Leaving California (Santa Ana, Stockton, Winters: income, taxes, living in)

[greatbasinguide]

My daughter also does yard duty and in that school teachers do not have to do that. My oldest grandson who pulls a 3.8 gpa had one teacher that no one could understand and if any student asked for that teacher to repeat what he said the teacher would say you should have listened to me the first time.

First sentence, illegal in many states for non certified person to do duty, second sentence, is probably baloney, most complaints against teachers come from people with agendas, and are usually baloney. Did this parent go in and talk to the teacher, I thought not.

of course if the students spends their inclass time time texting their friends, chatting with their friends, the teacher was probably perfectly correct.

[lorriem]

Originally Posted by greatbasinguide

First sentence, illegal in many states for non certified person to do duty, second sentence, is probably baloney, most complaints against teachers come from people with agendas, and are usually baloney. Did this parent go in and talk to the teacher, I thought not.

of course if the students spends their inclass time time texting their friends, chatting with their friends, the teacher was probably perfectly correct.

First sentence.My daughter is certified. She had to take a test and a background check. Second sentence not baloney and no agenda.You thought wrong she did as did several other parents talk to the principal first who then had a sit down with that teacher and the parents. No solution and he said he was right. Surprise. You seem to blame everything on the students or the parents when in this case we have total parent invovement in the three schools I first posted about and great students.There are some bad teachers or is that baloney also.

[greatbasinguide]

Certified is a state license to teach. Your daughter, unless she is a state licensed teacher is not certified.

I don't blame problems on the students, I blame the parents.

Kids will tell all sorts of stories, usually exaggerated. Parents who believe everything their kids tell them need to have their heads examined, and yes, I am a parent, with three kids. If my child came to me with a story like yours, I would drop by the teacher and talk. I would likely find that my kid had a history of not paying attention and the teacher was fed up.

I could not tell you the number of times a parent came rolling into my classroom at 3:05 with a full head of steam about something I did to their child. Once they found out what really happened they get a bit embarrassed.


There is an old saying that teachers have been known to tell parents; " I won't believe most of what your child says about you, if you don't believe most of what your child says about me".

I find that some parents resent the influence that teachers have over their children, they act out that resentment by finding fault with someone who is working very hard for little pay to shove some larnin' into their child's brain. Their child who much prefers their video games, their TV, their cell phones and their peers to anything the teacher might have in mind.

Generally parent involvement involves parents who don't need to work but should. If you want to help in my classroom you best show me that you have something to bring to the table. You should not be involved just because you want to be with your child all day.

That said, all my classrooms have been open classrooms, all parents are always invited to come in sit down and observe, but unless you are a certified teacher, don't try and teach.

Now, before you think I have a problem with parents, I also do traveling roadshow field trips (or did before NCLB) where parents drive with their camping gear and kids and we convoy around the great state of Nevada looking at all the cool stuff, sit around the campfire at night with bunch of parents while the kids run through the night. We have a great time. And guess what, once these parents find out I am human, I don't have problems with them.

There aren't many bad teachers, teachers get evaluated every year.

[lorriem]

Certified is a state license to teach. Your daughter, unless she is a state licensed teacher is not certified.////

You said certified for yard duty and I responded by saying she had to take a test and had a background check forgot to add fingerprinted also.

[rkb0305]

I couldn't read all 24 pages of this thread, but I thought I'd respond to the original question-why did I leave Cali? My husband and I and our 2 kids just moved from Fresno to Denver because 1)air pollution and my kids health 2)weather-those 113-degree days last summer were the last straw 3)cost of living-I'm now a stay at home mom.
I think it is still too early to say if it was a good move. We've been here 2.5 months, and I lived in Fresno for 34 years. I think once we make some friends and get the kids settled in school (they are 2 and 4) and can take the time to enjoy the outdoor activities here, it will have been a good move. but right now, I miss my friends and family. I do really appreciate those days at the park or the rec center pool now when I think to myself that in California, I would have been at work, and the kids in daycare.
For comparison, we left a 2300 sf house on an 8000 sf lot in a great neighborhood. Now we have a 2000 sf house with an unfinished basement to expand into (2700 sf total) on a 8000 sf lot in a nice neighborhood and cut our income by about 1/3. The kids have never been healthier (chronic runny noses are gone). The high temps have been in the 90's, but it cools down in the evening and is quite pleasant.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

I think once we make some friends and get the kids settled in school (they are 2 and 4) and can take the time to enjoy the outdoor activities here, it will have been a good move. but right now, I miss my friends and family. I do really appreciate those days at the park or the rec center pool now when I think to myself that in California, I would have been at work, and the kids in daycare.

Did my wife ghost write this post? We were (and still are a little bit) in a similar emotional boat - moved from Ventura County in SoCal to near Monument south from you. Our girls are 3, 5, and 8 (and another girl coming in October).

Check out H2OBrien water park on Mainstreet in Parker. Perfect for small kids. There is also an excellent playground/park right there too. On Sundays afternoon 12-4 live bands. Also checkout the Littleton Town Hall Arts Theater for productions for kids. It is in old town Littleton. Kids will dig on it.

[rkb0305]

Thank you for the info and for commiserating with me!

[bmantx]

I lived in California my entire life. I moved to Texas about 2 years ago and have loved it ever since. When it comes to weather, I don't really care. Heat, cold, humidity, blizzards,tornadoes,hurricanes etc. whatever. I find that I can adapt anywhere. I used to think that California was simply a terrible state when I moved here to Texas. But now I realize that it isn't that bad a state. I wouldn't ever consider moving back there, but I don't have anyhting against it. I have come to truly believe that the appeal of a state varies with people. Some people like certain aspects of a state, and others don't. That is why people shouldn't trust 100% what other people say about a state, b/c odds are, they have totally different views than u do as to the "ideal" place. I wish all those making out of state moves luck.
--Brandon

[YOU-CANT-EAT-SCENERY]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Thinking about moving away? Already made the big move? Discuss why, where, and how you left or plan to leave California.

1. Yes

2. Not yet. Maybe in about 6 years. I have child support and visitation obligations to consider before moving. Plus I don't want to up and leave my kids right now. My youngest is 12 years old, so 6 years to go. It will give me time to get my ducks in a row financially. Plus it will allow for this real estate bubble to flatten out and hopefully go back up.

3. Why?
The bad: The weather, overcrowding, traffic, cost of living here.
The Good: Everything is close by.

I feel the middle class is getting edged out of this area. Soon it will be the rich and the poor. I just feel fortunate enough to own a house, and that my wife and I both have good jobs. The job will be the hardest thing to change. I have been working at my employer now for 15 years, but they are having tough times and are starting to lay off people I am sure to start a new job from scratch (industrial mechanic/technician) I will be lucky to make $15hr...right now I make $30+/hr

I was born and raised in So Cal, and am now 43 and ready for a change. I will be 50ish when I hit the highway.

I know some might think I'm nuts, but I hate the weather here. Too hot for to long. I don't like hot weather, and these 6 month long summers are driving me crazy. I always look forward to winter...all 3 weeks of it
Immigration/overcrowding: Well I'm not going to go there, as there are already enough topics on this I'll just tell you, I work in Santa Ana.

Traffic: I suppose for those that live here, there doesn't even need to be an explanation. I was able to get my employer to let me change my hours, so I can ride the Metrolink train to work from Corona to Santa Ana But on Saturdays when I work, the traffic is worse than during the work week Where is everyone going? I hear it said all the time, how there is so much to do in So Cal, but who wants to sit in traffic for hours on end to get to where you need to go to do it? Not worth it to me anymore.

Some peolpe's personality traits. I have noticed lately that people are going back on their words lately. To me, when you say you're going to do something, you do it, and if you can't, you let the person know why you can't.

Cost of Living: Just utilities alone set me back about $700/800/mo. During the summer, $400 electric bills are not uncommon. And that is with my wifes 25% discount off of baseline for working for Edison Trash/sewer= $150. Gas, phone, probably another $200.

4. Where: Idaho. We went on a road trip to
NORTHERN IDAHO the last week of July, and absolutely fell in love with the area. Thanks to this forum, and all the info it's users provide, I was able to make a decision, and narrow down my area. I initially started out wanting either MT, WY, CO, ID. I was able to narrow it down to Idaho with this forum, and now after visiting, I narrowed it down to a specific area around Couer d' Alene (north central ID).

5. How: Pay off my credit card debt (divorce) and buy a 10+ acre horse property, to get my foot in the door there, because prices are going up in that area. I am going to sell my 65 Corvette, and liquidate a few other things to make it all happen. With any luck in about 6 to 7 years the real estate market will have rebounded, and I can leave here with enough $$$ to not have a mortgage, and/or possibly open my own business.

[NotProudButStillCaring]

Originally Posted by johnmarg

I looked up Tahlequah to compare it to SLO county. It has a higher than average crime rate, only 80% high school grad rate, over 30% American Indian population, summer average high in the mid 90's with high humidity, only 1 tiny hospital, and tons of lead and copper water tainted violations in town. Thier average income is much less than the state and Oklahome is one of the least paying states in the nation.
I prefer SLO County. The only bad thing SLO has its it housing prices. That cant compare to the lack of culture, education high crime etc you get in Tahlequah and other areas of the country

Alright, here's a report from someone who LIVES in the 'Quah.

Our crime rate is high because our population consists of college students from OUTSIDE our community. About 84% of NSU's students are from surrounding cities or from over seas. If it isn't the college kids, its just crime in general. This is a small hick town, what do you expect?

Dude, our high school is made up of three things: Kids from surrounding and even smaller communities; Mexicans and Indians, who don't care because they are automatically seen as bad news or "gangsta"; and everyone else. We're ONE high school packed with kids who all feel like their going nowhere anyway. So far, the money that could be geared toward academic needs is being tossed down the toilet for a THIRD gym so Sequoya won't outdo us.

Education... I'll admit it sucks. Honest to The Lord Almighty, it sucks. But hey, at least some of us re-read and punctuate our sentences.

As stated above: This is a HICK town. We are very small, we could make do with a bigger hospital but it's pretty hard to afford it because we are small.

"Only?" Boy, I have a feeling you have quite a few problems, but maybe someone can help you pull your head out your ass. Well, clean the crap outta your ears, 'cuz I'm not done with you just yet.

"...lack of culture..."

...

...

...

Oh, sorry, I sorta fell out of my chair LAUGHING.

This town was FOUNDED on culture. Tahlequah has a meaning in Cherokee. It means: "Two is enough". Obviously you haven't heard of the Trail of Tears, of the suffering the Indians went through, the pain and abuse they endured on their travels from the east. Every year we have festivals and parades and pow-wows. These are meant to show our colors, our CULTURE to everyone. We put on plays, we hand-make our old flutes and drums. We dance together, to the sound of old and new hands at the deer-skin drum, we paint our faces, we sing as one. As corny as that all sounds, we are damn well PROUD of our culture.

Better recognize.

I don't care if you read, this, nor if you reply to it. I'm just doing my good deed of the day and educating an idiot about what Tahlequah is REALLY like.