That actually makes me feel much, much better.

But you still wont answer the other questions I asked. Why is that?

I apologise. Did not intend to ignore your questions. I actually have one for you. Please share what white school you are referring to. Not saying you are wrong, just curious.

I answered your other question about Roosevelt to the best of my ability as to what I saw and experienced.

Now, someone else makes reference to the "quality" of the people that moved in and led to the decline of the Tower Grove Heights area and it's Schools. I'm sure that's true. It just so happens, those low quality people were black in this case. As I mentioned earlier, had they been Asian, White or Plaid, I would have said so.

You want to make this an issue of Republican and Democrat...Conservative vs. Liberal. We can do that, but it really had nothing to do with my answer. In fact, I don't see those as being the problem. The problem lies in each of us and our unwillingess to take responsibility for our own actions. We have become a moraless society and therefore expect very little from our elected officials. We hold no one to higher standards...especially ourselves.

Now, to address your snarky comment about being thankful you don't have me a neighbor. You are wrong. I am a fine neighbor. I am the neighbor who respects your property as my own. I am the neighbor who would keep an eye on your property when you were gone. I am the neighbor who would take you and your property into consideration before I made decisions that might affect you. Truly I would.

Now, please share those white schools that have always been white, are still white and are bad. I truly want to know.

Thank you.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by 60'sGal

You want to make this an issue of Republican and Democrat...

No I dont, its about being ignorant or not being ignorant. You stated that the reason Roosevelt went down hill was because of black people. Not the quality of people that moved into the neighborhood, but black people in general. If you cant see a problem with that there really is no need to discuss any further.

As far as white high schools with problems similar to Roosevelt, take a trip to Central Alabama or Western Mississippi, or anywhere in Appalachia. Same test scores, same drop out rates, different race.

Examples: Belle Pointe, Fort Smith, Arkansas. Palestine-Wheatley Senior High, Palestine, Arkansas.

Edit: If you would like, you can add Plano East High School in TX to the list. Great test scores there go along with a very high usage of heroin.

Im sure you are a wonderful neighbor. I have wonderful neighbors as well. The difference is, I dont have to listen to my neighbors talk about how bad the neighborhood gets when black people move in.

[Silvermouse]

Originally Posted by 60'sGal

I apologise. Did not intend to ignore your questions. I actually have one for you. Please share what white school you are referring to. Not saying you are wrong, just curious.

I answered your other question about Roosevelt to the best of my ability as to what I saw and experienced.

Now, someone else makes reference to the "quality" of the people that moved in and led to the decline of the Tower Grove Heights area and it's Schools. I'm sure that's true. It just so happens, those low quality people were black in this case. As I mentioned earlier, had they been Asian, White or Plaid, I would have said so.

You want to make this an issue of Republican and Democrat...Conservative vs. Liberal. We can do that, but it really had nothing to do with my answer. In fact, I don't see those as being the problem. The problem lies in each of us and our unwillingess to take responsibility for our own actions. We have become a moraless society and therefore expect very little from our elected officials. We hold no one to higher standards...especially ourselves.

Now, to address your snarky comment about being thankful you don't have me a neighbor. You are wrong. I am a fine neighbor. I am the neighbor who respects your property as my own. I am the neighbor who would keep an eye on your property when you were gone. I am the neighbor who would take you and your property into consideration before I made decisions that might affect you. Truly I would.

Now, please share those white schools that have always been white, are still white and are bad. I truly want to know.

Thank you.

Excellent post.

[60'sGal]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

No I dont, its about being ignorant or not being ignorant. You stated that the reason Roosevelt went down hill was because of black people. Not the quality of people that moved into the neighborhood, but black people in general. If you cant see a problem with that there really is no need to discuss any further.

As far as white high schools with problems similar to Roosevelt, take a trip to Central Alabama or Western Mississippi, or anywhere in Appalachia. Same test scores, same drop out rates, different race.

Examples: Belle Pointe, Fort Smith, Arkansas. Palestine-Wheatley Senior High, Palestine, Arkansas.

Edit: If you would like, you can add Plano East High School in TX to the list. Great test scores there go along with a very high usage of heroin.

Im sure you are a wonderful neighbor. I have wonderful neighbors as well. The difference is, I dont have to listen to my neighbors talk about how bad the neighborhood gets when black people move in.

St. Louis Schools. That is what we were discussing. Please do not point out schools in Appalachia, Arkansas...etc. I lived and worked in those areas. They are areas that have ALWAYS been poor and downtrodden. They are not areas that were once lovely, alive and filled with people who cared. Your point is invalid pertaining to our discussion.

You want to make me out to be racist. I give a rat's ass. Quality of people? Surely. These people happened to be Black. I said it before and I will say it again. Had they been Asian, Muslim, Vietnamese, Chinese or Chuck E. Cheeze..I WOULD have said the same thing. Had they been white trash, I would have so. They were trash to be sure. They also happened to be Black.

So, do your bleeding heart, liberal two step all around it if you want. Be bop and scat all over the place. The fact remains, Tower Grove Heights and the surrounding Schools and buisnesses suffered and declined due to the large influx of Blacks during the 1980's.

[60'sGal]

Originally Posted by Silvermouse

Excellent post.

Thank you. Good to know there is at least one other person on this Board with some intelligence and guts.