...back then I lived in a small town (about 400) with a mostly white populace and about 10% blacks and hispanics. Virtually everyone who lived there worked in Dallas or the near suburbs. The schools were poor but good.

Then desegregation threw that small town into a really horrible school district in South Dallas which was ranked as the worst school in the state. As many people as could left and never looked back, including my family. Within a year that little town was an eyesore of abandoned homes and riddled with crime and gangs. There was hardly a home built there after that event some 55 years ago and the schools are still some of the worst in the state.

Then there is the waste and abuse by public leaders. Over half the school board of the new "unified" school district was eventually convicted of various forms of theft and several served prison sentences and still the schools are horrible.

The best thing my parents ever did for us was to run from that town with whatever they could carry.