[JamesinLittleRock]

I feel safe in pretty much all of little rock except the old run down parts, like souht of 630 in alot of areas. also I dont really pay much attention to people if I stop in those areas for anything, I just go about my business and most of the people I have talked to may look "thuggish", but are actually pretty nice.

[Sam I Am]

Originally Posted by DFWMike

You're right Sam, I checked Maumelle out and they are definately in Pulaski County Special School District. I remember they were making a bid at one point to have their own school district I'm guessing that failed. I had already checked great schools and counted out J.T.Fair, Robinson didn't have a great score either, I was just wondering what someone with personal experience with the school would think.

If I were to go on test scores alone from great schools, it seems, Bryant and Benton are the best shots on that side of town.

Bear in mind, I'm telling you what 2 teen males had to say......very bright, very popular boys......if you're popular and bright and getting the girls, you're pretty happy wherever you are.

It has been years, but my own son went to J.A. Fair. Worst year of our lives. I hope it has changed for the better, but I moved him back to Cabot at the end of his 8th grade year because of how bad it was and how awful he was....school did NOT impress on him the things I wanted him to know - like history and math and not some other very special things he learned.

I would be hard pressed to put my children in LRSD if I had any other choice. Forest Park or Rockefeller Elementary for K-6, maybe. Past that, nope - I'd work a second job. I know, I know what is said about Hall and Central - they are supposed to be wonderful schools, and I will admit up front I am WAY out of touch with the school scene...whether Central is a great school wouldn't even really matter for me - it's in a neighborhood where the thugs hang at, and that alone would keep my kid out.

[JamesinLittleRock]

attitudes certainly play a part in the growing rift between haves and have nots. I for one look forward to teaching in an intercity school once I am done with college, for the simple fact helping kids who might not have a future dicover theirs. kids in the private schools have everything handed to them. just my 4 cents

[DFWMike]

I don't have any problem with helping inner city kids strive, but I certainly wouldn't put my kids in there as poster children to help turn the tide. So I pretty much will be staying away from any of those schools. I certainly don't need for them to be in a lilly white school but I'm not looking for them to be in the scariest ones either.

I had actually considered Cabot at one point Sam, but if I make the move I'll be working just off 430, so that'll be a pretty good hike. Especially with the traffic on 67, have they finished the widening project on 40 all the way to Conway yet? I know the traffic isn't as bad as Dallas but any traffic is bad as far as I'm concerned and that couple of extra lanes on 30 did wonders for the Benton rush hour.

I thought for awhile I would be able to swing NWA, but now it looks like if I make the move it will probably be to Central Arkansas.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by JamesinLittleRock

attitudes certainly play a part in the growing rift between haves and have nots. I for one look forward to teaching in an intercity school once I am done with college, for the simple fact helping kids who might not have a future dicover theirs. kids in the private schools have everything handed to them. just my 4 cents

James, you have a great attitude, the only problem too often you can not make a difference. We have a granddaughter that will be a senior at University of AR this year, before she starts teaching she will get her masters. I don't think she wants to teach in an intercity school. As for kids in private schools, yes, many have had everything handed to them, but there are many schools that are demographically mixed but still give kids a well rounded education. Intercity school teachers, from what I have heard, spend most of their time baby sitting, breaking up fights and just hoping to get kids to come to school plus getting parents to care, Good luck to you.

Nita

[Sam I Am]

Originally Posted by JamesinLittleRock

attitudes certainly play a part in the growing rift between haves and have nots. I for one look forward to teaching in an intercity school once I am done with college, for the simple fact helping kids who might not have a future dicover theirs. kids in the private schools have everything handed to them. just my 4 cents

James -

My kids certainly were NOT the haves...closer to the have-nots at that time, but a very long story for another day.

There is a significant gang problem in Little Rock - let's don't beat around the bush - and you don't have to go to Granite Mountain or Hollingsworth Courts to find it....and if you are at J.A. Fair, it will find you unless things have changed immeasurably, which I cannot imagine; otherwise, all kids in Little Rock would be in public schools. It is not a race thing, but it IS a race thing - it is a lot of young men with a lot of testosterone and a lot to prove, and sometimes you can't jump that race hurdle when you can't see the forest for the trees.

DFW MIKE -

No, the widening project is not through - the traffic is awful in my book, and unless you travel slightly before or after peak travel hours, it's just going to be bad. I had to go to Little Rock earlier this week and left Russellville at 5:30 - I hit Conway about 6:15, just in time for all the 7-3 hospital people that commute from Conway to Little Rock. Yippee. Other times I have traveled, the snarls haven't worked out until 8:30-9:00....afternoons it starts about 3:15 and ends about 6:30.

I drove from Cabot every day for years, but I had to be at work at 4:45 in the morning so it didn't matter.....and working off 430, you can't go the back way from Cabot around Remington Road and over to Lonoke and cut across 440, I guess - it would be just as far?

You might look into Maumelle schools.....I like the Maumelle community, I just don't know much about the school system - and Gravel Ridge - I'm not sure if they are part of PCSSD either.

[JamesinLittleRock]

thanks sam. my point was just in the time I have been in little rock it seems there is a HUGE gap between even middle and lower class people. maybe its just the gap that bothers me or maybe the fact I have fought for everything I have, including my own education that makes me want to change things or at least change a few lives.

[baptistlady]

I would not want my children to go to any public school in Pulaski County.

But then again, are you aware there are Salvadoran Gangs in Russellville High School?

And I know children and women have been assaulted in the shopping parking lot of our community.

[JamesinLittleRock]

Originally Posted by baptistlady

I would not want my children to go to any public school in Pulaski County.

But then again, are you aware there are Salvadoran Gangs in Russellville High School?

And I know children and women have been assaulted in the shopping parking lot of our community.

its ms13
a huge central american gang thats a plague

[mdawg]

it looks like yalls posts are getting a little off topic....anyways, no i have never been to arkansas but from what ive seen and heard it sounds to me like you all are an "in-between" state, different parts of the state blend with other regions. I live in Kentucky and we have the same thing going on here, some people think of Kentucky as Midwestern and some think of it as Southern, i would have to put it in the Southern category but thats just me. Where are some nice places to go if i take a trip out there?