If you think California is bad, check out Mississippi

[SabreHorn]

You sound like you are quoting Mohammed Ali. He said almost exactly the same thing on Johnny Carson one night, except Ali expanded it to include much broader area of life. He basically said "give aways" wouldn't do any good until the culture of the home is changed.

 

[VYFan]

I don't think CA has any HBCUs at all and of the CA schools with a larger black enrollment, none are well known or considered high achievement. But when I say "education" I'm referring mostly to primary and secondary (K-12). That is the age group that is most indicative of the priorities in the house.

The disparity in educational attainment shows up in statistically significant ways as early as kindergarten. So even before the education system is employed, there are large disparities in academics. This difference comes from what is done in the home to start children's development. Black homes are much less likely to practice numbers, letters, ABC's , etc.

These are not hard tasks. They don't take a Phd in the house to accomplish. They are time oriented tasks. If you don't take the time to practice ABC's with your 4 year old, your 4 year is going to start out behind.

The issue, however, is not where a 4 year starts, that disparity can be erased in a year or two. The bigger issue is the culture in the home that is unlikely to ever change. So, a parent that is unable or unwilling to practice ABC's or read to their child is not more likely to get engaged as the child progresses in school and subjects get more challenging. They are even less likely. and bad habits learned in early childhood are hard to modify later. This has a cumulative effect on the achievement level of that child. Black families are not the only families guilty of this, but they do so at much higher rates than other demographics and it is substantiated in almost every academic measure we have ever taken the time to compile.

An enormous fraction of our social policies over the past 60 years has been to try to remedy this issue, with one handicap of issue-solving being that it is forbidden ever even to state out loud what the problem is that we are trying to solve or mitigate.

 

[mchammer]

I know it’s not like the rest of the state, but Ocean Springs is one of the nicest towns in the South.

Agreed.

 

[BrntOrngStmpeDe]

An enormous fraction of our social policies over the past 60 years has been to try to remedy this issue, with one handicap of issue-solving being that it is forbidden ever even to state out loud what the problem is that we are trying to solve or mitigate.

So true. There are lots of studies trying to tie it to wealth, as in rich kids do better because they are rich. And other studies that try to tie it to teachers expectations of children based on race. None of these are entirely wrong on their face. They all play a role.

But the biggest factor by far, (and the one that we can't say out loud)... is parents set the academic habits in their home. Even if a parent has a poor education themselves, they can still set the right tone in their house. and this makes all the difference.

 

[mchammer]

No, it isn't simple at all. Compared to CA, the demographics, culture and a whole lot more are so different it's literally like 2 different countries. I lived in CA for many years and have spent a significant amount of time in the south so I think I know more than most.

CA literally was the land of golden opportunity for over 100 years until liberal policies started the decline about 30 years ago. There was nothing not to like: great weather, incredible beauty, incredible agriculture. That attracted the right type businessman for over 100 years. But in a way they were too successful. People got rich and the kids ended up being spoiled brats. CA used to be very conservative, but the kids are now the leaders. And we know what happens with spoiled brats. Imagine millions of Hunter Bidens. Now everyone is leaving due to the politics and unaffordability.

MS was devastated after the civil war and there has never been anything to attract top businesses there. There's no natural beauty and the weather sucks. There's also a culture of not caring about income. Affordability is the only thing they have going for them, and that's not enough.

I can't think of a better place to live for the best weather and more natural beauty than Saratoga, CA. That's why so many ended up in that area. But any decent house is over $3 million and the politics are a turn off so it's changing. Even the tech companies are moving out. There are actually still a lot of conservatives there, but their voice is invisible. And they will mostly be gone or dead over the next 20-30 years.

Let's see where these states are 20-30 years from now.

The population charts attached support your argument. MS never got the influx of population to do anything differently in terms of production.

 

[mchammer]

If you look at the CA chart above, Texas is expected to hit 38-39m by 2040. CA will be lucky to hold their population at current levels by 2040.

 

[Chop]

Texas is expected to hit 38-39m by 2040

I'm not rejoicing about that...

 

[HornHuskerDad]

^Too many people already in Texas - try to drive the DFW freeways!

 

[Chop]

Who knows, maybe after another 50-100 years of overpopulation and massive immigration, Mississippi will get the last laugh as an underpopulated, underdeveloped backwoods forest.

Screw education, wealth, and health rankings. That place might be highly desirable as much of the rest of the country and world turns into one giant overpopulated and overdeveloped Megopolis.

Get your 1,000 acre plot of woodlands now.