Census reveals county changes

The face of the Orange County resident is changing.

Since 2000, county population groups of all ethnicities have seen significant changes to their makeup, according to recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Latinos and Asians saw their populations increase, while blacks experienced a minor drop.

The number of whites in Orange County also increased, but their overall percentage makeup within the county has decreased.

As the population changes, county services — specifically the school systems — are finding new ways to handle any challenges that may result.

“Chapel Hill is different from other places,” said Sarah Whang, chairwoman of the Asian American Parent Advisory Council for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. “People are very aware and try to be very culturally sensitive.”

Latinos

Since 2000, the Latino population in Orange County has more than doubled, according to census data.

Immigrants and refugees come here because they have contacts who promise the availability of jobs, said Judith Blau, a UNC sociology professor and director of the Human Rights Center in Carrboro.

Moreover, Blau said the number of Latino immigrants in the community is most likely an underestimate.

“I know the census worked hard to get to poor Latino communities, but the census misses a lot of people because Latinos are afraid that if they respond to the census, the Department of Homeland Security will come knocking on their door,” Blau said.

Asians

The Asian population has also almost doubled, increasing to 9,023 residents in 2010 from 4,845 residents in 2000, according to census data.

“They come here for two reasons: education and a low cost of living,” Whang said.

She said though some members of the Asian population work in Research Triangle Park, many come to the Chapel Hill area specifically to explore the educational opportunities both for themselves and their children.

Blacks

Orange County’s black population decreased by a little more than 2 percent from 2000 to 2010, making it the only race in the county to experience a decrease in population.

Michelle Cotton Laws, president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said she believes low wages and high unemployment are factors in black migration out of Orange County.

“High unemployment rates are devastating the African-American community,” she said. “If you didn’t go into teaching or medicine, there are very limited opportunities.”

Impact on the schools

The student membership of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools reflects population changes the county is facing, with Asians passing blacks and Latinos as the most populous minority group, according to district data.

This year, Asian students outnumber blacks by 255 students and Latinos by 454 students.

Although a diversifying population presents “layers and layers and layers of challenges,” the district is working hard to address the issues, district spokeswoman Stephanie Knott said.

“The district has always had a strong equity program to help students of all backgrounds to achieve success,” she said.

From providing translators at board of education meetings to training teachers to use culturally aware instruction methods, the district is adapting to its increasingly diverse population, Knott said.

“Non-English speaking families feel a lot more welcome hearing the words in their own language,” said Susan Azzu, an English-as-a-second-language teacher at Frank Porter Graham Elementary School.

Some schools also offer dual language programs where students begin to establish proficiency in two languages as early as pre-kindergarten.

Spanish-English dual language programs are available at Carrboro, Frank Porter Graham, and Mary Scroggs elementary schools. Glenwood Elementary School offers a Mandarin Chinese-English dual language program.

The first wave of students involved in dual-language programs in the district will begin high school in the fall, Knott said.

Contact the City Editor at city@dailytarheel.com.