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Old 09-25-2009, 08:53 AM
 
Location: Chicago, Tri-Taylor
5,014 posts, read 9,455,878 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chet everett View Post
I am curious why some folks seem to value the "diversity" that they feel will benefit their children but in the same breath say not to worry about the test scores as the break down by ethnic/racial lines in more encouraging.
White guilt.
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Old 09-25-2009, 09:05 AM
 
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I guess I am forced to reply? I wrote that about test scores for the sole purpose of advising the original poster that test scores don't always provide an accurate picture of Oak Park schools.
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Old 09-25-2009, 10:07 AM
 
Location: Oak Park, IL
5,525 posts, read 13,945,737 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chet everett View Post
I almost hesitate to point this out, because the last I want is any sort of disharmony, but I am curious why some folks seem to value the "diversity" that they feel will benefit their children but in the same breath say not to worry about the test scores as the break down by ethnic/racial lines in more encouraging. Would that be like saying "well you know all the kids that did not perform as well as you did in school can still be your pals when you have a nice job as a well paid attorney and they have a made-up job in the Cook Co system"??? I just don't get it...
Is it so hard to believe that some upper-middle to upper class families want their children to grow up and realize there is a whole other world where not every family has a nanny, not every dad makes 200k+, and not everyone goes to an Ivy league college? Call it white guilt if you want (I'm not even white), but I definitely want my kid to appreciate and understand the advantages she has, and not just it for granted.

On a slightly separate issue, "diversity", at least in terms of Oak Park, means a lot more than white professionals and poor blacks going to the same public schools.
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Old 09-25-2009, 10:12 AM
 
Location: Wheaton, Illinois
10,261 posts, read 21,746,107 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oakparkdude View Post
there is a whole other world where not every family has a nanny, not every dad makes 200k+, and not everyone goes to an Ivy league college?

I didn't know that. Thanks for cluein' us in.
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Old 09-25-2009, 10:14 AM
 
Location: Oak Park, IL
5,525 posts, read 13,945,737 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Irishtom29 View Post
I didn't know that. Thanks for cluein' us in.
Tom, I know you realize that. Most adults realize that. Quite a few of the children of my friends and relatives don't realize it, I'm afraid. I'm hoping to raise my child to appreciate it from an early age. She's 3 years old and already wants her own iphone.

As a pre-emptive rebuttal, I'm definitely not saying that all parents who choose to live on the north shore are bad parents who are raising spoiled brats.
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Old 09-25-2009, 10:36 AM
 
Location: Chicago, Tri-Taylor
5,014 posts, read 9,455,878 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oakparkdude View Post
Is it so hard to believe that some upper-middle to upper class families want their children to grow up and realize there is a whole other world where not every family has a nanny, not every dad makes 200k+, and not everyone goes to an Ivy league college? Call it white guilt if you want (I'm not even white), but I definitely want my kid to appreciate and understand the advantages she has, and not just it for granted.

On a slightly separate issue, "diversity", at least in terms of Oak Park, means a lot more than white professionals and poor blacks going to the same public schools.
Always nice to have the less fortunate at hand to build up the ol' self-esteem isn't it? Just kidding. I know what you mean.

I guess it boils down to a numbers issue. In the OPRF school system, upper middle class and upper class parents of this mindset can comfortably do this and feel good because the lower income kids are a small minority, no pun intended. But if you sent 'em to school in neighboring Austin for a double dose of what ails you, well, I think they'd be treated poorly by the other kids, and it would turn into an unproductive and perhaps even dangerous exercise.

FYI, if you look at Oak Park's elementary schools in terms of demographics, you'll find they're more segregated than you might think. But, yes, you definitely get more diversity there than in most other communities.

It may sound like I'm poking fun but I'm not. I'm glad we have places like Oak Park. We have too much segregation in this world as it is
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Old 09-25-2009, 10:43 AM
 
Location: Oak Park, IL
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BTW, exposure to diversity isn't even the primary or secondary reason we (my family) live in Oak Park. We like the pre-war streetcar suburb layout that you find in only a handful of locales as well as the proximity to Chicago.
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Old 09-25-2009, 10:51 AM
 
Location: Wheaton, Illinois
10,261 posts, read 21,746,107 times
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When I lived in Austin south Oak Park had many Irish and Bohemians and was "upper" working class and middle class socially and kids that went to Oak Park High knew a socially diverse group of people. And I had uncles in St. Giles who were CTA conductors and firemen.

Has that changed, has Oak Park gone entirely "upscale"? Do all the Dads in Oak Park now have careful beards, manbags and water bottles? No more firemen, truck drivers, carpenters and street car conductors? (Well I know there aren't any street car conductors)
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Old 09-25-2009, 11:00 AM
 
Location: Wheaton, Illinois
10,261 posts, read 21,746,107 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oakparkdude View Post
Tom, I know you realize that. Most adults realize that. Quite a few of the children of my friends and relatives don't realize it, I'm afraid. I'm hoping to raise my child to appreciate it from an early age. She's 3 years old and already wants her own iphone.
OK, I'm sorry for cracking wise with you.
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Old 09-25-2009, 11:02 AM
 
Location: Chicago, Tri-Taylor
5,014 posts, read 9,455,878 times
Reputation: 3994
Quote:
Originally Posted by Irishtom29 View Post

Has that changed, has Oak Park gone entirely "upscale"? Do all the Dads in Oak Park now have careful beards, manbags and water bottles? No more firemen, truck drivers, carpenters and street car conductors? (Well I know there aren't any street car conductors)
Oak Park's definitely reaching a price point where this is a very real danger, yes, even on the rental end. That has some of the older residents who tend to value "diversity" more than newer residents very worried, I'm told.

It won't matter though, the ball is in motion. I predict that in 10 years, OP won't be very diverse, at least economically. Manbags will abound, the Prius will be the official car, and the demographic mix will become more like Naperville and Elmhurst. It'll be a sort of wealthy suburban Wicker Park type deal.

Personally, I have no problem with this, nor do the younger residents of OP that I know. In our capitalist system, if something is desirable, people pay more for it. Unless you want to subsidize housing costs for certain groups -- which no municipality can afford to do -- there's no way to stop it.
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