Homewood, Flossmore, Olympia Fields

[urza216]

Originally Posted by allen2323

There are so many negative criticisms about flossmoor, homewood, and olympia fields. Most in my opinion come with no comparative examples of better. I am curious to know what other communities are nearby, maybe less than 30 minutes away that are comparable to flossmoor or olympia fields? Established community, mature upscale housing stock mixed with newer built housing stock. Nice downtown areas such as downtown flossmoor and homewood have. Everything not all sprawled out between cornfields and farmland. Metra train access. Etc.

None. In fact, these three communities are very unique and can really only be compared to suburbs in other metro areas. At least if you factor in all four factors of racial make up, economic make up, commercial development and housing stock.

The problem comes in when people try to pretend like they're color blind and ignore racial make up. Yes, these three towns are comparable to other 80%-100% white towns in the Chicago metro area. But the Homewood-Flossmoor is very racially mixed with lots of blacks and lots of whites. As for Olympia Fields... Well, I just find it crazy how if I were ten years younger and were experiencing what I was experiencing ten years ago, I'd be upset that I wasn't attending a high school that's 1.7% white (Rich Central) where all my friends from middle school were attending. Although even at the time, both Rich Central and the high school I did attend (Rich East) were more than 80% black. I was a kid and I just accepted it as normal.

Seriously though.. How is it that the white population at Rich Central is even lower than the Latino population? This isn't reflective of Olympia Fields and Matteson..

[allen2323]

Even with arcadia elementary in olympia fields being awarded the blue ribbon last year. An elementary school that appears to be providing the highest level of education comparable to only the best public elementary schools in chicagoland. With 95 percent of it's students meeting or exceeding the lsat assessment. White student attendance at arcadia is only at 3.5 percent. The preference among almost all white parents in the area for private schools starts at the earliest age. So it is clear that even middle class and affluent whites who are fine with living in a diverse area draw the line in the sand when it comes to sending there children to a predominantly black school. Regardless of the quality of education.

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by urza216

None. In fact, these three communities are very unique and can really only be compared to suburbs in other metro areas. At least if you factor in all four factors of racial make up, economic make up, commercial development and housing stock.

The problem comes in when people try to pretend like they're color blind and ignore racial make up. Yes, these three towns are comparable to other 80%-100% white towns in the Chicago metro area. But the Homewood-Flossmoor is very racially mixed with lots of blacks and lots of whites. As for Olympia Fields... Well, I just find it crazy how if I were ten years younger and were experiencing what I was experiencing ten years ago, I'd be upset that I wasn't attending a high school that's 1.7% white (Rich Central) where all my friends from middle school were attending. Although even at the time, both Rich Central and the high school I did attend (Rich East) were more than 80% black. I was a kid and I just accepted it as normal.

Seriously though.. How is it that the white population at Rich Central is even lower than the Latino population? This isn't reflective of Olympia Fields and Matteson..

As for racial diversity, Oak Brook and South Barrington are equal to Olympia Fields, only you substitute black/white for white/Asian. The Midwest club and Trinity Lakes neighborhood of Oak Brook were 40% and 37% Asian in 2000.
http://higley1000.com/about-this-sit...ology/top-25-a

And actually Rich central white population was slightly higher than the latino student body for the 2010 school year
Illinois Interactive Report Card

[FleeTheRustBelt]

Originally Posted by urza216

Seriously though.. How is it that the white population at Rich Central is even lower than the Latino population? This isn't reflective of Olympia Fields and Matteson..

For one, the white population in that area tends to be older people whose kids are already grown. For another, if you can afford to live in Olympia Fields you can probably afford private school....and the Rich Township schools have had a bad reputation since the 90's. Never mind the white kids like you and me that went to them and actually lived to tell about it.

[linicx]

If I was a white guy and Rich Township only has a 1.4 white student population, I would look at Homewood-Flossmore where the balance is 60% black and 30.6% white and the APYs are quite decent. This school has gotten some nice reviews this year.

[urza216]

Rich CENTRAL only has a 1.4% white student body. Rich East (in Park Forest) is higher. Olympia Fields isn't the only town in RIch Township and Rich Central isn't the only Rich Township high school.

[urza216]

Rich CENTRAL only has a 1.4% white student body. Rich East (in Park Forest) is higher. Olympia Fields isn't the only town in RIch Township and Rich Central isn't the only Rich Township high school.

I don't understand. Why are these three towns the supposedly the only options in the entire south suburban area? It sure seems like that on this forum..

[tlm12283]

Originally Posted by urza216

Rich CENTRAL only has a 1.4% white student body. Rich East (in Park Forest) is higher. Olympia Fields isn't the only town in RIch Township and Rich Central isn't the only Rich Township high school.

I don't understand. Why are these three towns the supposedly the only options in the entire south suburban area? It sure seems like that on this forum..

Thanks to God I have some semblance of intelligence. Through it and my awareness, I would have to say that most whites in Chicagoland do not want to live anywhere remotely black at average income levels (despite how you yourself feel about it).

From experiences growing up, and I know this is highly simplified but I have learned it to be more highly likely than not likely, but places where people are educated more and have higher income like Olympia Fields those places become safe havens because at its income level the only color that matters is green. Even then there is a threshold on the amount of black households that it can sustain. But here is where the problem comes in.

Historically, the trend has been in all areas from L.A. to Chicago to ATL to DC where there is a large amount of black households and those who are middle class to upper-middle-class for those upper classes to escape those inner cities areas that are nice to find better suburban options. They begin to live in affluent areas that match their incomes. Next the middle class follow suit. Middle class whites have a different psyche about them. They abandon their middle class areas in droves pushing the values down or at least holding them back on older housing stock. Then comes the lower income blacks and areas like the "other" south suburbs are forever stained by the reputation that those who left put on it and spread in force. It is over simplified but its the best representation I can think of that shows why south suburbs get no respect despite having similar housing stock, look, and appeal as any other suburb across the region.

I admit I am young less experienced as others but having to do research for investment opportunities and studying trends and the like I am going to stick with my theory. It happened in South Central L.A. Prince George's County ATL and it happens all the time to smaller degree and one of the best evident ones in what you could say is a south suburb that is going on as we speak is Merrillville