where are the liberal, family friendly suburbs? (Cleveland, Youngstown: buying, public schools)

[schmave]

Personally I thought pretty much the entire Cleveland metro area was liberal, especially in comparison to the rest of Ohio. Are there any really conservative areas up there?
Northeast Ohio long been the most reliably Democratic region of the entire state, although Trump did well in some of those counties in 2016.

[TheProf]

Inside Cleveland proper: West Park/Kamms Corner and Little Italy; burbs: Fairview Park, Bay Village, North Olmsted/Olmsted Falls, Chagrin Falls, Hunting Valley, Gates Mills, ... the SW suburbs (Medina, Strongsville and Brunswick -- aka Brunstucky) all are stand out conservative areas in NEO... and there are many others.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by schmave

Personally I thought pretty much the entire Cleveland metro area was liberal, especially in comparison to the rest of Ohio. Are there any really conservative areas up there?
Northeast Ohio long been the most reliably Democratic region of the entire state, although Trump did well in some of those counties in 2016.

West Park is pretty conservative and the suburbs that border it. It's a large neighborhood too. Also, the less yuppy parts of Old Brooklyn, Detroit Shoreway, Ohio City (long time residents). Cleveland as a whole though is perhaps majority liberal but I think less than many people might assume. I run into conservatives pretty frequently downtown.

[andrew61]

It's worth noting that "Democrat" doesn't always mean "liberal" in the sense of "progressive" as we've come to think of it. Although Greater Cleveland certainly has liberal enclaves, "Democrat" here traditionally means more of a populist tradition -- leaning economically liberal (pro-union, pro living wage, etc.) and socially conservative at the same time. As I've remarked before, it often seems to me that the more progressive policies local government enacts are being pushed on a populace that isn't quite ready for them yet.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by andrew61

As I've remarked before, it often seems to me that the more progressive policies local government enacts are being pushed on a populace that isn't quite ready for them yet.

I think they just don't want them.

[kpl1228]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

West Park is pretty conservative and the suburbs that border it.

Agreed somewhat, though all of West Park is not conservative city workers and cops, particularly the more eastern multi-ethnic, multi racial areas. I would say 140th and Lorain is not, for example, solid Trump, or anti-liberal. Same with Old Brooklyn.
Agreed with the earlier statement of populist Democrat (pro-union, etc) is not always liberal socially.
Not everyone in West Park, though, is a Steve Loomis-loving angry white conservative.
West Park is more than the stereotype, it can get complex. But yeah: it ain't Cleveland Heights!

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by kpl1228

Agreed somewhat, though all of West Park is not conservative city workers and cops, particularly the more eastern multi-ethnic, multi racial areas. I would say 140th and Lorain is not, for example, solid Trump, or anti-liberal. Same with Old Brooklyn.
Agreed with the earlier statement of populist Democrat (pro-union, etc) is not always liberal socially.
Not everyone in West Park, though, is a Steve Loomis-loving angry white conservative.
West Park is more than the stereotype, it can get complex. But yeah: it ain't Cleveland Heights!

I can't seem to fix the West Park borders which often seem larger than what I define. I'm probably thinking more Kamm's Corners (... and is it 'Corner' or 'Corners' ... I've seen it both ways). Anyway, the core area I'm thinking about roughly bordered by Lorain on the South, the (gorgeous) Rocky River Reservation on the West and, say, roughly Triskett to the East. Of course that would mean the RTA Red Line station designated as "West Park" wouldn't actually be in West Park ... oh well.

Anyway in the last 4 years, within my defined core WP area, I've seen more Trump signs than in any other section of the City save Little Italy. ... and to me, that's as strong, demonstrative an indicator of being 'staunchly conservative' as any I can think of.

[TechieTechie]

Originally Posted by TheProf

Inside Cleveland proper: West Park/Kamms Corner and Little Italy; burbs: Fairview Park, Bay Village, North Olmsted/Olmsted Falls, Chagrin Falls, Hunting Valley, Gates Mills, ... the SW suburbs (Medina, Strongsville and Brunswick -- aka Brunstucky) all are stand out conservative areas in NEO... and there are many others.

Prof, any additional feedback on Fairview Park?

I'm now looking into places to buy...and for my budget, want of at least 1/3 acre, and wanting to be near greenspace (and not needing, say 4k square feet of house), the NE corner of FP comes into play. It's just SO cheap compared to Western Lakewood, just across the valley.

I love SH/Southern CH, but the lack of larger yards and green space that is dog friendly is a real downer. (plus the West Side has much better access to the Lake). But I love living (renting, in SH) in such a liberal, family friendly, beautiful town.

[WRnative]

See post 2. You'll know much, much more about the political cultures of Cuyahoga County communities AFTER 2020 precinct results are released, given that everybody now has endured four years of the Trump administration. I suspect, and hope, that you'll see many more "Lincoln Project" Republican voters, a category that didn't even exist in 2016.


My expectation, based on polling AND personal observations, is that communities with greater populations of whites without college degrees will vote Republican in greater than average percentages in 2020. So check out the demographics for communities of interest. It's amazing the number of Trump/Pence signs that I see in central Lake County, especially in blue collar, middle-class neighborhoods. If you're NOT seeing the Trump/Pence sign avalanche as you drive through Fairview Park neighborhoods, that's a good indication of more moderate conservative attitudes. Most persons don't understand the massive tax breaks that Republicans have bestowed on small business owners through pass-through exemptions and lower tax rates, most especially on the state level but also in the 2016 federal tax bill.

There are many whites on the west side who are great, great individuals. Many of them, however, are very tax averse, often use parochial schools for their children, and, this is what I find most chilling and problematic in my interactions with them, they rely on Fox News for their worldview. I had a friend that I've known for decades, a great guy, who at lunch less than a year ago expressed his admiration for Mike Pompeo, who has opposed the Paris Agreement and called climate change a "hoax." Two years ago, this person asked by if climate change was real, and I was visibly shocked and dumbfounded. I could only answer, "yes," as others were present (in both instances). This is political culture is what you may deal with on the west side of the Cuyahoga.


Personally, I've really stepped up "educational" e-mailing in the past two years. Some recent articles sent to friends.


https://projects.propublica.org/climate-migration/


https://www.wired.com/story/antarcti...d-below-water/


Hank Paulson (personally shocking and unanticipated) interview beginning at the 16-minute mark.


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio...ynihan-podcast


https://www.globenewswire.com/news-r...WF-Report.html


https://www.intrafish.com/fisheries/...ies/2-1-875710


https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/14/us/ne...rnd/index.html


I steadfastly maintain that conservatives, including many traditional, pre-2010 Republicans include environmental preservation in their conservative values, by definition alone. It galls me when someone claims to be conservative but argues that climate change is a hoax and opposes environmental "regulation."


I've become less popular as a result of my proselytizing. I'll fall on my sword if it makes a difference in the 2020 and future elections, but there is a long, long way to go when climate change isn't even a topic in the first Presidential debate, and I can't think of a single Democrat who has objected, even Biden. The last time I checked Biden's website, I found none of the above information.


So mass denial and indifference to climate change realities is NOT only a Cleveland and Ohio problem, although the media in Ohio and northeast Ohio is massively culpable IMO. E.g., read this column -- not one "Editorial Roundtable" member mentioned climate change as an important issue.



https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/20...are-about.html

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by floss_k

We're moving to Cleveland with 2 children who will be in elementary school. We're looking for family friendly suburbs that are liberal/left leaning. We've been researching Beachwood, Moreland hills, Solon, Rocky river. We don't want too long of a commute to downtown.
Although Shaker heights looks interesting we are put off by the property taxes and average public school system.
Any suggestions?

I have been living here (North East Ohio) for seven years. We want to move to Shaker Heights or Cleveland Heights. We are liberal, and most of my county is not. I live in a diverse city. Our daughter graduated from the local HS, which gets a bad rap. I think that honestly, people are put off by the racial diversity of city schools. We like that many racists leave our small city for the surrounding areas.

What I am trying to say is sometimes "good schools" are great! Shaker Heights is a good district, and as WRNative said, the scores do not tell the whole story.

Most High Schools have tracks. Our daughter was in honors classes and did incredibly well at a HS not nearly as good as Shaker Heights. Just a thought.

Both of the kids have graduated college now. Each with Honors, and they attended very different high schools - my son, one of the highest rated HSs on ultra academically conscious Long Island, NY. And the other in an urban HS.

I think family encouragement, involvement and values, in most cases, transcends districts.

There also is something to be said about a little diversity of all types. You will not find any economic diversity in Solon, or Beachwood.

The suburbs you mentioned are the ones I would have suggested if you are looking for liberal leaning 'burbs with highly rated schools. You can't go wrong with any of them.
There really are no "oppressively" conservative suburbs around Cleveland, and some are outwardly progressive.

Which is why we want to move there from where we live now.