Thinking about moving TO Baltimore...am I nuts? (apartment, transfer)

[medfieldbum]

Actually, beebelle---the city has several outstanding high schools. When we lived in Roland Park, most of our neighbors sent their kids to Roland Park Elementary/Middle School. Our immediate next door neighbors did, and both of their boys went to City College High School, along with their best friend from the next street over. City gives kids a world-class education, if they grasp it. Those 3 boys are now all in or graduated from college--the older one went to Tufts.

Close to Roland Park is Baltimore's Polytechnic Institute--or Poly, for short, an amazing school dedicated to engineering and science. Next door is Western High School, one of 3 public all-girls high schools in the country grandfathered in, and is for academically advanced girls, who can also take courses at Poly.

Downtown is Baltimore's School for the Arts, focusing on various arts, such as painting, dance, theatre, etc. For the last schools i mentioned, county residents actually pay tuition for their kids to attend them.

It's getting pretty clear that living way out in the county ain't necessarily better, sentencing yourself to a long commute to work, and having to drive everywhere--even to get a loaf of bread. And, clearly, in the future, it will be getting less sustainable. You and your children are far more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a car accident in the burbs, than your probability of being killed or hurt by a Baltimore criminal--unless, you're "in the game". Most sensible upper middle class Baltimore residents know how to stay out of trouble and high-crime areas.

[Ledroitpark]

The responses are so "over the board" in exaggeration. If your child becomes a crack addict, gangster, drug dealer, does not adhere to your rules. It is not the school's fault or the "wire"s"; its BAD parenting. There is no way in hell my child is coming home after midnight and its ok. He or she will just have live somewhere else. My father used to tell me " I don't have 18 year-old friends", you don't pay any bills around here, and its my way or the highway". We did not have a choice , we had to go to college or get out of the house. In retrospect, I am happy for those stuff-love lessons because it allowed me to become a responsible adult and I was raised in Brooklyn, NY.

I am moving to Bmore this summer and my son will be attending private school in Mt. Vernon. I visited several areas in Bmore and decided that a more "suburban feel" would be better suited for our family. I found a great neighborhood called Original Northwood and its just down the street from Loyola and Morgan State universities. I am also a transplant from DC so I wanted an area that was comparable to 16 street heights in DC and upper northwest for 1/2 of the price. Check it out.

[Amyzodd]

Move to Baltimore? Are you nuts?

[shapeand]

i dont think your nuts. I used to go to baltimore a lot with my parents. i love the city. i havent been there in a couple years but i did have a lot of good times there. i should go there again soon

sorry if this wasnt much help

[GinaGardens]

It's terrific that you are willing to consider such a move and what type of community you want to be a part of. I hope all members of your family are interested in taking part in that exploration.

No easy answers but hope you will visit Baltimore often and see if there is some part of the city that you and your family especially connect with. Open houses on weekends are helpful because you often get to meet the neighbors too.

Visits to schools are very useful too. There is a new Sudbury school on Hartford Road. A bit experimental but might be of interest and very affordable. As always an excellent school for one child might be awful for another. I personally think school selection is much more challenging than home selection! You can visit the side walk in front of a home address any time of day or night and see what the reality is but schools have so many more variables...

I do believe that whether you decide to move or not you will know more about the city and what is most important to you and your family.

My family moved to Baltimore City last year with two middle school age children. Not including more details here because I think each person has to find what is best for their family.

Best of luck!

[cainanomar]

Originally Posted by Ledroitpark

The responses are so "over the board" in exaggeration. If your child becomes a crack addict, gangster, drug dealer, does not adhere to your rules. It is not the school's fault or the "wire"s"; its BAD parenting. There is no way in hell my child is coming home after midnight and its ok. He or she will just have live somewhere else. My father used to tell me " I don't have 18 year-old friends", you don't pay any bills around here, and its my way or the highway". We did not have a choice , we had to go to college or get out of the house. In retrospect, I am happy for those stuff-love lessons because it allowed me to become a responsible adult and I was raised in Brooklyn, NY.

I am moving to Bmore this summer and my son will be attending private school in Mt. Vernon. I visited several areas in Bmore and decided that a more "suburban feel" would be better suited for our family. I found a great neighborhood called Original Northwood and its just down the street from Loyola and Morgan State universities. I am also a transplant from DC so I wanted an area that was comparable to 16 street heights in DC and upper northwest for 1/2 of the price. Check it out.

but when you have 8 kids to worry about and you live in one of the worst ghettos in America its not so easy. and what can I do just put em out the house to starve or whatever.
A kid(white or black) in the suburbs is more likely to succeed than one in the baltimore inner-city and especially one who is black and poor.
Im not denying that there are good schools in bmore but those are limited and are probably very hard to get in to.

anyways it doesnt matter because I moved in with my family in NYC.
better schools
lower crime
hallelujah!

[fredperry]

Do not move to this crime ridden dangerous city. We used to live there and finally moved out of state to get away.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by fredperry

Do not move to this crime ridden dangerous city. We used to live there and finally moved out of state to get away.

Post on your local forum then and tell your neighbors not to come here. We don't want to hear it.

[cainanomar]

Originally Posted by ltong1009

As previously mentioned in this thread, Baltimore City's own City College, just ranked 520th best high school in the country. One of 5 great magnet high schools in the city. I'm doing my homework when it comes to my child's education (pun intended). The notion that Baltimore's schools are all crappy is a myth. They've haven't done a very good job of getting the word out though.

If it was easy to get into everyone would go.
now im guessing that out of most students that apply a small percentage are accepted.
what then?

[are you kidinme?]

Originally Posted by ltong1009

As previously mentioned in this thread, Baltimore City's own City College, just ranked 520th best high school in the country. One of 5 great magnet high schools in the city. I'm doing my homework when it comes to my child's education (pun intended). The notion that Baltimore's schools are all crappy is a myth. They've haven't done a very good job of getting the word out though.

This is a joke, right? 520th! And that's THE BEST school in Bmore. I wonder where that puts the other 4 great magnet schools? Let's get the word out.