Top 100 Least-Educated Cities (pop. 5000+)
The level of education is measured by the percentage of people with (or without) high school diplomas or college degrees, and "city" is defined as a place with a population of 5,000 or more. Many are merely "census-designated places" rather than actual cities.
The "least-educated city" list, of course, signifies much more than educational attainment level. The cities and places tend to be low-income, low-opportunity and isolated--they are pockets of poverty--the poorest of the poor. Fifty-four are in California, 24 are in Texas.
Of the 24, half are represented by Craddick Ds:
Cameron Park (Lucio)
Rio Bravo (Guillen)
Alton North (Peña 11%)
Eidson Road (King, T.)
La Homa (Flores 9%)
Roma (Guillen)
Palmview South (Flores)
Hidalgo (Flores)
Crystal City (King, T.)
Nurillo (Peña)
Abram-Perezville (Flores)
Elsa (Peña
Flores: 9% La Homa, Plainview South, Hidalgo, Abram-Perezville
Guillen: Rio Bravo, Roma
King, T: Eidson Road, Crystal City
Lucio: Cameron Park
Peña: 11% Alton North, Nurillo, Elsa
Five Craddick Ds represent half of the communities on the list. Four are represented by Flores. Three are represented by Peña.
Let's take a look at the remaining 14 places and who represents these (remember Alton North and La Homa are only partly represented by Craddick Ds):
Alton North (Gonzales 89%)
La Homa (Gonzales 90.8%)
San Elizario (Quintanilla)
Homestead Meadows South (Quintanilla)
Canutillo (Haggerty-an "anybody-but-Craddick R)
Fabens (Quintanilla)
Socorro (Quintanilla 99%)
South Houston (Noriega)
Falfurrias (Escobar)
Jacinto City (Hernandez)
Raymondville (Escobar)
Robstown (Herrero)
San Juan (Martinez, A.)
Galena Park (Hernandez)
by representative:
Escobar: Falfurrias, Raymondville
Gonzales: 89% Alton North, 90.8% La Homa
Hernandez: Jacinto City, Galena Park
Herrero: Robstown
Martinez, A: San Juan
Noriega: South Houston
Quintanilla: San Elizario, Homestead Meadows South, Fabens, Socorro
Haggerty (R): Canutillo
Of these seven "loyal Ds" (and one ABC R); Quintanilla represents four of the communities; Escobar, Gonzales and Hernandez represent two each.
I find the association between the Craddick Ds and this list striking. Perhaps it merely indicates that the division between Democrats is greatest along the border.
Answer to the Problem!
People in power also know that keeping the public uneducated keeps them in power as well. As long as the voters don't know what State Representatives do for them, and do to them in their everyday lives, they don't get involved. The fact that these areas have the highest level of poverty and the lowest education levels in Texas is a problem.
If the constituents don't speak out, who is going to mind their needs? A lot of the residents in these areas are simply trying to survive. Their daily worries are about food, and a roof over their heads. Voting or even government is not anything they think about daily or weekly like we do on this board. They know where the offices for human services are, because that's an essential need.
A great number of them couldn't even tell you who the Governor is, much less their State Representative or how to contact him or her. These Representatives win by default especially if they don't get challenged. The power of incumbency is even harder to overcome in areas where the populace is poor.
