Oh, lets see what have I been arguing about JCPS? (Louisville: renting, lawyers)

[rbryant]

Originally Posted by tomocox

You are so right on every point. Just to add to your last point, a year of parochial high school is about $7500 per child per year. Put that into an Oldham County home, your child will have a great education, you'll have at least twenty thousand towards each child's college, and the only expense will be about 5-7000 in additional commute cost, assuming that you would live 5 miles or less from your work in Jefferson County.

No question about it, and I'm sure some will argue with this. However, the Oldham county school system is light years ahead of JCPS. Although its been twenty years and counting, I'm still proud of being an OCHS alum.
Regarding the Parochial system, I wonder if the Catholic church would realize what a pinch some families are in and bring down tuition? A reduction in cost would mean higher enrollment and an influx of some talented kids who would otherwise get lost in the JCPS jungle. I'm speaking of the kids who don't get into the "traditional" Jefferson County schools.

[censusdata]

Originally Posted by stx12499

No sir. Racism is the reason that America's central cities have declined. After the riots of the 1960's, whites feld central cities across America. This trend sadly continues today. It is nothing more than closet racism. Why are places like the highlands and old louisville full of "liberals?" The answer is these are the only people left who do not believe in this policy.

The bottom line is that people will always do what is most economical for their situation. If the average person in Europe could afford to live in a single family home and drive an SUV most would do so - because of space constraints and higher fuel cost the average European instead lives in a townhome or apartment and drives a compact hatchback car.

The average American family can not afford to send their children to private school and they fear (real or imagined - or both) that city schools are worse to the most economical thing is to move to a nearby county.

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by stx12499

No sir. Racism is the reason that America's central cities have declined. After the riots of the 1960's, whites feld central cities across America. This trend sadly continues today. It is nothing more than closet racism. Why are places like the highlands and old louisville full of "liberals?" The answer is these are the only people left who do not believe in this policy. I have now lived in 7 cities and visited another 64 of the top 100 largest metro areas. I can tell you that every city has a Highlands, and every city has an Oldham County, they are just to differing degress of sophistication or local culture. Disguise it any other way you must, but racism is what it is. And until this fact changes, and Americans institutes smart growth, energy efficient construction, and mass transit, it will continue to be a declining cesspool. I would actually love to move to Europe.


In fact, I would be inclined to argue that almost all America's problems are rooted in its history of classim, racism, and slavery. Even our healthcare crisis is a direct result of our social situation. Who is crowding ERs, dying from heart disease, and has a 800% higher prevalance of HIV? Minorites. And the divide only gets worse. Until the established and upper classes try to solve our social and cultural problems instead of running to sprawling exurbs like Oldham County, then this country will continue to have more and more problems. It is all interralated. Racism creates classism, whcih creates segregation, which leads to sprawl, which leads to wasted energy etc.

Stx, while you make a strong argument, you are very wrong on nearly every point. You can expect a line by line rebuttal of your statement as soon as possible.

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by stx12499

After the riots of the 1960's, whites feld central cities across America. .

If that is true then why were most of the suburbs in this part of the county built in the 50's? I don't know about other parts of town but mine is very black though it wasn't when I was growing up, maybe the trend is changing.

[piggydiva]

Originally Posted by rbryant

A reduction in cost would mean higher enrollment and an influx of some talented kids who would otherwise get lost in the JCPS jungle. I'm speaking of the kids who don't get into the "traditional" Jefferson County schools.

I'm new to the Louisville area and don't know anything about the middle and high schools. Are some better than others? Can you tell me which ones are safest and/or best? I have a middle schooler and a high schooler. Do any of the schools go by where you live? Or do you get bussed somewhere no matter what?

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by piggydiva

I'm new to the Louisville area and don't know anything about the middle and high schools. Are some better than others? Can you tell me which ones are safest and/or best? I have a middle schooler and a high schooler. Do any of the schools go by where you live? Or do you get bussed somewhere no matter what?

It is based on clusters according to an address where you live. It is not as complicated as some posters here would like you to believe. Below you will find a school finder based on your address.

JCPS SchoolFinder

JCPS has some horrific schools. However, its BEST schools are still light years ahead of any other PUBLIC school in the metro area, including the much talked about Oldham County Schools. All the schools with the highest test scores are in JCPS, it is just that some of the schools with the lowest test scores are also in JCPS. You are going to get this with any large school district, and JCPS is one of the top 20 largest school districts in the US!

Find a place to live first, then run the school name by me and I will let you know its ranking. Also, if you contact Louisville Magazine, they publish a list of all schools in the metro area by test scores and other criteria to rank them. I will see if I can dig up last year's list.

[rbryant]

Originally Posted by tomocox

Stx, while you make a strong argument, you are very wrong on nearly every point. You can expect a line by line rebuttal of your statement as soon as possible.

I'm awaiting this one as well. As much as I appreciate STX's promotion of the Greater Louisville area, I'm tired of the constant "Blame Oldham County" banter.

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by piggydiva

I'm new to the Louisville area and don't know anything about the middle and high schools. Are some better than others? Can you tell me which ones are safest and/or best? I have a middle schooler and a high schooler. Do any of the schools go by where you live? Or do you get bussed somewhere no matter what?

Here's the rest of the story. Jefferson County does have some excellent schools, no doubt, and STX will tell you about them. Of course, STX has never had a child in a JCPS school, I have. I have also had two step-sons in Catholic schools, so I can talk about them too. Third, I am a Realtor. If I sell you a home in Jefferson County and fail to tell you what I know about the JCPS system, then I have violated ethics, if not the law. My daughter, who desperately needed the structure of a traditional education program such as Barrett Traditional Middle School, was told when race was the only factor, that if she was placed on the waiting list, she would be the 15th white female in line. No other criteria would be used to determine enrollment eligibility.

So, here's the real deal. You just moved here, odds are your child will "maybe" go to what JCPS calls your "resides" school. That simply means that your home is located in a certain school territory. Most children in that territory will attend their local school, that is unless your children are assigned for socio-economic reasons to another school in order to balance the blend of poor, middle income, and upper income students. Odds are not in your favor if your resides school happens to be one of the desired schools. Please note, I said "odds are" not that it's impossible.

Try to get your child into one of the desired schools such as Manual, Male, Eastern, or Ballard, and you'll likely be told, as I was about Barrett TMS, that although you live just 1/2 mile away, your child will have to go several miles away or be placed on the "waiting list."

Before you get all settled in, better call JCPS and see how many vacancies your "resides" district school has prior to buying school T-shirts.

STX is absolutely correct. Manual did score higher than the three Oldham Schools, so did one more, but then the mix starts. While JCPS had 4 of the top 15 schools in Kentucky, all of Oldham County's were. JCPS had the very bottom three of all 200 plus high schools in Kentucky, too.

[wmac62]

I would strongly encourage anyone considering moving to Jefferson County to seriously reconsider what you are doing. The school system is a joke. We continue to fight this defacto desegregation plan in which this county was releived from in 2001, and the Supreme Court found unconsitutional in 2007, however the idiots continue to pursue this issue.

The County closed parks and cuts back on needed services but we continue to bus kids all over the county for no reason. How much is this costing the county per year ?

I think the parents need to file an additional law suit for pain and suffering to include mental distress. How can any educated person believe placing a five -year old child on three different buses to get to him/her school is healthy. I'm looking forward to the day I move out of this hell hole.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by rbryant

I'm awaiting this one as well. As much as I appreciate STX's promotion of the Greater Louisville area, I'm tired of the constant "Blame Oldham County" banter.

I don't blame Oldham County. It is a fine community. It is also one of the wealthiest counties in the US, but also one of the ones with the least diversity, being 94% white as of 2000. Jefferson County is also a great place,and each county would not be what it is without the other. people shouldn't be scared away from Jefferson County or JCPS but should come experience it for itself. When I lived in Chicago, the same thing happened. Indianapolis? Ditto. I am more or less tired of people feeling like they must move to edge counties, whether it is La Grange KY or West Chester OH or Carmel IN or Naperville IL or Marietta GA or Winter Park or Lake Mary FL. Families can and do live in cities, and Louisville is a wonderful city and county in which to raise children and send them to public schools.