Is California one of the worst states to raise kids? (Santa Cruz: property, gangs)

[wclac]

Living here, I've seen kids in gangs, vandalizing property, and families are breaking up in California. The public schools (in my opinion sucks anyway) in LA are messed up.

Why do people have kids in a state that is pleged with gang activity? Is California one fo the worst states to raise kids?

[terryclinker]

No, there is much worse, like Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana are a few examples. But California may not exactly be the best either. It depends on the part of the state really. IMO, Florida is the absolute worst state for raising kids.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Depends on how much money you have.

[hsw]

Prob one of best places in world to raise kids is SiliconValley, esp nr PaloAlto....

Lots of local role-models of high educational/career achievement at a young age....

One can appreciate both the value of an education....and the limits of value of any education, as many of the smartest/wealthiest tech guys are Stanford dropouts....

[CA central coast]

Excellent, top notch public schools in SLO County, great place to have kids. This is a big state. if L.A. is your perception of CA, then you need to get out more.

[wclac]

I think nobody should have children in LA, where I plan to move in the future.

Originally Posted by CA central coast

Excellent, top notch public schools in SLO County, great place to have kids. This is a big state. if L.A. is your perception of CA, then you need to get out more.

[shannonM]

I believe CA to be a bad place to raise kids and it's getting worse. not just because of the gang bangers and wanna be's but also because of Illegal aliens coming in and taking over. Refusing to discipline their kids or speak the language or keep anything clean and nice. the schools are over crowded and there is no money for even a decent library. the school my kids went to was a high school that had a half finished pool sitting there for 6 years. the trouble making kids are usually poor so they get free lunch free breakfast a free ride to school (via school bus) and the taxpayers kids have to pay for their kids' bus passes. the schools that i have dealt with were shotty !they put my 2nd grader in an E.S.L class and when we protested and told the teacher that we don't know any spanish why should our daughter have to sit in a class that will be taught in english half the time and spanish half the time she pretty much called us racists. so in my opinion california is a bad place to raise kids

[wclac]

I think childless people who were born after 1985 and they're living in California, they shouldn't have kids ever if they want to stay in the state. And if they do, they should get out of California.

Originally Posted by shannonM

I believe CA to be a bad place to raise kids and it's getting worse. not just because of the gang bangers and wanna be's but also because of Illegal aliens coming in and taking over. Refusing to discipline their kids or speak the language or keep anything clean and nice. the schools are over crowded and there is no money for even a decent library. the school my kids went to was a high school that had a half finished pool sitting there for 6 years. the trouble making kids are usually poor so they get free lunch free breakfast a free ride to school (via school bus) and the taxpayers kids have to pay for their kids' bus passes. the schools that i have dealt with were shotty !they put my 2nd grader in an E.S.L class and when we protested and told the teacher that we don't know any spanish why should our daughter have to sit in a class that will be taught in english half the time and spanish half the time she pretty much called us racists. so in my opinion california is a bad place to raise kids

[cobmw]

SLO County has top notch schools? Wish it were true. What do you base your statement on? Can you refer me to test scores or college entrance results that would substantiate this? From the research that I have done SLO school test scores are lower than other predominantly white areas of the state. And those other areas have nothing to brag about either.

The only schools in CA that I have found with truly outstanding test scores are those with large Asian populations. There are very few exceptions - the charter school in Santa Cruz being one exception that I know about.

Do you have more information other than annecdotal insight? Many parents believe that the school in their area is good. But they have never looked closely at the test results. Do you have any factual data?

[CA central coast]

Morro Bay High School Test Scores - Morro Bay, California - CA

My high school. Read it. This school also sits right on the beach, great place to go to school. Annecdotal insight? It's called living it.