White Flight, Christian Separation, And Good Citizenship

WARNING PLEASE WEAR PROTECTIVE BOOTS, I MIGHT JUST STEP ON SOME TOES WITH THIS ONE....

So we have been talking a lot lately around the office concerning the influence of financial mobility and its impact on local school choices. Then this article on the Huffington Post pops up and brings up some great points for discussion:

Why White Parents Won't Choose Black Schools:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/abby-norman2/why-white-parents-wont-ch_b_8294908.html 

Many people I know explain these choices based on very inaccurate perceptions of our public school systems. Some people blame the philosophies of "secularism," a need for "separation [i.e. religious focus]," lack of "safety," too many "socialistic teachings," or promiscuously biased "sexual education" as the reason they choose other schooling options [alliteration intended].

But as this article points out, there are often just bad perceptions, unannounced/un-admitted stereotypes, unacknowledged fear, and hidden racism that underlie many of these excuses. Parents that believe in these dangers of their local urban schools and with the financial ability to do so, are often either moving to the suburbs, turning to private/out-of-district schooling [if they can afford it] or homeschooling [if private schooling is not affordable or not readily available or want even more control].

Don't misread what I am emphasizing, I fully support the idea that parents should be the ones to choose what schooling arrangements meets the needs of their child and family. Just don't based those decisions on false conjecture, skewed perceptions, or biased parental fears. We all are part of this community and therefore all have a part of the reason for why "that school" is the way it is. What is that I see quoted all the time: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." (Edmund Burke) Remember, this applies to our public educational system too, we weren't called to abandon the world just yet, but to be a force for positive change.

We see this in churches and social circles too where we now viewing our public/volunteer lives as a consumer interactions that must meet my needs and desires rather than fulfill our responsibility to be good citizens, meeting the community's needs, and challenging our school/churches to be better because they are "ours" and not some unknown other persons.

As believers we need to get real about our great commission to "go unto ALL of the world" and get ready to be "TOO diverse" in our worships, our gatherings, our fellowships, our organizations, and our relationships.

The Apostle Paul said it often:

"For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Rom 10.12-14

In full disclosure, my kids do go "out of district" out of convenience to our family's lifestyle. However, I will refuse to bad mouth our neighborhood school, and will do whatever I can to support and promote their success.

As an attendee of a public schools for over 19 years of my life (college included), and in very diverse communities, I can attest to the quality, the values, and the richness that being involved and committed to our community schools can bring. Not to mention the influence of my Christian parents on my friends was an invaluable testimony that many parents often forget (i.e. stop being selfish about public education views, it isn't just about your kid it is about our calling to be "in the world but not of the world").

You see the age old rebuttal was that it "isn't fair to make our kids missionaries in the "lost" public school" is based on the same flawed philosophy that they are "protecting their kids from the bad influence of liberal teachers." This flawed philosophy rest on the belief that teachers are the only ones who are the keepers of the keys to a good education. In fact I agree with many that use this flawed argument: Education is more than just good teachers and yes it does begin at home, but that applies whether you are in public, private, or home-schooled.

We have to stop taking a relatively easy way out and say that "the right school will be the solution to educating our kids." Keep in mind that it is only a small piece of the equation that should look more like this:
(parenting) X (teachers + school + community + friends + students) X (prayer + fasting)
= Student Success

The scary thing for many modern parents is that they are only one part of that equation in which that they have direct influence on, however, it is a vital piece to that equation and defines these results. I have witnessed too many friends who have gone by the wayside or hit some very rough patches in their lives because even our Christian parents forget the principle of community influence and parental foundations.

We must begin to critically look at our perceptions and motivations that drive our decisions. I know for some this is going to be major paradigm shift in worldview, It will likely take them from a comfortable homogeneous society to a very diverse, heterogeneous community that values our differences as unique but unified for the cause of Christ and the betterment of the community.

But for that shift to occur we have to remember who we, as believers, are honoring in those decisions. Am I seeking a parenting award for successfully educating my kids in all things by being everything in that equation? Or am I living a life that puts my family in unique opportunities to be a witness of the good news?

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." 2 Peter 2.9-10

{...steps off of small soap box and goes back to reading..}

Why Do Cities Just Make Sense?

An article recently caught my eye in Christianity Today that argued for a rejuvenation of city living for Christians. I found myself interested and agreeing with the position that that Christians are moving into cities at a slower rate then other faiths or non-believers. I did disagree with Keller's arguments, however, for why Christians should live in cities. 


The main reasons to live in the city have nothing to do with quality of life or socialization, rather it is about the sustainability of our children's future. I agreed with the dissenters (@HCameronCloud & @EatWithJoy) that children can and should be raised godly in any environment, be it an island, a farm, a suburb, or a high rise. However, I firmly believe the choices we make as a Christian community need to come from more than purely a social, Christian values perspective. We must start thinking more like the head steward of in Potiphars house and have the discipline of Joseph to survive and succeed with the blessing of God on him.


Working in the community planning world for the last 6 years, I have come to appreciate the economic and social impact of suburban sprawl and the role of american consumerism and materialism in our community developments. What she fails to point out that the greatest reason for Christians to move back to the city is the role of environmental impact and governmental stewardship. As we have seen over the last few years, our dependence on fuel to transport 1-2 people 30-40 minutes to work (national average community time) is driving the demand for more fuel and the gas prices even higher. Not to even elaborate on the infrastructure needs that are required as new developments are built with half acre lots and cul-de-sacs that cause people to live further apart from the places they work and shop, require more paving, more drainage, more fertilizers, and broader public safety efforts.


I do not argue that rural life is vital and fundamental to the economic and cultural fabric of our country but I believe our concept of the white picket fence dream is the cause for much of our financial distress today. Mrs. Keller points out the savings from maintenance, landscaping, storage, and vehicles, are often offset by the higher cost of living in the urban areas. But the biggest benefit to the urban community is in fact the height. We have a continually growing population in which some economist estimate that the demand for housing (multi- and single family housing) will almost double in the next 18 years. That means we can either build out, destroying farmlands, displacing wildlife, polluting waterways, and creating a greater demand for oil, asphalt, and gas (all non-renewable energy sources). Or we can build up, creating denser environments where services (parks, transportation, retail, food) are accessible and municipal funding can be strategically applied rather than spread thin. 

A recent comment on the local website concerning the redevelopment of suburban cities asked, "How many more people(and their cars) do we have to cram into our cities before we realize that we have no more room?" For some reason, I think they missed the point of a "City" and not a town or county. Cities were made to get as many people in a small space that meets their needs (goods, amenities, education, employment, opportunities). 


I read recently that there are an estimated 8 parking spaces for every car in the world. that means that there are so many parking spaces that you could park every car and still have spaces near the front door of every store. I enjoy my car and my vehicular freedom as much as the next person, I'm American aren't I. However, I would give it up for a 10 minute rail and walking commute any day. Where I can take care of some of the household calls, answer emails, and not be concerned about the amount of sleep the Semi-truck drive next to me has had as I drive down the Interstate.


I found some comfort in Rachel Stone's assessment of Keller's worldview as captured here:

Which brings me to a final point about Keller's unfettered praise of city life: Clearly her family wasn't living in West Harlem or sending their kids to one of New York City's at-risk schools. They could afford to live in "better" neighborhoods, to get grocery delivery, to enrich their children's lives with all the cultural offerings, most of which cost money—lots of it. It's easy to romanticize city life when you can pay for a first-class urban experience; less so when you can afford only section 8 housing and spend your food stamps at corner stores that specialize in cola and candy but not produce. Jesus' followers belong in those places, too, but there are no "shoulds" about it.
Or maybe there's just one: You should love God and your neighbor, wherever you are.

We want to glamorize the lifestyles we wish we had or want to have. I have a dream of moving to a sparsely populated tropical island and teaching my kids to fish, surf, and most importantly the things God would have them be. My romanticized idea of this tropical retreat is not a full picture of the harsh reality that many face of poverty, sickness, and abuse. But that does not mean I neglect the interest I have in such a place that God has put in me, as this may be a new mission field for me one day. But these realities exist in any setting as beyond the mountain and the woods I see depression, suicides, alcoholism, drug abuse, and relational abuse at the same rates if not higher proportionally in some localities. Social issues are not resolved by the physical environment or the culture of the community but by a change of nature. The harvest truly is plenteous but the laborers are few.


I believe that God gave us (humans) stewardship over the earth, but not a divine right to build a single family home on every acre. I aspire to live where God would have me. In my mind, I want to live either on the tropical island (of course) or in the heart of a city, surrounded by a spiritual harvest. I must agree with Mrs. Keller, I also attribute a large portion of the Lord's work in my life through my exposure to different cultures within my community. My public school was filled with military kids and students from many different backgrounds. I recall spending several days between class learning from an Orthodox Jewish friend, in another class another class a Muslim friend, and another class a Mormon friend. These experiences helped me understand their need, see their souls, and affirm my faith in Christ. Without these influences, I am certain I would have a much more difficult time in serving them in municipal government. Let us be lights that shine brighter than the glimmer of a city street or the full array of stars in a country sky.

--UPDATED 03-28-2012 (07:30 AM)--

After reading the articles and the post above, a friend shared their reason for moving to the suburbs in a large metro area was because of the challenge in finding a safe neighborhood in the city. I agree that the perception of safety of a community is a major driving factor in buying a home. But I think the perception of safety in cities has been a bit overblown through the news media and entertainment industry. The reality is that violent crime is the lowest it has been in 40 years and all other crime at the lowest it has been in 30-45 years. But somehow there are more acts of violence committed and investigated on television each week, and most of them are based in a city backdrop. 


I have found, in the 10 years I have worked with neighborhoods, no matter how safe they seem, they routinely have the same sets of issues with different factors impacting them. Almost every community has drugs, every community have youth that make bad or dangerous choices, and almost every community has theft and violence. Often times we don't know about it or some are better at covering it up then others. However, what I think is different about the neighborhoods that sustain their sense of safety when victimized is their inter-connectivity as a community and how they help others recover from that crime. Communities that internalize and retaliate, perpetuate that criminal behavior, and communities that grieve together and uplift one another, tend to retain that sense of safety. There are so many other factors, I wish there was a single solution to give the caring residents to address the issue of safety, but the common factor continues to be how well we know our neighbors. In other words, is this just the place where I live or is this the place we call our home, our neighborhood, our community.


I also believe that the reason for the crime problems in many communities is that those that do care about safety have chosen to move rather than struggle to maintain the those high risk communities. This often leaves a vacuum for turmoil and victimization. A large part of the frequency of "flight" of many caring residents is because of the ease of mobility in the last 60 years and the affordability of moving to the country or suburbs and commuting to work. Years ago, you had no choice but to take ownership of your community and care for those who lived around you because you know you would be seeing everyday them for 10-30 years. Now the average homeowner moves every 3-5 years especially in our military communities.

I also feel that we have systematically failed to meet the mark in focusing the efforts of the church towards the inner cities and reaching hearts in a genuine and practical way. This is a whole other post for another day, but i hope that we can begin to think about cities and what community means a bit more openly and critically. Thank you all for your thoughts, please keep them coming and let's work to create great neighborhoods and strong believers.

The Right People or The Best Planning

2011 Day Of Caring (Hampton, VA)

I had the privilege a couple of months ago to participate in a one-day housing rehab blitz that rallied over 200 volunteers to spruce up over 25 homes in a 5 block radius, in less than 8 hours. I was blessed with working as the on-site logistics coordinator for the event (I was given this task less than 1 week before the event). Regardless of communication and logistical challenges that this project faced early on, the event was a relative success: several residents received a much needed hand, volunteers we able to give to their community, the local housing stock receive a touch up, and the community benefited from a sense of care and concern during tough times. I learned a very valuable lesson from this project that serves as a continual reminder for how we do community building. I realized that good planning means little when you have great people involved. I could have planned and prepared for most challenges, had plans B through Z lined up, but without motivated and passionate people fueling the initiative, it would grind to a halt.


Good planning serves an important purpose: to be prepared for issues, barriers, or challenges and enabling us to capitalize our assets in overcoming them. However, great people are the key to moving any good plan forward. Great people overcome challenges and can give of themselves beyond your expectations. Instead of watching the clock they monitor progress. These are the people that see challenging times as a time to support and thrive rather than a time to simply survive.


Many accomplished authors have tried to unlock the secrets to building a great team of such people, so I won't even attempt to start. However, I have experienced, in the last few years, the real and tangible power of social capital in moving projects forward. Social capital, in a nutshell, is the intangible currency that we trade through our relationships, a sort of relational spending money. To me social capital is the currency that is used to motivate, compel, inspire, or even guilt others into action. When social capital is used well, it serves as the conductor of win-win solutions and partnerships. When dealt through malice or ignorance, it corrodes the structure of the relationship, often leading to guilt, regret, or mistrust. I admit that the mastering of using social capital eludes me as it seems some are natural wielders of it, whereas, others, such as I, have to develop their skills in applying it appropriately. (see Romans 12 - especially verse 20)


I believe we need to reconsider the power of people over planning and social capital over financial reserves. Each are important in any organization in their proper place, but focusing on developing great people will lead to greater returns on any investment.

Essential Community Involvement (Part 2)

As I said in my last post, community building is simple... well...at least, it should be. My neighbor was working on installing a privacy fence last week and it serves as an excellent example for something I am learning lately. Now before you run and tell my neighbor that I'm opposed to privacy fences, I'm not (especially when they are done well), but fences can be well intended with unintended consequences. However, fences represent somewhat contrasting concepts that are both essential and dangerous to communities...Limitations & Comfort.

Fences are curious things as they can beautifully define a neighborhood, create a very decorative border to a yard, and guide guests through ornate entrances, thus creating a clear sense of place. Their designs are as unique as the homes and properties they encompass. I must admit I've always admired the field stone walls built by highland farmers as they cleared their fields for crops. The way they organically flow along the ridges and valleys as if they almost grew there over the centuries. Made from the earth they protect and define.
But in our everyday lives fences are primarily used to protect our most valuable earthly things: home, property, children, privacy, pets (in no particular order). These corrals of wood, metal, and stone are erected to set accurate limitations, establish maintenance expectations, keep what is valuable within our sight, and to prevent the threats of outside forces from impacting us. Fences keep our worlds defined and our resources focused. (Deut. 27:17)

To the at-risk, fences are a comforting boundary, but to the risk taker the same fences stand as prohibitive barriers to success. This reason being the reason my neighbor placed his fence up, to protect their new puppy from running away. However in the process, he created an attractive feature to his home that improves the appearance of the neighborhood. Somewhere between the safety within and the limits of the fences we find the old adage to be true at times, "good fences make good neighbor" by creating good, safe spaces. Relationships have similar boundaries they define, protect, welcome, and comfort us as we interact. The more frequent and longer the interaction the faster those boundaries are defined and often redefined to meet the needs of the relationship. But this boundary movement can be encouraged but must be mutual. As Deuteronomy 27:17 says, have you been guilty of moving boundaries that aren't yours to move? Maybe it was a joke, or advice, or a degrading comment, or an unkept secret. But when boundaries are not respected, conflict and confusion develop and the relationship can crumble. The fence serves as a reminder to slow down and respect the boundary, to be considerate, and move with tact for the sake of the relationship.

It is in the comfort of these boundaries can we learn to appreciate the beauty of the physical and social fences in our lives. Without them, would be like playing baseball without a field. With them, we have the opportunity to swing for the fence, chat with a neighbor, and build lasting relationships.