Would you move to predominantly white area as a black woman

[AmyJahabee]

Hi would you move to predominate white neighborhood when you are black with two black kids as a single mum? Kids are school age. I’m in Derby and looking to move to Allestree, Darley Abbey area but I’m aware is mainly white people live there. Anyone with any experience being an ethnic minority and living in a predominantly white area? Would you recommend I move to a more diverse area? Anyone experienced any racism in a similar situation?

You should be absolutely fine in Duffield, there is a lot of surgeons, doctors , lawyers etc who live there and there is definitely a mix of people, I live in the village next door to Duffield and we have a mix too, not sure of the schools unfortunately as I don’t have children but I assume as there’s a lot of mixed cultures in Duffield the school would reflect that, I hope your move to our area will be a good fit for yourself and your family 😘

If you look at the latest Census figures, here:

https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/uk-population-by-ethnicity/national-and-regional-populations/population-of-england-and-wales/latest/

it’s apparent that 87% of the UK population is White and something over 4% Black. So it’s pretty inevitable that most places will have a predominantly white populace. But if you want to move to a place that contains a large proportion of the ‘Other’ 9% - thus decreasing the proportion of White residents - you’re probably best looking at the major university cities and towns that attract an international student body and workforce. Those are likely to be the areas with the best educated populations, too - which in theory ought to be a good thing.

If the school is Ecclesbourne then I would be very wary.

If you've read the ofsted report from around 2 years ago, it is not an inclusive school. The report speaks of a culture and ethos of misogyny and homophobia. I know a member of staff who was racially abused by a pupil and nothing was done (My friend's child who is in year 7 is being bullied for his hair colour!)
The head openly disputed the ofsted findings in his response to parents.

They were graded as inadequate but have gone back to good recently. I'm sorry but there's no way a culture like that is changed in less than 2 years!

Honestly?

This is interesting and highlights that there are so many factors to make the right decision.

Yes the UK is predominantly white but it’s normal to find that black and other ethnicities are packed into specific areas, most of which have high unemployment, poor social housing, less green spaces and other undesirable qualities. So it’s not only about who lives there but what lifestyles are prominent there.

I don’t know the area the op is referring to but this is a dilemma that many black parents face when deciding on their kids education and future prospects.

Actually part of a sentence was missed out of my previous post - it should read:

But if you want to move to a place that contains a large proportion of the ‘Other’ 9% - thus decreasing the proportion of White residents and increasing the likelihood of being amongst a more ethnically diverse populace …

In the reverse, I probably wouldn't.

Amazing! White people coming on to tell us they would not want to live amongst minorities and being surprised when we ask about the same thing.

It is almost as if they have trouble comprehending the thread title.

No such thing as a black area and a white area people can live where they want. It's 2024 who cares what colour your neighbour's are . We have brown Muslim neighbours and they are the best we ever had .

@BluebellGrace on a thread such as this one it’s really, really important to be sure you understand the issue being discussed before you post. Otherwise you run the risk of appearing to dismiss the OP and fellow posters’ experiences - which this board exists to highlight.

Right

"White areas" can be less polluted, have more green spaces, have the best schools have a more affluent populace. However, with no awareness of the culture from which your child is from, they will forever feel othered. They may not succeed in the same way as their white peers because of the strange lens others view them from. Locally to me (in my predominantly white area) there is a black mum support group and they really strengthen each other

Not a chance. & definitely wouldn't do that to my children.

I really wish people would just en masse ignore racist posters. I mean, we know the game they land here to goad so why even answer the dog-whistle?. It deflects the post and the back & forth is off-putting

Short answer: Nope 👎

In theory that’s true but in reality, unfortunately, it’s not. There are still ‘Little Britain’ areas where attitudes towards all sorts of things (race, sexual orientation, parents’ background) haven’t moved on from the 50s.

I’m so sorry that this is something you even have to consider, OP, though unfortunately I know it is. I’m white so can’t speak from a position of authority in this. However, for what it’s worth I’m also a teacher and have taught in schools that are predominantly black, predominantly white and a complete mix. I don’t know what age your children are and I have no real idea what the Primary experience would be. I would say that at secondary, though, in my experience it’s rare for children in a middle class area to be picked on overtly because of their colour. Secondary kids tend to find their little gang and stay in that gang - it’s rare that it’s more than 2 or 3 kids anyway so I don’t think friendship would necessarily be a problem. I would have thought the average age of the area would be a more accurate indicator of the attitudes of the people in that area. If it’s full of young families of whatever ethnic backgrounds I would have thought fitting in would be easier, for you too because you also have to be comfortable where you are!

It really all depends. I grew up in a white area (only black kid in school) I had minimal issues. Went to uni, good job. My peers from the area I moved away from have not fared well.

It probably helped I was a very good athlete.

Now with my own child I live in a more diverse area and probably prefer that for him.

I'm not black but I do know the area and a few people who live there from different backgrounds. I fully understand your reasons for asking but will leave the broader question to those with experience. Although, my DP isn't white British and has certain areas of derby he is less comfortable in due to past incidents, I don't think Allestree would be one of them by any means.

I don't know whether you've been in Derbz for a while from your post but Allestree, duffield, kedleston rd and close by (also Mackworth New estate and Littleover) might be a bit more diverse than you're expecting as a lot of RR and Toyota engineers and hospital staff from a range of backgrounds live there so there is a bit of a cultural mix.

As I say, not really a comment on the question about 'would you move to a predominantly white area?' but it's not somewhere I know non white British residents to feel uncomfortable or to have trouble with their (younger) kids.

I live in a predominantly white area. I didn't really have much choice. There is racism but there were other issues of challenge in the more diverse areas. The upside is that whatever ethnic families are nearby are drawn to each other, so it is less isolating than it would be.

I don’t know if this makes sense to anyone else but there are predominantly white areas that put me on my guard and others that don’t. I wouldn’t live in places like Sidcup, Tamworth, most of Lincolnshire for example but I also have a positive lived experience. I grew up in a predominantly white area - a bit rural and bohemian. My parents moved when they had children as they were renting a mouldy flat but could afford a house with a garden if they left London.

It was a middle class area and quite socially liberal - not that my parents would have noticed or cared as they were still recent immigrants from the Caribbean. I was very academic and sporty so fitted in well and had lots of friends at school and didn’t really stand out much despite being the only black child at the time. I also had black friends through my parents church, saw my cousins etc and read things like The Voice.

I do remember racist incidents like a drunk man calling me a racist slur in the local shop as a child, but he was thrown out by the shop keeper. I can also understand the performing blackness thing - I can remember being asked for views around apartheid when I was in primary school by a well meaning teacher but couldn’t add much as a ten year old! I can also remember overhearing a friend of my parents claiming I’d never be accepted by either white or black people when I grew up as I wouldn’t fit anywhere 🙄. That hasn’t ever been a problem as far as I can tell - my husband is black!

I’ve flirted with moving somewhere similar for my own DC, but chosen to live in London as I think it’s good to be surrounded by diversity. I don’t know whether any of this helps with your dilemma OP but wanted to add some more food for thought.

I wouldn't.

I lived in a Northern city for a brief period of my childhood and experienced horrible daily racism from children in the private, predominantly white, primary school I was in. I never told my parents as I knew they'd made huge sacrifices to be able to afford to send me there.

Luckily living there didn't work out, and we moved to a place that was my safe haven, but even 35 years I remember that time, the most traumatic of my life, like it was yesterday.

@Islingtonquestions
I hear you about the area.

Isnt Racism everywhere though. I now live in quite a diverse area and feel the black adults who grew up here talk of far worse racist incidents than I experienced in a 99% white area.

Maybe it's the difference between city and country living. Yet I find some of their experiences of racism absolutely shocking.

Racism is everywhere @whatnow123, I'm just not someone who would advocate for Black women to take themselves and their DC into a situation where they would be isolated by virtue of their race.