OT- school,question
I can stay where I am, my kids would have a good education, but be exposed,to a lot of diversity (socio economic-racially about the same )? Or move literally a 3 minute drive and have just as good education with less diversity(less socio-economic diversity not racial)and smaller class size? Test scores and home prices equal.
My dilemma, of course moving is a lot of work. Really, financially it's the same. Do I expose them to a wide variety of kids ? Some negative influences.and larger class sizes. Or do I keep them with kids like them? Socio economically. Smaller class sizes.
My dilemma is I'm scared keeping them insulated wouldn't prepare them for the real world. My area is very segregated in the sense that sometimes one block makes a BIG difference. My area is predominantly white/Hispanic . So in that sense it's the same, but socio-economical, in my case moving even 5 blocks makes a huge difference.
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Now Sally, you know that's
Now Sally, you know that's unlikely in Africa. She could sue the company for constructive dismissal.
I say if they are doing well
I say if they are doing well where they are, keep them there. Moving could be a crapshoot. you could get bullies and discipline problem kids . Our stepkids could be your kids classmates!!!
Personally I think it's a
Personally I think it's a good idea to expose children to all types of diversity as early as possible. It teaches them to appreciate the differences and eventually yhey become non issues. If they are hapy where they are, leave them and be open with dicussions on diversity.
I was lucky enough to grow up
I was lucky enough to grow up in a city called Columbia, MD which is a planned community that was specifically designed so all socioeconomic classes and races are all pulled into the same schools. I grew up learning about different cultures and races just because we all grew up together in school.
When it came time for DH and I to decide if we wanted to move out of our rural county with a great school system or move back to Columbia (which also has a wonderful school system) it was really a no brainer for us. There is so much more a school with a diverse class can offer than looking around and seeing a bunch of kids that look just like you.
When SD16 moved from her mostly white school to the school here in Columbia she was shocked by the amount of diversity. There are girls wearing head wraps, kids who are 1st generation citizens, there is a atrium in the middle of the school with flags that represent where different students are from and its very impressive. At first SD16 was taken back by all of it but now it has really opened her world. Her friends are all different races and religions and she really feels that it opened her up to the real world.
Ha, we live about 20 min from
Ha, we live about 20 min from each other...I'm in Laurel, MD
I grew up in a very diverse
I grew up in a very diverse suburb of Cleveland, OH. My city only had one public high school, which meant there were about 2,500 kids going to that school. I graduated high school having seen EVERYTHING: black kids, Arab kids, Eastern European immigrants, the freaks/goths, gay kids, rich kids, poor kids...and I was either friends with or "cool with" them all. I also appreciated it because now nothing surprises me. My mom (single parent) was great and really encouraged me to have all types of friends. Our home was always open to my diverse group.
I'm not sure what constitutes as a "big" or "small" class size these days. I remember having anywhere from 18-22 kids in my classes in high school (I graduated 11 years ago.) To me, that seems like a good size. I would think 25+ kids in a class might be cause for concern. However, many college classes are large so it could be a good stepping stone.
Here's the thing: kids are gonna do dumb stuff. I was a REALLY good kid and I did dumb stuff. But my mom made it very clear that the consequences would be dire if I fucked up. At one point I was failing English and she grounded me for 2 months until the end of he semester. Grounded at 15/16 years old (I think I was grounded for my 16th birthday) was the worst. I don't think exposing kids to a racially and socio-economically diverse group of people is going to do any more harm than exposing them to a bunch of entitled rich white kids. The predominately white schools in surrounding cities had the coke and prescription pill problems, not mine.
Plus, moving SUCKS. Don't do it unless you have to, and from what you've said...it doesn't seem like you do.
Here's what I observed when
Here's what I observed when my dd did a year at the "International Baccalaureate" middle school. It was, perversely enough, held in the lowest performing area of the district. She needed far more energy to learn how to navigate a strikingly diverse population at an identity-crisis time of life. Which diminished her focus on schoolwork. There's a dance in there, yeah, diversity is great but coherence is better, internally for our kids and externally in a way that makes sense.
She later ended up at our local hs, diverse, bomb threats, cops in the lunch room, but the hs up the road had the "first world" drug and pill problems. It will always be something. And these days, they can't escape the real (and virtual) world. Focus on teaching them the grounding skills that will serve them wherever they go.
I totally did the IB program
I totally did the IB program in highschool ! Loved it. But it was also in the worst school in town .
There's an. IB program in i
There's an. IB program in i was thinking of applying my kids for. Similar to your situation. In an extremely poorly performing gang infested school.. I know some one who attends. . .his mom says security is very good. Thanks for sharing your experience.
They are in 6th. This Is for
They are in 6th. This Is for high school. I've seen my neighborhood get worse: more section 8, less $$$ to pay police so more little stuff like loitering, public weed smoking, graffiti, becomes accepted and escalates to bigger stuff. Scary.
i would say, if THAT is the
i would say, if THAT is the case, i'd move. that's a lot of potential bad influence OR even just getting caught in the crossfire, so to speak. if it's the same financially, i'd make the move for their safety. if u think the neighborhood itself has gotten worse, then imagine what it'll be like by the time they graduate.
That's what I was debating
That's what I was debating with myself. I think we can hang on for two more years, but I'm not sure we can hang on for the 4 years of high school. Plus my youngest is 3, and who knows by then.
I've talked to many people in the neighborhood, and every one says it's gotten worse. To me the tipping point came with decreased police or possibly just police apathy. Loitering, littering, public weed smoking and the police do nothing. The police used to patrol and put a stop to that. No more.
if u dont know if u can hold
if u dont know if u can hold out for the entire high school years, i'd move now before highschool, rather than halfway through it. i'd also move before your 3 y.o. gets into pre-k or kindergarten.
Maybe so . The high school
Maybe so . The high school has good test scores, not excellent but solidly good. But just with in the past couple years or so, I've started to hear the gangs are starting to have a presence there. Some parents say they would never send their kid there. It's at the early stages of good test scores, but a light gang presence. The other high school I'm considering ( that would require moving) has equally good test scores, one school is not better than the other as far as scores. That school has no gang presence. The town is only a 3 minute drive from where I am now, but there is a strong police presence in the town. And high security /no tolerance at the high school. The town is not diverse, and the kids are sheltered. It's not uncommon to hear kids say my parents won't let me go outside (town name). The kids are not diverse, and they are sheltered. Almost "too" good.
The grammar school by me is about I would estimate now 10% section 8/ extremely poor kids. Behavior problem kids. The younger ones are hyper, violent, disruptive. The older ones loiter, do grafiti, smoke weed in public and make out in public. Test scores are very good and have not come down, despite the presence of these kids. It started with a small handful about 5 years ago, now it's about 10%. For the older ones, they can finish out 6th this school year, and 7th and 8th. I am scared where the school is going to be ten years from now when my other son graduates. The other grammar school( that would require moving ) is again equally good test score wise. But same town. Sheltered, not diverse, strong police presence. They do not tolerate non sense in the classroom, behavior wise. I like that, they have the resources to put the chronically disruptive acting out kids in special Ed classrooms. Unlike the grammar school by me, where they cause disruptions and problems year after year unchecked. Example, a kid hit a teacher. A 6 th grader. It was a hard swat on he teachers arm. The teacher ignored it. In front of the whole class. If it's like that now, I'm scared where it's going to be in ten years.
My dilemma is the town is almost too controlled. Inspection vehicles regularly patrol, and write tickets for grass too long, or garbage cans left at curb by sundown. Peeling paint. Little nit picky things result in violations. As a result, the town looks picture perfect as you drive past. Their kids room at the library is quiet, there are two kids librarians and they correct kids all the time. Or shoot the parents dirty looks. It's eerily quiet for having a bunch of kids. I have a reciprocal library cards, as I said three minute drive, and I almost never go. My 3 year old is not up to their standards. And even my 11 year olds who do nothing out of line are uncomfortable there, they say they feel watched. Vrs. the library in my town, it's friendly, mildly noisy, I feel comfortable there. But I don't like the non stop loitering of the older kids/teens around the library. That is my dilemma. It seems the good safe places are too controlled, too sheltered. My neighborhood was perfect for me, diverse, friendly, not too controlled. Then it started going downhill slowly.