Diverse Neighorhoods in N Arlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd be interested in the answer to this as well. The PP mentions S Arlington, but I'm more interested in N Arlington. I'm AA and we lived in N Arlington before we had kids. We loved it (we were in the Courthouse area), but we were always struck by how lily white the area was. We'd be interested in moving back to the area, but don't want to raise our kids somewhere they would be the only AA kids. Are there any AA families in N Arlington? I mean, I'm sure there's one or two, but are there any neighborhoods with more?

I live in North Arlington.

I don't know how diverse you want exactly, and a lot of people are throwing Glebe at you as an example of a diverse school. I suppose relative to the others, it may be, but it's not exactly a bastion of diversity.

http://virginia.webschoolpro.com/glebe-elementary-school_VA0130070100/school-enrollment-characteristics.html

57 black kids in a school of 459 students (of which 275 are white).

Figure some of those kids are almost certainly siblings, and that reduces the number of black families. I don't really think you'll find a lot of childless black households in the area.

That said, this is proof that your kids won't necessarily be the only black kid in the class, but there's more than a decent chance he will be. That's less than 10 black kids per grade, over how many classrooms?

Another thing to consider is that of the North Arlington schools, Glebe ES's reputation is relatively poor. I'm not saying it is deserved, I'm saying that's how it's perceived.

Yes, these statistics are now 2 years old and as of 2011-2012, there are only 39 AA students at Glebe and 297 white kids. There are also 487 students total now so the school population is growing, although it is less diverse.

http://www.apsva.us/cms/lib2/VA01000586/Centricity/Domain/11/civilrights/civil_rights_stats_2011-12_tables.pdf

[Anonymous]

"Are there many AAs in S Arlington? I had always been under the impression that the diveristy there was mostly latino, but that's just based on my own anecdotal observations."

It is heavily Latino but there is a good mix of white, Asian, and AA, too. In my building of 11 condos (in Columbia Forest), we have 3 African American families, 3 Spanish and 4 white and 1 South Asian family. I think we're pretty indicative of the diversity of the area.

The closer you get to Bailey's Crossroads on Columbia Pike, the more African American residents you will see. They might not be in the same socioeconomic status as you, if you can afford to live in North Arlington, and a lot of them are African immigrants. I don't know if this is something that matters (I don't mean to be anti-immigrant at all, but thought you might be looking for people who share the traditional black experience in the US, if that is also your experience?)

Nearer the Pentagon, just south of Columbia Pike, is a more traditional black neighborhood (non immigrant, for the most part). I don't know what it's called--sorry!

[Anonymous]

It's Nauck.

[Anonymous]

We live in High View Park and it is a great neighborhood. Don't have an elementary schooler now, but I'm surprised to hear the numbers stated above, that Glebe Elementary is just 10% African American or less.

The demographics have shifted to more upscale even in the past five years, but at the same time I do consider this a diverse neighborhood still.

[Anonymous]

Johnson's Hill is at Columbia Pike and Washington Blvd. Nauck and Green Valley are farther south, between Glebe Rd and Walter Reed Dr. Lots of new houses were built recently on both sides of Glebe Rd. Some are in cul-de-sacs and some face Glebe, but they are nice. Another group of new houses on Glebe Rd., just south of Columbia Pike and next to the Post Office. Not sure what that area is called

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:don't pick a place by being racist and looking for "diversity" pick it based on income, working professionals and test scores.

Unfortunately that doesn't work for those of us in the minority. Believe it or not most people want to live someplace where they and their children see some people who look like them. I'm guessing that's not something you have a clue about.

I am a minority and this seems racist, , imagine if a white counterpart said this. Being a minority doesn't give you a free pass to be racist or does it?

[Anonymous]

I am a black immigrant. I've lived in N. Arlington (22209) for 8 years now. My kid's school does not have many AA but they have a ton of friends. They get invited to all b-day parties. I am currently pre-arranging future 'marriages' with other mothers. We have made a lot of great friends( other school parents) because of our kids. Our kids are appreciated by parents of their friends and are sought after play dates. So if you want to move anywhere in N. Arlington, just move. However, I may not be the right person to offer an opinion because for us, the most important criteria we consider when it comes to choosing a school are test scores and then the availability of enrichment activities. We travel outside the country to broaden our kid's cultural perspective. I don't know if we even thought about diversity when we picked our neighborhood and school triangle. But we always encourage them to choose friends who are focussed and motivated, no matter who they are or what they look like.

As a whole, I find Arlington to be a great place to live, raise kids and built friendships. The schools are all excellent for the most part.

[Anonymous]

Arlington has done a very good job of ridding itself of lower income, high need AA families and Hispanic families through economic discrimination.

this here. Anyone who has lived here for 15 or more years will remember the Arlington of car lots, WW2 garden apts. and cheepy pho places. I would add "fixed income seniors and rental apt. vets" to the above list -- it's not about skin hue, it's about revenue. A lily white senior retired Navy civilian in a subsidized apt. is not giving the county the $$ that a 32 yr old, 2-law firm couple is going to kick in. The latter, for some reason, all seem to be white and Asian. Their black and Hispanic white law firm counterparts (of which I am one, BTW) clearly prefer points east and north. Say, Rockville or Silver Spring or Colonial Village in the District.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Arlington has done a very good job of ridding itself of lower income, high need AA families and Hispanic families through economic discrimination.

this here. Anyone who has lived here for 15 or more years will remember the Arlington of car lots, WW2 garden apts. and cheepy pho places. I would add "fixed income seniors and rental apt. vets" to the above list -- it's not about skin hue, it's about revenue. A lily white senior retired Navy civilian in a subsidized apt. is not giving the county the $$ that a 32 yr old, 2-law firm couple is going to kick in. The latter, for some reason, all seem to be white and Asian. Their black and Hispanic white law firm counterparts (of which I am one, BTW) clearly prefer points east and north. Say, Rockville or Silver Spring or Colonial Village in the District.

Or 16th Street Heights or further out in Virginia. But not Arlington.

[Anonymous]

maybe something feeding into Ashlawn? I looked at the demographics of all the schools in Arlington, trying to find something that had maybe 50% white and 50% mix of other. (we're caucasian, but wanted my daughter to grow up knowing some kids who weren't, and a lot of schools in Arlington are either 90% white or 80% hispanic.) Ashlawn came up as one of the few schools in North Arlington that had a larger number of AA kids. (Hispanic and Asian are much more typical here.) Look in Bonair/Bluemont, I think - the boundaries seem to be South of Wilson, North of 50/Carlin Springs and West of Glebe. That area also has the benefits of being relatively close-in to Ballston - metro, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:maybe something feeding into Ashlawn? I looked at the demographics of all the schools in Arlington, trying to find something that had maybe 50% white and 50% mix of other. (we're caucasian, but wanted my daughter to grow up knowing some kids who weren't, and a lot of schools in Arlington are either 90% white or 80% hispanic.) Ashlawn came up as one of the few schools in North Arlington that had a larger number of AA kids. (Hispanic and Asian are much more typical here.) Look in Bonair/Bluemont, I think - the boundaries seem to be South of Wilson, North of 50/Carlin Springs and West of Glebe. That area also has the benefits of being relatively close-in to Ballston - metro, etc.

Actually, Ashlawn is only 4.3% AA according to the statistics chart listed above. I do agree that Ashlawn, Glebe, and Barrett have traditionally been the more diverse N. Arlington schools, but that is changing and the diversity that is there is at each school is definitely skewing Asian and Hispanic.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if AA families just don't live in Arlington in large numbers? I have quite a few AA friends who live in Northern Virginia (most in Arlington or Alexandria), but only a couple of those have kids. The black families with kids that I know tend to live in communities with more blacks, in MD and DC. (Ellicott City, Bowie, Indian Head.) I understand the desire to have some similar faces around - that's part of why we didn't buy in South Arlington. I thought it might be weird for my kid to be in a school with a 70%+ hispanic population.