Welp, Georgia, you're now close to dead last in highschool grad. rates (Atlanta: best school, property taxes)

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

Originally Posted by David1502

Arjay, you are making the whites in Atlanta sound like they are all similar politically to liberals in San Francisco and Seattle. However, one reality is that the majority of the affluent whites of Buckhead have chosen to send their kids to private schools instead of sending them to North Atlanta High School which is a majority black school. If they are the "progressives" you claim, wouldn't they be eager to have their kids in the same classrooms with blacks from south Atlanta, instead of sheltered at Lovett which costs over $20K per year to attend? A writer at the Atlanta Business Chronicle wrote 20 years ago that Atlanta Public Schools would be better if the welathy whites chose to support them with their feet. Recently, the firing of North Atlanta's principal had racial overtones with the white students supporting him in the newspaper picture.

If you haven't noticed, there were a lot of Republican campaign signs on West Paces Ferry this election season. Just because these whites pay more in property taxes doesn't mean that they are enthusiastic about it. What choice do they have when they are a political minority in the City of Altanta? Remember, Hunter Hill, a Republican represents this area in the GA State Senate and Phil Gingrey, a conservative Republican, in Congress.

If you think the wealthy progressives send their children to public schools in other cities you must be misinformed.

Does Rham Emanuel send his children to CPS? Did Barack Obama send his children to CPS? Does he send them to DCPS?

Where did the Kennedy's send their children?

I notice you single out whites as being affluent? Most minorities in Atlanta with the resources use private schools.

The Woodruff Arts Center is heavily funded by Republican leaning families.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by David1502

Arjay, you are making the whites in Atlanta sound like they are all similar politically to liberals in San Francisco and Seattle. However, one reality is that the majority of the affluent whites of Buckhead have chosen to send their kids to private schools instead of sending them to North Atlanta High School which is a majority black school.

Well, several points.

1. I don't see much difference between white families in Buckhead and affluent white families in areas like Morningside, Virginia Highland and Candler Park.

2. A lot of affluent black families also send their kids to private high schools. At Mays, for example, which is located in the heart of the city's most affluent black neighborhoods, 79% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches. That doesn't sound like too many of the local gentry are sending their kids to public high school.

3. As GeorgiaLakeSearch has pointed out, well to do folks in Chicago, Boston, D.C. and other cities that are generally regarded as progressive typically send their kids to private high schools.

4. San Francisco high schools aren't exactly bursting with liberal white kids. Of the five high schools in the San Francisco Unified School District, the percentage of white kids is as follows:



By contrast, North Atlanta has 21% white kids and Grady has 27%.

If they are the "progressives" you claim, wouldn't they be eager to have their kids in the same classrooms with blacks from south Atlanta, instead of sheltered at Lovett which costs over $20K per year to attend?

I honestly don't think that's the best measure. As noted above, where families send their kids to high school is probably more a matter of money. However, if that's the criteria we're still ahead of places like San Francisco.

I agree that there are a lot of Republicans in the city of Atlanta, and not just on West Paces Ferry. That doesn't necessarily mean they aren't progressive.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

... I'm not surprised you can't see it, and therein lies the problem.

Exactly.



Bro-jay:

I'm not avoiding anything. You are purposely playing naive, devil's advocate, contrarian, etc...and I'm not really into your games. Really.

The article spells everything out--perfectly.

But--like Roslyn said, maybe you really just don't understand the subject matter at hand. Good Luck.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

One more time arjay as you clearly seem determined to miss the point. Atlanta is an anomaly that may or may not survive. If you look at the patterns of white flight in other cities it usually signals the city's death. Presumably Atlanta had a large enough black middle class to prevent this happening. Even so, it is surrounded by a metro that seems determined to strangle it. Which is the usual result of such situations. See Birmingham. So yes, because of the large population of blacks with money Atlanta has managed to survive, but note, most of the white people have fled to the various metro counties and many are doing their best to secede. And that is my exact point, whites in general have no desire to live in even a marginally progresdive city like Atlanta unless it's majority white. The explosion of population of the metro counties and the secesh movements are an object lesson in thepoint I've been making.

This.

[WannaBeinBoston]

Not to pile on but the prevailing theme that Arjay brings up over and over again is $/pupil spent within CoA schools. That does not equate to progressive or investment in schools. I have to side with Roslyn on this one....it's going to fund a nice chunky pension.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Iowa is also much smaller than Georgia, and has very limited minority populations. It's probably 90% white.

Wisconsin and Minnesota have a similar quality of life (probably better) and a similar quality of education, and they're more on par with Georgia. Population mix depends on the location in each state.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Actually progressiveness and race often go hand and hand. If you think about the most progressive areas if the country the first thing you notice is the paucity of black people. It would seem that whites are only open to progressiveness in a majority white atmosphere.

I don't think that's a valid conclusion, Roslyn. Some of the most conservative districts in the Twin Cities, for example, are almost entirely white. Michele Bachmann's district is a prime example. Also, one of the most liberal areas of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis proper, is also probably the most diverse area in the region.

I think there's a correlation between certain Christian denominations and conservatism, however, and there may also be a correlation between urban or highly educated areas of the country and liberalism.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaLakeSearch

White progressives promote a progressive system because it keeps minorities dependent on the government. They want higher taxes to keep a dependent class. Do some research on the leadership of Acorn.

Remember there is a difference between liberal and progressive ideology.

I think many people don't fit into such nice, neat categories.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by KingJohn

Are you guys saying Georgia and it's residents are uneducated and stupid?

How else do you explain Gov. Sonny Perdue?

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Hm. Well, Atlanta voted for the TSPLOST.

It voted, but mostly against it. The TSPLOST failed in all of the metro counties. It wasn't a city vote.