A mother shed light on why she decided to return to California from conservative Idaho after initially fleeing the liberal state.
Coree Ray said she initially moved in with her partner Melvin Galang over concerns about the progressive sex education being offered to their children.
The couple was delighted when they moved into a stunning seven-bedroom home in Idaho Falls, where they found a more conservative ideology.
But they recently announced a return to their blue state home, claiming that anti-California bullies have forced them to leave.
“They definitely hate anyone from California and treat you differently once you say where you’re from,” Ray told Dailymail.com.
Melvin Galang (left) and his partner Coree Ray, who moved their family from California to Idaho to escape liberal politics, have clarified why they are considering returning to the blue state. In the photo: the couple with their youngest children, twins Faith and Grace.
The couple initially moved out over concerns about the progressive sex education being offered to their children.
He even told how the harmful comments affected his children, who were mocked by their peers.
“They were bullied for being from California,” he added. ‘It was a very negative environment. The school was good, the children even more so and it is clear that they learned that at home.’
Ray has been documenting his journey on his popular TikTok account, where he told his followers that the decision to return was due to difficulties “fitting in” and “gossiping” neighbors.
But he emphasized that the decision has nothing to do with false claims that a mixed-race family experienced racism in Idaho.
‘We have never, ever, in all the years we have been here, experienced racism or posted anything about racism. That’s why this is crazy to me,” Ray said.
Instead, he noted a sense of exclusion due to his background.
“My daughters hear kids insult Californians almost every day,” he explained. ‘They just assume we’re all liberals and we’re all the same and they think we’re going to come to Idaho and vote differently or try to change things.
“But you know, we were just trying to move here for a better school system for our kids.”
They cited “critical attitudes” and gossip as reasons for fleeing, after leaving a suburb half an hour’s drive from Los Angeles. They took their twin daughters.
Although the family is Christian, Ray added that his children were prevented from playing with Mormon children, which contributed to their ostracism.
He also speculated about his relative high profile on TikTok and his children’s successful commercial acting jobs highlighted them.
“I think our situation is different because once they find out about TikTok, they harass my kids,” she added.
‘Once they find out they are actors and see their commercials or what they have done, they harass them. That’s a lot of jealousy.
“Definitely, because we’re a TikTok family, we were judged.”
And it wasn’t just her children who had difficulty connecting, explained Ray, who said it was also difficult to bond with adults.
“People are openly polite to you, but they don’t necessarily want to be your friends,” Ray said. “They are simple, polite and kind, it’s like a movie.”
‘Everyone greets each other. You know, they’ll take care of your kids, they’ll pick up your trash can for you. They are very nice. But what was happening was that my children were being mistreated.”
Despite being home to stunning scenery and a low cost of living, Idaho is isolated and home to several close-knit communities. Idaho Falls, seen here, is no different
The mother admitted that she misses the opportunities and pace of life in California.
‘My daughters are dancers and artists. Here they sing the national anthem at big games. “I think our family is intimidating, if I’m honest,” she said.
“The kids here are a little bored, because there’s just no challenge and people don’t mind being a little normal here. My kids say, ‘Ok, why are we the best in every class?’ As if there were no challenge.
‘Everyone is content and happy and that’s fine for a lot of people, but not for my kids. They’re like, let’s go. I want to work. I want to do more commercials.’
But he doesn’t regret the decision to move temporarily, saying he sees the period as “like a long vacation.”
“If we weren’t such involved people, I think a lot of people would love it,” Ray added.
“We like being in the community and getting very involved with people, where if other people want a slower pace of life, they would probably love it.”
Ray now plans to sell the Idaho home and downsize to join his partner in California, where he has moved on to adjust to his new job.
The City of Los Angeles has a crime rate above the national average by a staggering 52.4 percent, with an average of about 370 crimes daily, just under a quarter of them violent, according to FBI statistics.
Homelessness increased 6 percent to more than 180,000 people in California last year, federal data shows
The home they will leave behind in Idaho Falls has a crime rate 26 percent lower than the national average.
In contrast, the City of Los Angeles has a crime rate 52.4 percent higher than the national average, with approximately 370 crimes daily, just under a quarter of them violent, according to FBI statistics.
In recent years, the Golden State has been battling rising homelessness and open drug abuse in its major cities.
Homelessness rose 6 percent to more than 180,000 people in California last year, federal data shows. Since 2013, the numbers have skyrocketed by 53 percent.
These numbers help explain why landlocked Idaho, 450 miles from the Golden State, emerged as a top relocation option for Californians during the pandemic.
But Ray’s advice to any other conservative parents looking to move was to make sure they spent a decent amount of time in the community before committing.
“It’s beautiful here and I think it’s a great fit for a lot of people,” he said. “But yes, but not for us.”