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Allen, some simple questions: What schools are segregated and what town are they in? In what town has the "diversity" (or should we say "pseudo-diversity")drama played out? Maybe a little dis-connect here, huh?

You keep trying to take the pathetic local-yokel jockying of a few schoolboard members in High Point to up-tone their alma mater/neighborhood school at somebody else's expense (simply because somebody else's already-diverse school is close enough for them to pilliage) as some type of noble stand against segregation, which is exactly the cover story they want you to beleive. Until you can admit this for what it is, we'll just go around and around in a circle. You don't want to admit it's just the same old b.s. that's come out of High Point for years-Emerywood dictating what they want and the rest of the city saying; "I guess that's fine" like Fantasia alluded to in her book. The High Point boardmembers can't seem to see that this isn't going to work in the modern age. You can't force people to do what you want. You have to make them come to the table freely because of value. If you don't, a Las Vegas is going to come and take those people away. (There are places when you won't get gouged for hotel rooms, you will have entertainment etc.) There are places kids can go to schools their parents and not politicians want them to go. You can't grab people by the back of the neck, say you're from Emerywood, and force them to do what you want. The people in north High Point and Jamestown are not factory workers. If you think you can do this, you are DONE!

It's nobodies fault. The world has changed. It is somebody's fault if the politician's keep blinders on and refuse to see it.

John says, "The world has changed", and I fear he is right.

I'll add "...for the worse." to his sad statement.

"Now black folks and white folks seem to have given up on the idea that diverse schools matter."
Allen, the reason that is probably true is because it is one thing to say it matters, another thing to explain/prove why it matters. You have never been able to do that. That's why people of all races aren't sold on the idea of shipping their kids across town to make some intellectuals feel good about themselves.

I also think that middle class neighborhoods are more integrated than you think, but perhaps not as much as you would like. Housing patterns are based on personal choices (like your parents in 1968) so I don't know what else can be done about that. To deny progress on this issue, though, is to be blind to the facts.

P.S. the guy is exactly right about the "Emerywood" thing. Everyone has known for years that there is a crowd in High Point that will do anything to protect the old "Ha pawnt ha schoool" (High Point Central). They really should get over it. That's taking school spirit to the extreme.

David, are you saying it was better when High Point had no middle class and the furniture and textile owners said; "here's the deal" and the rest of the town said "yes, boss" ? Or are you just nostalgic in general?

Mr. Johnson I too was upset when I read of this situation several years ago and therefore looked into the matter. It seems the two proms are becoming more and more common events. But the students request them themselves and the reason is not racial. It is the music played at the events. Yes the MUSIC! And furthermore in most instances the students were free to go to either prom. Some students wanted more of the “Hip Hop” chanting type of music while others wanted a softer music more adaptable to dancing. The report I read also went on to say that the After Prom parties, where a romantic atmosphere of gowns and tux gave way to more casual dress, were more integrated. I think we are apt to jump to conclusions of racism when people are just opting to make their own choices. Might it be time for our society to just back off and let the people both black and white and racial issues shake themselves out? I am sorry I can not refer you to this report as it was a couple years ago and I simply forget the publication. All I can do is assure you that I only subscribe to respected publications and never bother to read the more radical. It was probably in Newsweek or Times if I had to guess.

Allen, there are some great comments from Ed Whitfield in the Yes Weekly story this week on school redistricting. I couldn't have said much of it better myself.

There is also a cover story today in USA Today entitled "colorblind". You should read that, too. It seems to me that some people have a real problem admitting things have gotten better and in fact have a real agenda against race relations getting better. These people don't want a colorblind society. That is unfortunate.

Worse indeed, David... it's enough to make one's blogging exuberance decline.

Allen, forgive me if i misread your blog, however, what i hear you saying is that it's a white thing. If that is correct you are misguided. It's not just a white thing. at even the most integrated schools today, the white kids hang with the white kids, the black kids hang with the black kids, the asian kids hang with the asian kids, et al..perhaps the notion that we can forcibly impose a color blind society is flawed..If you try to force someone to do something, whatever that something is, they will push back, regardless of the motive..

Interesting discussion; I'm only going to comment on one interesting tangent raised by Brenda. I think it is a mistake to say that musical preferences are not related to race. I personally think that many people define themselves by their musical choices. And in a society that tends to be scared to talk openly and honestly about race, I find that you can often learn much more about how a person identifies him or herself by asking about musical preferences than any other question. For example, it is much more socially acceptable to say, "I listen to all kinds of music except for hip hop and country" (the most often heard answer to this question in my largely white, middle class social circle) than it is to say, "I hang out with all kinds of people except for African Americans and poor white people." I am not saying that everyone who dislikes hip hop or country music also dislikes everyone in the traditional groups that create these genres, but Brenda's explanation for why the proms end up being racially segregated supports the argument for a strong correlation.

By the same token, a person of age could say "I listen to all kinds of music except the garbage that is on the radio these days" could mean they dislike young people.

I understand the argument, but I don't buy it. Musical taste is very wide open. I don't care for most rap music, but I have no problem with Motown or 70's soul, or Prince or Michael Jackson before he became a pedophile. I also don't care for death metal, kiddie pop, Nu metal, and most of the garbage that is on the radio these days. I'm 36, so what does that make me? Anti-black, anti-goth, anti-teen, anti-punk...?

I don't think saying "I hate rap" is codespeak for
"I don't like black people" anymore that "I hate country" is doublespeak for "I hate rednecks", nor do I beleive there is any correlation, much less a strong one between musical tastes and bigotry.

Good point, Samuel. Thanks for clarifying. I didn't mean to imply that there was a correlation between musical tastes and bigotry (though as I reread my previous statement, I realize that is indeed what I said). I was merely disagreeing with the notion that musical taste has nothing to do with race. I should have said that there is a strong correlation between musical taste and how one identifies oneself (or would, if they were being honest) with regard to race, class, gender, etc. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.

For the record (no pun intended) the largest segment of rap music consumers happens to be white youth. You'll need to find another excuse.

I'm not sure how much that statistic actually discounts my theory, Allen. To be a music consumer, I assume you need to have the resources to pay for music. Couple the economic disparities in our country with the larger numbers of white youth than black youth and I'm not sure that having the largest segment of rap music consumers be white youth means that there isn't some correlation between identity and musical preference.

If by saying that we "need to find another excuse" you mean that we need to look for another reason that the proms you mentioned ended up being racially segregated, then I agree. There are any number of reasons, in addition to musical preference, that high school students (or people of any age, for that matter) might tend to racially segregate themselves in social settings when given the option. The more interesting question to me is why are schools giving students this option in the first place and why are students requesting it? I don't think it can all be answered by saying that some people simply prefer a "chanting type of music" while others prefer "a softer music more adaptable to dancing."

Jill makes some good points in her last paragraph. It would seem to me that the solution would be to play a variety of music if that is the dividing point. Still, Allen is probably right about the consumers of rap music in terms of real numbers. I'm not sure I would agree if you looked at percentages within each racial group or per capita. Jill's larger point about correlations between music and race as opposed to music and bigotry cannot be denied, although I don't know what the point is. I think it is true that you are more likely to find a white kid who likes rap than you are a black kid who likes heavy metal, britpop, or country. But I don't know where that observation gets us.

In any case, there is no denying that a large number of younger white males in particular mimic the hip hop lifestyle that has its roots in a segment of the black population. Maybe that should also be seen as a statement on progress, although personally I think the "hip hop" culture has many drawbacks regardless of color.

On the other hand, Sam. I saw the USA Today story you mentioned. I agree; some attitudes are changing.
This may be too simplistic a hypothesis on my part, but as a school volunteer, I have seen kids mix very easily in the early grades with scant attention paid to who is black, white, Asian or Hispanic.
The segregation tends to occur as they get older. This suggested learned behavior. And it suggests that maybe the problem is more the parents, not the kids.

Jill,
Last April, Peter Storey spoke at First Baptist Church in a service designed to bring together all faiths, all colors, all cultures. I sat agog on the front row. It was for certain the most unusual service I ever attended at a Baptist Church. Afterward, I went downstairs to the reception, where I exchanged pleasantries with you and others. I couldn't help but notice that a large number of blacks isolated themselves at two big tables. Why this self segregation? Surely, long-standing exclusion and estrangement is at it's roots, but if it couldn't be overcome after a service so powerful as this, in what do you place your hopes?

Allen, I agree that it does seem that there is more integration, or should I say, more voluntary interaction, with younger kids. I don't agree though that it is parents that discourage it as kids get older. Why would they do that? Does it make sense to say it's okay when you're younger, but not older?

On the other hand, when I look back at school, I can't say that the difference is that radical. I think it may have to do with high schools covering larger areas than elementary school districts, so people from the same neighborhood interact more in high school. Certainly, I would agree that children become more aware of race as they get older, and that is the wonderful thing about the innocence of small children. Before they are corrupted to some of the realities of the world, they play together without a care. They are colorblind.

Still, I do think that even when they get older and do become aware of race, most kids still don't segregate by will- they just come from different neighborhoods for the most part. This is also true within races. I remember a lot of little neighborhood cliques that had nothing to do with races. Even the gang problem in this county is neighborhood based. Kids from gang A don't associate with gang B, or else they end up fighting.

I have to say that one of the great thing about Andrews when I went there is that while your generalization about how groups congregate is somewhat true, we still were a very integrated group overall.

I guess I am a bit olderthan most of you being as I am 60 years of age, at least from what I am reading. One is only 36, a youngen for sure.

I grew up in the days before integration but I didn't know what integration or segregation was for the most part. Oh, I knew that there were water fountains that said "White" and "Colored" but heck if I was thirsty I paid the signs no mind.

I remember listening to a DJ named Big John R, sponsored by White Rose Petroleum jelly and some kind of another "hair cream", both happened to be popular with the Black community, or Colored community as it was known then. He was on a Nashville Tn radio station which I could get if the atmospheric conditions were right.
He played music that included Little Richard, Little Eva, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Fats Domino( before he was called Fats Domino). Of course all those musicians are Black but heck we didn't care. The music was super good and we loved it. When the Black musicians came to town they played at the Carver Recreation Building, over in the "Colored "section of town, no one cared because on any Friday night or Saturday night that there was a group playing Rock and Roll there, that's where the white kids were. "Colored" and "white" all together, dancing the night away. At 11'o clock we went home.

We didn't see each other in school, we didn't see each other at the movies, we didn't see each other at the Soda Shop because that is the way things were. I don't suppose many questioned it. We did play ball in the big field across from the Allen Harris mansion. Or we played ball at the "white" elementary school playground, because the "colored" school didn't have one. We played together, went home with each other, ate with each other in our homes and no one seemed to worry that we didn't go to school together
.
We had many things in common in those days. We loved to play ball, no matter what kind it was. We loved Rock and Roll music, even if it drove our folks crazy. Yes, it drove the parents of the "Colored" kids crazy too. The "Colored" preacher called it devil music too, just like the" White" preacher down the street did. No we didn't go to church together in those days either. Our church did swap Pastors and Choirs about every six weeks and WOW, we teenagers loved it. Great music, lots of soul, and preaching that rocked the rafters. Even the old deacons over in the amen corner came alive even more.

I guess the whole point of this rambling is while we were separate in many ways we were still close.
Was it just the music? I don't know. I find it to be that perhaps we were a bit closer, because we actually shared more in common than we had differences. We talked more of our common things and our differences were seldom mentioned so I suppose we didn't really know that we were that different and maybe , just maybe, that was a good thing.

If only we could share our commonality and set aside the things that we perceive as making us different perhaps this column would never have been written.Perhaps we wouldn't find kids sitting at different tables, going to different proms, folks even at church, separating themselves. (Bet that won't happen in Heaven.)

I find it so sad that "diversity" is the norm and not commonality. Maybe, just maybe, we should try for more things in common and forget that the word diversity exists and see how much better we all get along. I believe that even the Rev.and Mrs. King would agree.

Not that I can add anything to the conversation, but I just now realized that you and I grew up only blocks from each other. I remember that time well.

For example: My parents skrimped and saved, and did without things they needed so that they could lease my brothers and I a summer at the Bessemer Swim Club in King's Forest (remember that place) and when it became apparent to the pool management that the club could no longer legally keep the black folks out they decided to close the pool altogether. I remember little white boys and little black boys saying, "Stupid grownups, now nobody gets to swim!"

I remember the black kids who lived next door going to school at Mount Zion while my brothers and I went to Bessemer a quarter mile away. I also remember that no one dared to explain to us why the kids next door-- the kids we played with, fished with, shared meals with, camped out in the back yard with, and took up for in a fight, went to different schools. We asked but no one would tell us.

Since the death of my Daddy I've been living in that very house I grew up in. There's lots of problems with drug dealers and occasional violence but the vast majority of my neighbors want all the same things I want and when there's trouble I know who'll be watching my back-- the black man next door.

Hmm...Jerry, did they isolate themselves or did they just seek out a comfort zone (people who look like them, people they were familiar with etc.) in a strange or different situation (don't we all?) and because they are black (it's visual so you can't miss them as you might white folks who sat together for the same reasons), you perceived that as them isolating themselves? I ask this question after reading this book -- "A Country of Strangers: Blacks and Whites in America" by journalist David K. Shipler. Take a look at it.

Also, as a black woman who is sitting in a work environment where, as far as the eye can see, there is no other black person -- wait there's one! -- sometimes there is comfort in being among people you feel a kinship with because of culture or whatever. Not saying we shouldn't integrate and diversify, but I live in a large urban city and none of my friends look like me, however, when I bought a house, I bought in a neighborhood of mostly elderly and retired black people and I, as single woman in a city with a pretty high crime rate, have never felt uncomfortable or unsafe, whereas some friends of mine who are not black moved into the same neighborhood and are jittery each and every day about "crime" or the threat of crime. Perception, my friends, is reality.

mrproduce,

If my memory hasn't failed, you were listening to WLAC in Nashville and you could purchase those recordings (45's, of course)via mail order from Randy's Record Shop and Ernie's Record Mart in downtown Nashville. Since Visa & Master Card did not exist, you could use COD and pay the postman when he delivered the records.

I think I still have some in my vinyl inventory.

Jerry,
I have three thoughts on your very reasonable question of "in what do you place your hopes?" The first two are not my own.

First, I think about something Peter Storey said in that service to which you referred. He talked about a hypothetical situation in which a white farmer and a black farmer met at a crossroads, the white farmer having stolen the black farmer's cow. Standing at the crossroads, the farmers exchanged pleasantries and the white farmer eventually apologized for stealing the cow. The black farmer forgave him and then the white farmer started walking away. The black farmer asked, "What about my cow?" to which the white farmer replied, "Now, we just reconciled. Why do you have to keep bringing up the cow?" As powerful as that service, focused on reconciliation, might have been, I personally think the community still has a lot of truth yet to speak, hear and deal with before we can start getting closer to a society where groups don't self-segregate.

The second thought I have about hope comes from Cornel West, who, in a meeting last summer with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, was asked the same question you've asked here. His response was that he couldn't point to a rational reason to have hope that things can get better, but that, without it, we might as well go and spend the rest of our days in a crack house.

My third answer to why I have hope lies in a story we've seen play out with regard to the events of November 3, 1979. Roland Wayne Wood, one of the shooters that day, has recently come forward to apologize for his actions. Other than adding a bit of remorse, his story has changed litte in 26 years, but his apology has really been meaningful to Signe Waller, widow of Jim Waller who was killed that day. Signe has since met with Wood and accepted his apology. There was no rational reason for her to accept his apology or for him to offer it, but it happened. If a Jewish widow can forgive the former Nazi who played a role in killing her husband, then why not have hope that things can get better?

The question is a good one that I return to almost every day, Jerry. Thanks for giving me an opening to share a portion of those thoughts.

I find this entire blog strand very amusing.

SOUTHWEST IS ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF A DIVERSE SCHOOL IN THIS COUNTY.

Please, please go walk through this school. In fact I believe the numbers of 44% minority are wrong. (just as many of the other "numbers" keep changing) It is more like 50/50. The children accept this and have no problem with it. Neither do MOST of the parents.

Kids segregate themselves within any school. Children will hang out with kids who share common interests - music, sports, gothic interests, etc. Children hang out with kids who share common moral values. Parents do have a say in this as to who their kids hang out with - i.e. if their friends (of any color) are ones who stay out of trouble, have similar values, etc. Parents have a say in their child's moral upbringing. In fact, it is, in my opinion, their obligation as a responsible parent, just like know where their kids are and what they are doing. I do agree many white kids love black rap music, my daughter being one of them.

There are clubs for students who support gay groups. There are clubs for Christian atheletes. This is one example of diverstiy. We do have a diverse school at SW.

John Gehris and others have stated the real issue of what is going on in Old High Point. You can choose to ignore this, but it doesn't mean that this is not the REAL issue at heart. It has nothing to do with race.

p.s. - I mean "race" as far as the SWH PARENTS are concerned.

I can't speak for old HP money.

John - I know it is hard to fathom, but I didn't even have High Point in mind in my nostalgia.

I grow weary of every conversation about race, here and elsewhere, finally turning back to north High Point's fiefdom defenders believing that they are the only people who have ever been wronged in matters of education.

I will be very pleased when HP's schools get back to whatever it is that will make certain people happy or, since that is probably not possible under any scenario ever devised, to ultimately make good on their threats and seek out private educational opportunities. It seems that only then will others be able to engage in conversations among participants who don't sound like broken friggin' records.

We get it already. Please find some new information to add to the debate.

Allen,

What you missed in your "90 some comment blog" was people acknowledged they ARE for diversity, that it should start in the schools that need it most, Dudley being one example.

Diversity for the entire county; or neighborhood schools as a priority for the entire county. It is after all, GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS, and the SB has a current goal of "one county movement". Consistency was the emphasis; not hypocrisy by constantly focusing on High Point schools only. The folks in North High Point and Jamestown know the true agendas at play here.

We don't need to rehash this subject. I was covered quite well on the 90 some comment blog a few weeks ago.

We actually were in agreement on some of our comments.

Well, lest anyone forget, the News and Record- who swear they don't have an obsession with race- has another FRONT PAGE HEADLINE story today about NASCAR's pursuit of "diversity". It's news, but is it really FRONT PAGE HEADLINE news with everything else going on in the world? Isn't the speaker of the NC House under investigation? Isn't there a war going on? I have no problem with the story, but it doesn't deserve FRONT PAGE HEADLINE status. Typical from the News & Racecard- all race, all the time. And we wonder why people can't get past race...

Unfortunately, David, there is no turning back.

The parents didn't cause the problem; the problems aren't getting any better.

Solutions and goals can only be accomplished when GCS admits to the real problems first and decides how to educate all children; how to provide a safe learning environment in our schools, retain good teachers and acknowledges responsbility and accountability - for the entire county, not just HP.

Issues of rebuilding trust and future bond referendums are at stake for the entire county. In the end until things change for the better, the children are the ones who lose out.

AMEN, SAMUEL S!

Mr. Johnson I very much disagree with you that segregation as children age is a learned behavior gotten FROM parents. In fact, the fact that young children interact is more the choice of parents in placing their young children in integrated situations even outside of the schools. On the other hand, anyone who has a teenager knows that they will do as they please regardless of what a parent advises. In fact, they thrive on rebellion and will do just the opposite! As for the proms the reports made clear that All students were permitted to attend any prom they wished to attend. In some cases the proms were held in the same location so that students could easily go from one to the other. Do wish I could give references but am sure that if you want more information you can google it and get all kinds of reports on the current trend.

Mr. P. is nice to hear from another from my age group! I grew up in Wellsburg, West Virginia in the little finger of segregated W.Va. that fits neatly between integrated Ohio and integrated Pennsylvania and like you, as kids we all played together. One instance I do remember well however and that is when my friend Wanda and I wanted to go to the same school in the fall after our summer of swimming in the creek (not the segregated pool which as a country kid I never went to anyhow), swapping comic books and otherwise being together. Both of our parents said no that we couldn’t, but neither set of parents would explain to us why. So Wanda and I continued to be friends until as teenagers we sort of drifted apart as our interest changed. In 1953 my Freshman year in high school W.Va. integrated with no problems or even comments as far as I can remember, and the students all readily worked and studied together in school classes, but after school the “colored” kids seemed to disappear and as far as I could tell it was by their own choice because the few who did come to the local hang outs were accepted as having a right to be there with the rest of us and welcomed as friends. This self chosen segregation seemed to continue into college with again the colored students who wanted to socialize doing so with no one noticing or commenting on a color barrier.

This type of self imposed without thought segregation seems to be how things have been all my life. I can honestly say I haven’t had many Black people in my home for dinner, but I can also say that I have NEVER been invited to the home of a Black for dinner. Mr. Johnson maybe you can tell me why this is the case. I certainly know and have been friends with many Blacks over my lifetime. Why then did none of them ever invite me into their homes?

People also self segretate within religious and ethnic groups, age groups, class and between the sexes, so it is not necessarily a racial thing.

David, you're still missing it. The people who are screaming about this issue don't have a "fifedom". They are defending themselves from the people who had the fifedom, see it slipping away, and will stop at nothing short of taking everybody else down with them if they have to to preserve it best they can. Believe me, there is nobody more than us who want this go away. God, how we wish it.

Mad Dog, you are absolutely correct. I left those facts out of my post and should receive forty lashes with a wet noodle for doing so. Oh, yes I still have stacks of my vinyl in both 45 and 33. "Long live Rock and Roll!!"
I had the opportunity to meet John R at one time and had thought for years when I was young that he was black. Wrong! Big,and I mean big, white and a head that looks like a cue ball. He had no need for Royal Crown hairdressing, which by the way was the other sponsor of his show.

Brenda, how sad to hear that you have never been invited to a Black person's home for dinner. Lordy, I grew up at Mrs. Rosetta's dinner table and learned to eat everything from collards to chittlens. I even ate possum there once, bake in a dutch oven with loads of sweet taters. The taters were to soak up the grease of the possum. I had raccoon there also and liked it much better.
However not all meals were of wild things but many a meal of delicious fried chicken, gravy , biscuits, smashed taters and veggies. Topped off by a triple layer coconut cake with icing that was as deep as new snow and had tops like the white caps on the ocean. It was a time of fellowship, joy, peace and love for all those gathered. No one argued, no one sassed, and no one spoke of anything other than all the blessings that we were enjoying. All that in a small southern town in East Tennessee. I am so thankful for growing up in a climate such as I experienced then. Of course my parents had a lot to do with my respect for others. It was taught well and re-enforced with a sound whipping if I failed to respect any person, regardless of color of skin, physical looks, handicapps or otherwise.

Mad Dog, where in the world were you listening to WLAC nd Big John R? Whoa, those were the days. Remember also KOMA that you could get if the weather was real right. Also Wolfman Jack occassionaly live,playing at the Red Dog Inn in Salinia Kansas.(I think that was the town) How about Dick Bianita(sp) at WBZ Boston who got sacked for playing some song on the air and wound up at some station in Iowa playing the wake up show, milk pail sounds and all. I got temporary suspension for accidently playing the "dirty version" of Louie, Louie. What a switch , going from the late nite show to the wee hours in the morning show. I hated doing the early moring show as a DJ in my younger days. Loved that night show hahhaha. That's when all the "chicks" ooops , no insult meant ladies,but that what you were in those days, called up to make request. Sure got a lot of phone numbers back in those days. Found the little red book just the other day packed in with some of my high school books and college books.
Well, glad to find someone who can share the memories of days gone by. For now "'m gonna wait til the midnight hour, til my dreams come tumbing down." I may even check to see if any of those names will answer my question, "Do you love me, now that I can dance", if so " Let me take you on a sea cruise" Owwee Owwee baby, Owwe. while we are there I will ask, "Do you wanna dance and hold my hand..." If you say no then I will surely "Cry" and and find myself "slipping and sliding" in the "tracks of my tears". And so I will go even way back before I sign off and say, "Good nite Irene, good nite Irene, I'll see you in my dreams" while I dream about waking up on "Mocking Bird Hill" tralala, twiddle dee, it's peace and good will, to wake up in the morning on mocking bird hill.
So until tomorrow nite, turn me on, turn me up, but baby, never turn me down. (fade into National Anthem)

Thanks for all the comments. Now let's remove the focus from the schools with a different twist to the same nagging issue: Why do parents choose segregated places to live and worship? You can't blame that one on the school board or people who live in Emerywood.

Why? Because people of of different races are uncomfortable around each other.

Why are they uncomfortable around each other? Because, for the most part, different races are reared with differing cultural norms and values... it is human nature to avoid the unfamiliar.

Then how can people quit avoiding unfamiliar cultures ? By becoming more familiar and comfortable around each other.

Then why don't we become more familiar and comfortable around each other? See the first question above.

Allen,

You should check out some of the newer neighborhoods in North High Point. On my street, there are Asian families, Middle-Eastern families, black families, a Native American family, and white families. We also have a gay family and many retired families. There are Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Catholics in my neighborhood.

Our family chose to build our home in this already diverse neighborhood.

Allen, that's about the stupidest question you've ever asked- Do you honestly think people decide where to live based on race? If you do, you really are delusional. What do the realtors always say- "location, location, location". I haven't seen an ad yet or a person yet say "race, race, race". People choose where to live based on their income, size of the home, convenience, crime rates, and schools.

People worship in places based on their FAITH foremost (Christian, Jew, Muslim) etc, then DENOMINATION (Catholic, Protestant, reformed, orthodox, etc), then SUB DENOMINATION (Baptist, Methodist, etc), then probably established relationships with the congregation, then location/convenience. However, I would agree that the experience in a black church is different than the experience in a white church. So when dealing within Protestantism (which I believe is the only religion relevant to your discussion if you think about it), I can see where race may some factor.
Not so in Catholicism, where there are far fewer choices around here, and the service is the same whether you go to Saint Pius X or the Vatican.

Allen, funny you should pick Emerywood. Emerywood has been and is the single most segregated area in High Point. Ask Dot and Mendenhall why they live there?

Had a Black minister explain to me why white folks aren't comfortable in a Black church and I suppose the reason could be reversed. It seems that the white folk are still among the "frozen chosen" while the Black folk have been defrosted by the Holy Spirit. Check it out sometime in most white churches. Hand's raised in praise, clapping, shouting, ain't happening among the "frozen chosen".
Seems as if the white folks need a bit of warming up and defrosting. It might stir them to do more than just church on Sunday.

Mr. Johnson, You failed to answer my question and I am quite sincere in asking it. So here it is again: Over my lifetime I have had many Black friends and colleagues and on occasion had Black couples in my home for a party or dinner or just a quiet evening of cards and conversation. I have NEVER been invited into a Black couples home. Why is this Mr. Johnson? Sincerely, Brenda Bowers

Allen,

Our congregation can't even get a majority of the membership to attend services on a regular basis so our concern isn't so much of integration but of continuation as a going concern.

Now, the Pentecostals seem to be doing a good job of integrating the races unless my eyes are playing tricks on me as I watch Paul and Jan fleece the viewership on TBN. What I find of interest is that many of the White mainline denoms (Episcop, Methodists, Presbies) who tend to be more liberal with a preference toward preaching a social gospel of "all are the same in the eyes of God" are some of the most segregated of the churches.

My formerly all white neighborhood in Guilford county has had several upwardly mobile African American families move into it during the past five years. And their homes are newer and bigger'n mine. When they're out of town for an extended period of time we're there (remember, It Takes A Village) to watch their homes and property and vice versa. Imagine that, African Americans moving into Billy Yow territory.

This is no different than when my parents started doing well in the early '60s, they left the poor side of town (where the poor white Baptists lived even though they weren't Baptists themselves) and moved uptown. More upwardly mobile African Americans are leaving the inner city than ever before and moving to the 'burbs. Now that's integration succeeding as a result of being lifted up by better education and opportunities for all Americans.

True, we've still a ways to go, but Jesus would be proud of the progress.

Brenda, you didn't ask me, but I'll respond: maybe they don't like you. Seriously. Maybe they come to your house because you are a colleague and they don't want to be rude and not accept the invite sometimes, but they aren't willing to invite you into their homes because, you aren't friends, after all. Maybe they feel ashamed of their homes, where they live. Also, when I had a housewarming a couple years ago and invited my friends and coworkers, my grandmother's sister (she's in her late 70s) attended and was SHOCKED that I had white people in my house. I mean shocked enough that she brings it up every time I see her.

"white folk are still among the "frozen chosen" while the Black folk have been defrosted by the Holy Spirit."

Priceless because it is so true. I haven't heard it put that way before.

You haven't been hangin out with the right kind of folk Sam. hahaha.

Paramedics were called to a church to give aid to a person who allegedly had a heart attack. It seems they carried out half the congregation before the discoved the right person.

That is priceless, Mr. P.

A few years ago I intended a black funeral (my first and only occasion to do so) of a 10 year old boy and neighbor who died in a car accident over the 4th of July holiday. In fact, he and I shared the same birthday and I had subbed his class many times at school. He was very precious. This tragedy moved our whole neighborhood community. It was our neighbor's only son.

The funeral was truly an eye opening and cultural experience. It was one of the most moving ceremonies, long, and full of emotion, lots of acting out emotions. No "frozen chosen" there. I learned a lot. Church "nurses" tending to the grieving family. Doves released in the church cemetary. The ceremonial was uplifting and peaceful in the end. It was a truly awesome experience and one of life's moments I was glad to share and will always remember.

Allen,
I have a interesting question for you and everyone. The school board spent quite a long time on checking where specific neighborhoods in downtown HP were and which school they were assigned too. Is this not racial and labeling behaviour by them? Should we really divvy up our school districts based on gang locations? Doesn't it perpetuate the problem through labeling and the self fulfilling prophecy? Should not the SB treat all children as equal.
What is everyone's opinion? This should be an interesting discussion.

Dear Write4food, When I asked that question I certainly knew I was laying myself out there for the obvious answer and I am sure that in many cases it was, and is, correct. We don’t all like everyone and certainly don’t have to. ( I happen not to like Council woman Goldie Wells after the letter she wrote to her fellow council members. I have never met her and never intend to. Neither do I like Mr.Ed Cone though I have never met him, but his attitude on blogs and comments give the impression that he feels he is superior, and opinion I question obviously.) But, some have indeed been friends to the extent of keeping in touch though we have lived in different states for years. Sending flowers and phoning all most every day when I was seriously ill in the hospital. Keeping up with each others children who were at one time playmates. But, I have never been invited to their home although they have been to mine many times. And in fact are stopping by this spring on their way to visit their family in New York. I just felt that this was an appropriate question given the problem of self segregation that we are speaking of and the rather broad intimation that it is the fault of the white people and not the black.

Allen,

I'll ask my question one more time, since you keep bringing up your concern about the lack of integration at our schools.

When will we integrate the most segregated school in Guilford County? You know which one that is Allen? It's the one that has less than 1/2% white students. Yes, Dudley. If you are going to continue this dialogue about segregation in schools, let's start with Dudley. Do you think that hasn't happened because the parents and students like going to their neighbrohood school? You keep ignoring this issue and giving vague answers, but the fact remains that Dudley is the most segregated school in the county. If diversity really matters as you think, then desegregation of Dudley is long overdue.

Where to begin?

Brenda: I have had many white friends to my home. And I'll have a bunch more over in the future. No biggie. You are welcome, too (so long as you behave yourself).

I have also had many of them to my mother's house in (gasp) the black community. I detected no discomfort among anyb of us; in fact, we had a ball.

This is the 21st century, isn't it?

There are cultural differences, to be sure, but there are tons of similarities among different races as well.

It's not as if we live on different planets.

As for our children, they are, on the whole, more comfortable with different races than we are (were).

But I still submit that we set horrible examples for them with our prejudices and stereotypes.

Young people have incredible BS antennae and can spot our "Do as we say not as we do hypocrisy" faster than we can spew code words such as "neighborhood schools" and "busing" and "urban."

They hear us complain about "busing" but never in the interest of getting away from diverse schools. Buses were rolling past closer schools to more distant schools in the name of segregation decades before they were in the name of desegregation. (In some cases, they still are today.) Nobody (in the white community, at least) complained about "busing" in those instances.

As for "neighborhood schools," kids hear some parents spout that rhetoric -- arguing that it's a matter of happenstance and economics that segregated neighborhoods happen.

But they conveniently ignore the statistical "tipping point" which dictates, for no apparent reason other than race, that when a neighborhhood passes a certain threshold of its percentage of black residents, white residents move away.

It has happend over the years and it happens now.

I also find it interesting how many people still insist, in spite of all this evidence to the contrary that they are color-blind.

Please.

We can and should do better, folks.

Did you ever think that the "tipping" point has other reasons?

One main reason students leave for private school is lack of safety and discipline. Teachers leave for the same reasons.

Why more black students are suspended is being asked by many in our communities. Is the reason maybe that the popular as a whole in particular schools consists of more black students? Is discipline being enforced equally across the board based on the offense? Should kids who commit offenses just be considered "off the hook" because of their color if indeed they have broken the rules? We have heard the word suspended for "nonconforming" reasons. Well, to me, "nonconformance" means not conforming to the rules. If all students do no have to follow the rules equally, why do we even bother with a student handbook? Which, by the way, in the past three years has changed drastically in lack of significant consequences.

What lessons do we teach ANY of our young children if they do not have to abide by rules in schools? in society?

You are correct in some of your references to busing, Allen.

Why are some students bused right past Page to go to Eastern? Why are some of the HP plans blatent "swapping" plans? Black students are getting bused too right past Andrews which many could walk to.

Great point.

No one has answered the question proposed by "Ask Allen" about splitting up all the gangs in HP. Is this not LABELING?

I've tried to get the discussion off of the schools, at least for a short while, and onto how we adults handle race and ethnicity.
I've halfway succeeded.
Barbara Ann, how do you explain the "tipping point" in suburban neighborhoods?
Do black adults have disciplinary problems?

Frankly, I'm not aware of the tipping point in suburban neighborhoods that I'm familiar with. We live in a suburban neighborhood. We have white people, many Asians, Swedes, Spanish, blacks, Indians (from India), old people, young people, single professionals, grandparents who moved here to be in the same neighborhood as their grandchildren, and many different religions. We all get along just fine. Our kids hang out together. We have neighborhood socials. That's why I like this neighborhood.

What I am saying about schools, is there is no proof people leave because of "race". There are many, many reasons people leave public schools today to go private or home school. Some have to do with family values, public schools being too liberal, and some families want to be in a school that promotes Christian values. And I can tell you from what many people I know say, safety and lack of discipline and respect for authority is a major reason people are pulling their kids out. They hate what is being tolerated in our schools with no consequences. It is also why teachers are leaving the profession. You didn't have this problem with following rules years ago. Parents want their children to be safe and not caught in the crossfire. The problems are there in many of the schools. It is not helping to shove them under the carpet or treat them lightly.

You have still not answered about spreading out the gangs in High Point. Is this not "labeling" kids?

There were three references to "schools" in the orginal post by that started the strand. I thought we were discussing schools, diversity or lack thereof, separate proms, etc.