Info on Wichita neighborhoods (live, racism, work)

[Sco]

Originally Posted by KevK

When bussing started in the 60s, unlike in the south where there were riots, with a few exceptions (South High and Truesdell), the black students were welcomed into the previously all white schools.

This is just a blatant lie, the whites did not welcome the black students into the schools. As soon as bussing and integration became the norm, whites started fleeing into the suburbs where they could be fairly certain that their children wouldn't have to go to school with too many minority students. It was fairly common for white families to go so far as to move out of the city so their children wouldn't have to attend school in a black neighborhood as soon as they were chosen to be bused.

Entire suburbs like Derby and Andover exist mainly so middle class whites will not have to live near or put their children in schools with blacks and latinos.

[athfo]

Originally Posted by Sco

This is just a blatant lie, the whites did not welcome the black students into the schools. As soon as bussing and integration became the norm, whites started fleeing into the suburbs where they could be fairly certain that their children wouldn't have to go to school with too many minority students. It was fairly common for white families to go so far as to move out of the city so their children wouldn't have to attend school in a black neighborhood as soon as they were chosen to be bused.

Entire suburbs like Derby and Andover exist mainly so middle class whites will not have to live near or put their children in schools with blacks and latinos.

THIS is a blatant lie. You can't answer for the 45k to 50k people living in the suburbs. YOU are being the ignorant one by grouping all of those people into one.

I agree with KevK on this one.

[MissChrista]

Originally Posted by KevK

Wichita is not racist. It is one of the LEAST racist places in the USA. It has a black Mayor despite being 80% white and it had another black Mayor in the early 60s (A Price Woodard) when such a thing would have been unheard of in most of the country. When bussing started in the 60s, unlike in the south where there were riots, with a few exceptions (South High and Truesdell), the black students were welcomed into the previously all white schools.
That is not saying that Wichita is, by any means, perfect. It has had problems too but when compared with most of the rest of the country, it is 100% ahead and always has been on race relations. Nobody cares if you are married to a black person or if you have bi racial kids. Few of them will even look twice.

I am black, and i wouldn't consider Wichita racist... yes i may be young and in the younger generation but I haven't ever ran into racism at all... so whoever was stating that is incorrect. I agree with KevK... I think that its moreso black people looking crazy at interracial relationships than the white people. Its sad that this thread has become about race. I think that Wichita is a good place for all races, and i think that people judge Wichita based on what they THINK Wichita is rather than their personal experiences here.

[Modron]

Originally Posted by Sco

This is just a blatant lie, the whites did not welcome the black students into the schools. As soon as bussing and integration became the norm, whites started fleeing into the suburbs where they could be fairly certain that their children wouldn't have to go to school with too many minority students. It was fairly common for white families to go so far as to move out of the city so their children wouldn't have to attend school in a black neighborhood as soon as they were chosen to be bused.

Entire suburbs like Derby and Andover exist mainly so middle class whites will not have to live near or put their children in schools with blacks and latinos.

Historically. many Wichita suburbs have been racist. I've taught in a couple of them. And they're pretty racist. Perhaps times have changed and will keep on changing. But, it's not a lie to say that historically these communities have been racist, they have been. Where I work now the biggest putdown after "gay" and "retard" is "You Jew." And, it's 2009. Even in Wichita schools I've had a building administrator tell me, "I'd have a decent school if I could just get rid of the damn blacks." And it was a middle schools and she was talking about 12-14-year-olds.

I think things are better than they were 30 years ago, but I don't think race relations in metro Wichtia are ahead of the curve.

[athfo]

Originally Posted by Modron

Historically. many Wichita suburbs have been racist. I've taught in a couple of them. And they're pretty racist. Perhaps times have changed and will keep on changing. But, it's not a lie to say that historically these communities have been racist, they have been. Where I work now the biggest putdown after "gay" and "retard" is "You Jew." And, it's 2009. Even in Wichita schools I've had a building administrator tell me, "I'd have a decent school if I could just get rid of the damn blacks." And it was a middle schools and she was talking about 12-14-year-olds.

I think things are better than they were 30 years ago, but I don't think race relations in metro Wichtia are ahead of the curve.

Well, I've LIVED in the suburbs over the past 20 years, and what you say is simply not true. They are not racist! I agree with other posters that the Wichita area is racially diverse and has good race relations amongst its citizens.

[Hardbody46]

I'm Black and I was Stationed in Wichita in the 60's and I didn't find much personal racism but I found a lot of institutional racism. I lived in Wichita for 2 years and really enjoyed myself. I believe that racism exists through out this country. But I think the younger people seem to be more open. I have heard that whites in wichita are more vocal about their racism. I have heard of incidences in wichita but I've heard of racism all over the country. Instead complaining we need to try and see what each other's problems are and work towards solutions and try not to be angry about. If we just complain racism will always be there. We need to act on each other's behalf no matter what color or belief. I know most people have heard this before but did we ever earnestly act on it?

[KevK]

Originally Posted by Sco

This is just a blatant lie, the whites did not welcome the black students into the schools. As soon as bussing and integration became the norm, whites started fleeing into the suburbs where they could be fairly certain that their children wouldn't have to go to school with too many minority students. It was fairly common for white families to go so far as to move out of the city so their children wouldn't have to attend school in a black neighborhood as soon as they were chosen to be bused.

Entire suburbs like Derby and Andover exist mainly so middle class whites will not have to live near or put their children in schools with blacks and latinos.

Actually that is incorrect. As a METRO, Wichita is on the LOWER end of the percentage of people that live outside the city limits. It is probably about 10-15% of the population. Here in Atlanta, almost 90% live out of the city. It is common in larger cities for more than half to live outside the city in suburbs.

[Amyzodd]

This hasn't much to do with race, but there was a thread about whether gays are accepted in Wichita. All I can tell you about that is I have never, even living in N. California, had so many people openly refer to "my wife" (lesbians) and "my partner" -- (my gay supervisor). Kansas is not at all what people think.

[KongAtTheGates]

Originally Posted by MissChrista

I am black, and i wouldn't consider Wichita racist... yes i may be young and in the younger generation but I haven't ever ran into racism at all... so whoever was stating that is incorrect. I agree with KevK... I think that its moreso black people looking crazy at interracial relationships than the white people. Its sad that this thread has become about race. I think that Wichita is a good place for all races, and i think that people judge Wichita based on what they THINK Wichita is rather than their personal experiences here.

It might not be racist for black people but it's racist for other types of people...for instance Arabs like me.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by Amyzodd

This hasn't much to do with race, but there was a thread about whether gays are accepted in Wichita. All I can tell you about that is I have never, even living in N. California, had so many people openly refer to "my wife" (lesbians) and "my partner" -- (my gay supervisor). Kansas is not at all what people think.

Do you know that Wichita was the SECOND city in the USA to pass laws banning discrimination against gays? Yes, it was later repealed but most other cities did not even TRY to do such a thing in the mid 1970s!