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I don't intend to get into a debate here.
All I am saying is that there are all kinds of segregation." the separation or isolation of a race, class, or ethnic group by enforced or voluntary residence in a restricted area, by barriers to social intercourse, by separate educational facilities" websters dictionary.
Aren't we segregating kids from their own home group in school by bussing them to a school across town? How many people intentionally think about balancing the socio economic structure of an area when we buy a house? I thought we buy a house because we like it and the area it's in, period.
Thank you. Agree or disagree as you wish. I'm done with this one.
So I guess according to what you are saying kids are segregated if they aren't bused and segregated if they are bused? Is that what you mean? I don't agree or disagree with your position. I just don't understand what you are getting at. What is a "home group" anyway?
So I guess according to what you are saying kids are segregated if they aren't bused and segregated if they are bused? Is that what you mean? I don't agree or disagree with your position. I just don't understand what you are getting at. What is a "home group" anyway?
No worries! I just don't understand your posts.
Just a guess on my part . but I think the poster means the "neighborhood" friends, the "local area" friends for their children when they say "home group".
Last edited by autumngal; 12-10-2007 at 08:07 PM..
Reason: ha typos! no shocker there!
Yes, thank you. You can see why I shouldn't answer at night. Neighborhood schools work easier for everyone and help to reinforce sense of community. At a time when we have smaller and smaller PTA's it just doesn't make sense to make it harder for parents to try and budget more time just for traveling to their child's school so they can be a part. Typically, we invest ( time and effort) close to home, ie: our neighborhood. Maybe I'm just getting too old for this.
Yes, thank you. You can see why I shouldn't answer at night. Neighborhood schools work easier for everyone and help to reinforce sense of community. At a time when we have smaller and smaller PTA's it just doesn't make sense to make it harder for parents to try and budget more time just for traveling to their child's school so they can be a part. Typically, we invest ( time and effort) close to home, ie: our neighborhood. Maybe I'm just getting too old for this.
either make all schools Year round, or none, And none of this picking and choosing your schools. Bottom line is people are flocking to Wake county because of the reputation of the schools. Big reason I am here as opposed to Durham or Clayton. The most ignorant thing I saw was right after we passed that large School bond was to see more housing developments approved. Stop building until the schools keep up.
You have to pay a price for the progress. I had to go year round for a couple years in Northern VA because of the same issues we see here in Wake county. Didnt seem to kill me. Kids learn to adapt.
I agree 100%. Converting only some schools and assigning only some people to year round just pits us all against each other. I personally like the year round schedule (got denied even after going through the appeal process), but it is a big change to ask only *some* families to make.
Its interesting that you mention being here instead of Durham or Clayton. When we moved here in 98, I felt the same way. But if I was moving here now, I would seriously consider both places.
So are we talking about improving the education given to children at schools that have more F&R's? Then we are really saying that we need to improve the schools that have a higher ratio of F&R's due to their location, lower income areas.
Cutting past all of the PC talk that seems to encompass our society today, lets get to the point. Lower income area schools are not performing as well, period. Wake County is trying to redistribute children based on their economic status to make their numbers look better, maybe get some more federal grants, whatever. All in the name of better education. Let's look at the reasons why lower income schools don't do as well.
1. Students parents may need to work more to provide for the family and have less time to help their children.
2. Lower income is usually due to lower paying jobs, which is always tied to the education level of the employee, see point number 1.
3. It is more difficult to get high quality teachers because they do not want to work at schools that don't do as well.
With that being said, I am not saying that lower income parents don't care. However, my wife is a teacher in Wake County and she can see a direct correlation to the parental involvement with students who are bussed in and their grades. Before everybody jumps down my throat, these are not absolute statements. Not everybody in these situations fits into this category, but the majority does.
So, is the answer to bus kids around, separate them from the family and support for longer periods, and make kids who live across the street from a school ride a bus for 30 minutes to another school? Now the kids that walk to school get to ride a bus for 30 minutes and their parents have to drive to school for functions, or volunteering in the classroom, going to PTA meetings, etc... Does this help the parents of the lower income kids who ride a bus for numerous hours each day? How do they come to school, interact, get involved, have parent teacher conferences, go to PTA meetings and see what is happening with their children's education?
2.4 million gallons of fuel at $3 per gallon. That does not include oil changes on buses due to increased mileage as well. It must be close to $30 million per year after paying mechanics, drivers, and supplies.
What could money saved from not busing children all over the county do to help lower income area schools? Sounds like a better path than making our children ride buses all day instead of doing homework or getting support from their families.
Bottom line is people are flocking to Wake county because of the reputation of the schools.
I agree w/ all year round or none, too. However, that should also come with a guarantee that families with children at different schools (ES, MS, HS) can get all their kids on the same track out schedule.
As to the second point, I'd say people are now second-guessing Wake County because of the reputation of the schools. That's not to say they don't have a good reputation for providing a quality education, but they've gotten a rather bad reputation for re-zoning, bussing, poor planning, and placing economic diversity ahead of educational goals. The kids no longer seem to come first at WCPSS. Its precisely why I'll be moving from Wake Cty to Durham before my son starts kindergarten.
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. but I think the poster means the "neighborhood" friends, the "local area" friends for their children when they say "home group".
