A local news report detailed how some residents of Derby, Kansas are upset with their high school yearbook, which included articles on student pregnancy, body piercings, and controversial quotes such as, “The best study habit is to find someone nerdy and make friends with them. It’s a guaranteed A.”

A concerned parent said, “I want to see something good portrayed to our youth because they are at a critical decision making age in their life.” The rest of the news story goes on to say there’s a parent petition going on, which is going to amount to squat due to the Kansas Student Publications Act - the act protects the free speech of student publications.

I’ve never been able to shake the image of Derby as a “white flight” suburb of Wichita. I remember when I first moved to Kansas seeing a news story about a cross-burning on someone’s lawn in Derby. I thought I left hate-crimes behind in Indiana. Anyway, my white flight perception of Derby is supported with demographic data:

Wichita median household income: $39,939
Wichita racial makeup: 75.20% white
Derby median household income: $58,508
Derby racial makeup: 94.02% white

Note I’m not anti-suburbia in any way - cities will always expand - but in the mostly white, upper-middle class suburb it appears as though some parents felt the town would be a safer, more wholesome environment to raise a family. They hoped none of Wichita’s teen pregnancies, teen body piercings, and nerd-friendship would corrupt the minds of those “at a critical decision making age in their life.” I think this goes to show that, no matter where you choose to live, reality can’t be avoided.

Categories: Kansas, Rant