Boston Public Schools advice (Somerville, Harvard: to live, move to, kids)

[Brave Stranger]

Originally Posted by yaeger07

God forbid someone's children mix with children from the projects.

More than likely parents don't want to sacrifice their children on the "alter of diversity" for some government imposed egalitarian fantasy where their children are the "test subjects". As for the OP: look at Arlington, Belmont or Melrose like others have suggested.

[sal1181]

Realtors are suppose to follow the Fair Housing Act and are not allowed to discuss how schools are or how the neighborhood is with homebuyers. Agents can be sued for that. All we can do is guide you to the resources and let the buyers search for the information themselves

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by sal1181

Realtors are suppose to follow the Fair Housing Act and are not allowed to discuss how schools are or how the neighborhood is with homebuyers. Agents can be sued for that. All we can do is guide you to the resources and let the buyers search for the information themselves

Then why have I seen listings in top school districts boast of "great schools" or use similar wording?

[semiurbanite]

In Cambridge and Somerville you can be pretty confident that you will get into your neighborhood school. In Somerville we have school choice but I have never heard of anyone not getting their neighborhood school.

As for "the projects" and "altar of diversity" - i grew up in a diverse school, and my kids are too - we are all better because of it. Would I put them in a school that is 80% low-income? Unlikely. But most of these schools are closer to 25-50% low income and the non-low income kids do just as well as the non-low income kids in the suburbs. We have quite a few friends in Lexington, Arlington, Belmont, Weston and Wellesley and I feel pretty confident that my kids are getting an equal education, and in some cases a better one, than their kids in those towns. Not to mention we have a vibrant, walk-able, diverse and relatively car-free existence with a 13 minute commute by bike. Less homogeneity in the schools also means your kids don't feel pressured to fit a specific mold and can just be themselves.

[sal1181]

DM84 they are not suppose to write that in the listing. Unfortunately I have seen it as well. Just a simple description like great family neighborhood or walk to St. Michael's church can get an agent sued if the buyer is familiar with the fair housing act

[Russbosma]

Originally Posted by yaeger07

God forbid someone's children mix with children from the projects.

Yours first then you can talk!

[yaeger07]

Originally Posted by Russbosma

Yours first then you can talk!

I don't have children yet, but I've spent time in 25+ BPS schools and can say from experience that where kids live does not predict the quality of the school.

[sal1181]

We all know that wealthy towns tend to have better higher performing school districts. Poor cities like Lawrence are at the bottom of school rankings.

[Brave Stranger]

Orwellian words: Vibrant. Diverse. It's like magic. And you get "better" for it. Though most of us know it's P.C. bull-crap. Harvard professor Robert Putnam did a study on diversity, and you know what he did with that study.....he hid it for several years; cause it showed what all honest, rational people understand: so-called 'diversity' does not work. We live in a delusional age.....

[wolfgang239]

People act like there are fedora wearing string bands with butterflies enveloping them on every corner. You are still in the city and 99% of it is economic status and parental support.

Vibrant and diverse, lol.