In Wewoka, diversity starts early
Published: March 25, 2001
In Oklahoma's most diverse school district, the prekindergarten students are learning sign language because four of their classmates are deaf.
"You really have to see it, said Betsy Graham, superintendent of Wewoka schools. "These little bitty kids who are just learning ... moving their hands as they learn their letters ... so the hearing-impaired students can feel a part of our family.
"Those (pre-K) kids can do all of the sign language, she said. "Our teacher now is going to the other classes in the school.
An analysis by The Oklahoman of census reports shows that the Wewoka school district's population of children younger than 18 makes it the most racially mixed of all the districts in the state. That means that if you were to randomly select two children from the district 100 times, in 73 attempts each of the children would be of a different race.
"I did not know that, but it does not surprise me, Graham said. "Wewoka is definitely the most diverse place that I've been.
No one is mistreated because of race, said Graham, who before coming to Wewoka was superintendent in Minko and Nowata.
"We don't have discipline problems, she said. "They really don't pay any attention to color. They work together. They play together. It starts from the early elementary.
According to numbers provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, 39 percent of those younger than 18 in the Wewoka school district are white, 36 percent are American Indian, 22 percent are black, 4 percent are Hispanic and 1 percent are Asian.
At the other end of the scale, Alva is the state's least racially diverse school district 91 percent of those younger than 18 are white, Hispanic residents make up 4 percent of that population and 3 percent are American Indians.
"As far as race and religion is concerned, school counselor D' Major said, "it's pretty much Protestant and Catholic, and our students are pretty much white.
The only racial problem Major has seen at Alva High, she said, came one year at prom time. The only black student that year was concerned about finding a date for the dance, which was closed to all but students enrolled at the school.
"He said, You know, it's really hard when I want to date. Unless I can go with a white girl whose family doesn't care ...' He did find a date for the prom, she said.
"Being black has never been a problem. Even though we are not diverse, the students are very accepting of other people.
"They are just good wholesome young people who know how to treat other young people.
