Blog neglect
Jul 19, 2005 Race
I’ve been busy scouring this site for census information about Columbus-area neighborhoods. And the Great Schools site for more specific demographics.
The three neighborhoods we are considering all have less racial diversity than the neighborhood we live in now. This is troubling. However in at least one of the neighborhoods, we would still have quick access to this one (the same grocery store, for example). In the other two, depending on where we live, we would have some access but would need to make more effort. Also one of the neighborhoods apparently has a lot of movement from African American students outside the area. In Columbus you can choose your school and there are three schools fed by this mostly white district that are considered very good by Columbus standards. Just outside this area is a neighborhood that is primarily African American and that — shocking, I know — has schools that are on Academic Emergency. Some of the students there must have parents who are exercising their right to school choice.
There is a fourth neighborhood with similar demographics as the one we live in now and also has similar downsides (too far to walk to anything, few school choices should we need school). It’s also on the other side of town, making it more difficult to keep with our friends/family community in an everyday way and it would give Brett a killer commute.
We’re feeling really challenged by our options. It’s pretty damn difficult to measure the advantages and disadvantages and try to come up with the best mix. I don’t want to move to a neighborhood solely for it’s racial make-up if it means that it is in every other way less livable. If there isn’t foot-traffic, if it isn’t child-friendly, if the houses aren’t to our liking — that’s what we have here.
Oh if only Columbus had its own Shaker Heights!
Speaking of our neighborhood, our street is very short with only about a dozen houses on it. It dead ends into the cross-street at either end. Our neighbors are nice but all of them are older. In ten years it will likely start turning over and younger families will move in. (Too late for us.) Anyway, there is one black family who lives two houses up. The children are grown but I see the mom doing yardwork. I always wave and she doesn’t always wave back.
The other day I was following Madison as she toddled down the block and this woman was driving by. She saw Madison and stopped her car in the street to talk to her. Then she said, “You live here?” I said yes indeed, we live here. She said, “I have a 2-year old grandson who comes to visit, they’ll have to get together and play.”
So I guess we really are neighbors now.
Oh and I’ve added a new category; this is the first entry in it.
July 19th, 2005 at 9:58 am
We’re thinking about moving (well, we ARE moving, we just haven’t made any concrete decisions about it yet) and having similar issues. The area we live in now is about 35% African American, which is great, but only 1% Asian — not so good for our Chinese daughter. There are two areas with larger Asian populations near us, ranging upwards of 15% — both too expensive for us to consider. And since we have to think of our entering-middle-school son’s academics as well … Ugh. It’s so hard.
July 19th, 2005 at 11:41 am
Dawn:
Your post got me thinking–there are a lot of things that a new neighborhood can give you that you can’t give to your kids in other ways (ie a specific nearby school or friends down the street), but you *can* give them exposure and experience with friends and people with a diverse background in other ways than by proximity to your house. I say this b/c I grew up in an all-white neighborhood but through my parents values and actions and friends, I learned to appreciate and value diversity. As it stands now, we live in a very racially diverse neighborhood and we value that. However, it’s only by what we say and do in that environment that will teach our children to appreciate that diversity anyway. I hope this all makes sense–what I’m trying to say. I don’t think you’ll ever find the perfect neighborhood that meets all criteria, but I hope you’ll be happy with what you do find. Good luck!
July 19th, 2005 at 12:41 pm
I’m so glad Patty wrote, because whenever this issue comes up I feel like I’m missing something. I recognize that I’m not entrenched in a racially diverse everyday life — I, my husband, and my kids are all Caucasian — so anyone can take my opinion with the proverbial grain of salt. (Then again, where we live is one-third Mexican; my three-year-old is already learning Spanish.) But I *am* a parent. When we move (in about 3-5 years), I will consider everything Dawn mentioned when sizing up a neighborhood. I will also probably make a note of the racial makeup, but it won’t be my deciding factor. A place where the kids can roam? Proximity to work and the places we like to spend time? A house I want to be in and that I can afford? Quality of schools? These will all be extremely important to me. The racial makeup of an area doesn’t even make my list. Neither does the possibility of living next to — gasp — Republicans, because I find I always learn the most from people I don’t agree with, and I know some Republicans who are — gasp again — actually quite wonderful, caring, tolerant people that I could learn a thing or two from myself. (Which leads me to ask myself: If I’m in favor of racial diversity, shouldn’t I also be in favor of political diversity?)
Do I think racial diversity is important? Of course I do. So does my husband. As Patty said, I “*can* give them exposure and experience with friends and people with a diverse background in other ways than by proximity to [my] house.” I know my husband and I are good parents; I just as fervently believe Dawn and her husband are good parents. (And dare I say, I could learn a thing or two from Dawn.) But it’s what goes on inside our house — where most of the pivotal time is spent — that’s most important. If that’s sub-par, all the racial diversity in the world will not make up for it. I believe that there are some less-than-perfect aspects of living that the right attitude can transcend, and to me, racial diversity or the lack thereof is one of them. But there’s essentially nothing I can do to, in effect, change safety, roam-ability, location, real estate pricing, and school quality, so those would be my dealbreakers.
July 19th, 2005 at 4:01 pm
I just wanted to say that we have several Asians that are neighbors and we do not know them (in fact, we do not a lot of the white neighborseither, it’s that kind of street where no one is ever home). Lately, when I see when of the Asian neighbors out I go introduce myself with my daughter) to them. I feel like I have to make the effort to expand our circle, even tho I feel like a bit of an ass sometimes.But… you never know what can come out of it, at least that’s what I hope.
July 19th, 2005 at 4:03 pm
I, my husband, and my kids are all Caucasian –
—>> Sandra, before I had my daughter (a miniority) I could have written your post. Now that we are a racially diverse family, our priorities have changed.
July 20th, 2005 at 1:18 am
we bought and moved about a year ago, after years of renting and moving around.
what helped clarify the issues that were most important to us was actually looking at apartments, and spending time in the communities and talking to people who lived there. what we thought would appeal to us, didn’t as much after closer examination. what we thought what important, changed somewhat as we continued our search.
not sure if that is clear without knowing the specific examples (which you can email me about if you want) but i suggest just jumping in and starting to look more, and that, in and of itself, might help you clarify which issues are most important.