White flight? Suburbs lose young whites to cities

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I really hope this is someone who hacked into Kevin's account and is being sarcastic, because if someone with advanced degrees is really thinking on this simplistic a level, it makes me frightened for our educational system.

The "charter schools" part is the most asinine of all.

The account's not hacked.

As for charter schools, the truth of that is going to vary from state to state as charter schools aren't really strong everywhere. Here, charter schools are generally excellent options. They've made OKC Public schools back into a viable option for parents who actually care about their children's education. What a charter school is varies from school to school, system to system, but as my wife teaches at one, I have a fair bit of knowledge about what they are, who goes there and how the schools perform. Given the right environment and faculty, these schools can be excellent.

And some things really are simple, cut and dry. There are haves and have nots in this society, merit has a lot to do with those who are/aren't, so does luck and circumstance, but facts are facts. Gentrification will present those of lower socioeconomic means with more opportunities. Some will be displaced, some will not.

As far as being offered pennies on the dollar for one's home, to take that deal, either you'd have to be the subject of an eminent domain taking or you'd have to be dumb enough to sell for less than your property's worth. In the first case, if you find that horribly objectionable, public sentiment is generally against it, change the law. Takings for private development are considered unconstitutional in Oklahoma (state Constitution), except in circumstances involving blight. In the second place, we still generally condone capitalism. I can't really condemn any sort of transaction between a willing buyer and a willing seller. Both are deriving some benefit from the transaction or it wouldn't be taking place. Finally, if one has allowed their property to fit the definition of blight, then I don't feel a whole lot of sympathy.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Kevin

And some things really are simple, cut and dry. There are haves and have nots in this society, merit has a lot to do with those who are/aren't, so does luck and circumstance, but facts are facts. Gentrification will present those of lower socioeconomic means with more opportunities. Some will be displaced, some will not.

Kevin, there are people who live in East Liberty who have worked their asses off and suffered the ill effects of gentrification not once but twice. Why have they suffered? Because huge corporations that they can't possibly compete against are coming in and the city's sucking their dicks like it's their job. And don't ask me "where is East Liberty?" Use some of that time that the "luck" of your birth gave you and google it.