February 22, 2010|By Larry Carson | larry.carson@baltsun.com
"A school system is not just about educating kids. It's about resources, staff and faculty. As the percentage of whites decreases, it increases the degree to which other groups want that to be more representative," he said.
And although attitudes might be changing, they haven't yet been totally transformed. "The presence of African-Americans means something very different than other nonwhite groups," said Spence, adding that sometimes white flight results. "These other groups don't have the same type of weight in the white psyche."
In December, two Howard County schools were vandalized with racist graffiti including Nazi swastikas and " KKK" symbols. Three students at Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City - one of the schools defaced - were charged as juveniles.
Despite setbacks, Patricia Gordon, a septuagenarian and the only African-American member of the Howard County school board, said the signs of a multicultural future are clearly seen in most children's attitudes.
"I think our kids are going to grow up with it. It will be the norm for them," she said.
