I'm not certain non-Americans can understand the gravity of this particular situation. So much of social services happen at the county and municipal level in this country, this could truly set the majority of Atlanta back to the stone age.

Although it's referred to as 'White Flight', this is, as others have correctly pointed out, a socio-econmic issue, and it turns up across the US.

Here's the problem, in a nutshell. School districts raise money at the local level (usually through property taxes). Funding for school districts is completely self contained. So, if you have one town made of millionares, and other of tenemants, you get vastly differently funded schools.

In theory, this is fair. Local control, and all that. But here's the rub... successful people in the poorer school districts save their money to move out. This becomes a downward spiral. What few economic successes the poor school districts are able to produce move out, taking their cash with them.

People have tried dealing with this across the country with a wide assortment of initiatives, including state-wide educational budgets; redistricting; bussing; subsidies for under-performing schools... all have met with limited success.

I don't know what the right answer is. I do know telling poor children in the inner city that you're sorry, but their parents are lazy so they can't get a decent education isn't it. Nor is forcing kids to ride busses 3 hours a day in the name of 'diversity'. Maybe if we could actually fire poorly performing teachers and break the NEA's stranglehold on public education.... nah forget it, that's crazy talk. Everyone knows its unfair to expect teachers to produce results...