Timberlee actually lives close to me (my town is shown in the background a few times). There are a few small colleges she could go to but they have limited programs. I've never seen her in person that I know of, but I don't think she'd be discriminated against. There aren't a lot of opportunities unless she went to Little Rock or farther out.
I think she's just young and is stuck in the "my old life was better before we moved" mentality.