People who consider themselves Hispanic are incorporated into the total numbers of the other racial groups above. Minorities are over represented in the Beard Elementary school neighborhood. Hispanics are especially over represented. In addition to having a high proportion of people of color living in the area, the area is very low-income. Nationally, 14.2 percent of the population was living under the poverty line in 1991.
Analysis suggests that the poverty level is grossly inadequate as it stands now.
An environmental consultant then reviewed the site history, and the property was deemed contaminated. When SDEV found that the site was going to be used as a school rather than for industrial purposes, they began to work to educate and activate parents and community members. However, the levels found in the first round of soil analysis prompted the MDEQ to suggest the removal of soil from the site. The clean up guidelines above call for two feet of soil to be removed and an impermeable barrier to be set between the remaining soil and the clean soil. Under these guidelines for the protection of children, the clean up at the new Beard Elementary school site is considered to have been incomplete.