Moving to Chicago with kids??

[deechee]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

Yes, but I also encourage people who are committed to the urban lifestyle with kids to speak with other people who have found adequate resolution to the public school problem before totally giving up on the idea and fleeing to the suburbs.

Also, there are great private schools.

The private schools in Chicagoland are excellent for the most part. I've thought about maybe pursuing a career in public or private educational settings. Chicago is a great place to do either one. I don't know if I'll be staying in Chicago much longer though.

Anywho, people must remember not to be scared of a school with a minority population. Test scores are important-- yes -- but you will also come out with a child that is well rounded and understands cultural differences and similarities. I know for a fact that 90% of the action that takes place in the classroom is instruction and educational fun.

I have shadowed at schools like Gillespie on Chicago's far south side, and even though the school had a really bad reputation, and the scores were much lower than I would have accepted for my own child, I found that in every classroom, the children were alert, attempted to learn and do work, and for the most part were respectful and listened to their teachers.

Many people will think I'm lying, but I have no reason to lie. I am not an employee of Chicago Public Schools, or any school district for that matter, and I am just stating that stereotypes of many of these schools are often not true.

I have also visited a high school in Newark, IL and found that the kids there were in a smaller setting, but had traits like talking back and things that I did not observe at Gillespie.

Have a great time looking for a place to live, and of course, feel free to ask me anything via PM or w/e.

[ajolotl]

That's an interesting testimonial. I don't think anyone should doubt you. Still, I don't think a white person would ever send their kids to Gillespie. But it is important to realize that the negative perceptions of such schools are often wildly exaggerated.

Originally Posted by deechee

I have shadowed at schools like Gillespie on Chicago's far south side, and even though the school had a really bad reputation, and the scores were much lower than I would have accepted for my own child, I found that in every classroom, the children were alert, attempted to learn and do work, and for the most part were respectful and listened to their teachers.

Many people will think I'm lying, but I have no reason to lie. I am not an employee of Chicago Public Schools, or any school district for that matter, and I am just stating that stereotypes of many of these schools are often not true.

[deechee]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

That's an interesting testimonial. I don't think anyone should doubt you. Still, I don't think a white person would ever send their kids to Gillespie. But it is important to realize that the negative perceptions of such schools are often wildly exaggerated.

Well thank you sir. I thoroughly enjoyed that time I spent shadowing in schools. I plan to do it more often this fall, and I wil share my observations with City-Data folks

I know that a white person would not send their child to an all black school. I identify as a colored woman, but still, I'd never send my child there, because the student population is too homogenous. The point is to understand culture, not overwhelm the child.

I was just saying that to reinforce that a majority minority school is not a death wish or a place to be avoided. If the test scores are good, and have been steady or have gone up recently, why not let your child attend the school?

That's why I still recommend the S, SW, and W suburbs. Most of them are still stable and have some level of diversity that the kids will feel comfortable in.