Rockford IL good or bad (Chicago, Aurora: city hall, school district, taxis)

[tumanyanimals]

Hi: I don't live on that side of town, but a good friend does. For a couple years she traveled 30 min. to the East side to a private, Christian school. Last year, she decided to send them to Winnebago public schools and she and the kids absolutely love it! She wishes she had saved tuition and gas money for those years. I think you'll be fine.

[applejack47]

Originally Posted by tasham76

Thamk you very much for pointing out that not all areas of Rockford are bad. I am moving back to Rockford after living in Chicago for 11 years. I am bringing my husband and our 2 kids. There are good schools and there are bad schools everywhere in this whole area. I am one of the rare ones that went looking on the west side because that is where I feel comfortable at . There are little pockets that are great. My husband is black and I am white and Chicago is worse as far as racism.Rockford is mucxh better where race is concerned.I don't know your race but if that is an issue Rockford in my opinion is much better than Chicago.

Hi tasham76, my name is PHIL and I was born and raised in Chicago. Let me tell you I'm in FULL AGREEMENT with you about Chicago. I was raised on that city's south side which was and perhaps still is overwhelmingly black. Haven't been there for years. It indeed has got to be the most RACIST place on earth in 2007 America. Even more so than the South could ever be. I mean we're talking overt, in your face racism. Very brutal to say the least. My girlfriend who is white is from California (I am black) wants to go there to visit. I severely warned her of the dramatic shock she will face when she sees the STARK RACIAL SEGREGATION that exists. It will be an education she'll take to the afterlife! Ironically enough, Chicago is a great city with great food (miss the hot dogs and pizza lol) and great people but that's it. Unfortunately, it's racism kills the city's image. I now in live in California and absolutely love it hear even though it's WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!!! There are interracial couples literally everywhere. So many that even other IR couples who come here from other parts of the country are blown away by it. They feel right at home. Anyway, I don't miss Chicago at all except for the aboved-mentioned and haven't look back. I do visit on occasion to see my family who is still there. When I'm done visiting them, I'm out of there. Will never live there again.

On the subject of Rockford, I don't know anything about it but I had a younger brother who lived there for almost 2 years and he said basically what you said. Racism wasn't really a problem. People got along fine. He said it wasn't a good city to live in. Boring, high crime and other problems. He and his girlfriend (who is white) recently moved to Belvidere where he likes it there much better. He moved because it was much closer to his job. He said the biggest problem dividing Rockford was the haves and the have nots . It got to the point it became insane. He's glad he's gone and doesn't miss it at all. So I guess the only thing I can say is if it means a better life for you and your husband to move back to Rockford, then I say go for it. SURE BEATS THE HELL OUT OF CHICAGO!! My 2 cents worth. PHIL

[sonicreducer]

I've never heard anything bad about the Rockford schools myself. I had a couple friends in college who went to the public schools there. They were quite smart, and went on to graduate programs, so it definitely was not an impediment to success.

I've been noticing a trend from reading not only the Illinois board, but also the boards for some other midwest states as well. Someone will post a message stating that a spouse is being transferred to working-class-city-of-your-choice, and that they want to find a good school...with the inference being, with "people like us." And more times than I can count, people on here push them to pursue private schools, as the public schools are definitely "not an option.". Why do people think that private schools are such a failsafe panacea? Does sending your kids there mean they will get a "better" education, get into "better" colleges, have "better" friends, etc. ? Absolutely not. It absolutely floors me that people will just write the public school system off wholesale. Or that they write off a school because the test scores aren't top notch. Bad test scores don't necessarily mean the school sucks or that the teachers are crummy. You can have awesome teachers and really lazy, entitled students too. I know people who went to these supposedly highly-ranked public/private schools in Illinois, and my "crap" public school (a very small rural district) education beats theirs any day. Smart and determined kids will generally rise above "substandard" circumstances (or maybe just take more advantage of certain opportunities). Kids who get stuff handed to them on silver platters...in my experience (with family members and friends) they get complacent and neglectful.

You can try to give your kids the BEST in everything, and they may still turn out to be criminals. Or just smug, self-satisfied snobs. Sometimes you have to let your kids sink or swim on their own merits, instead of letting someone hold their hand through everything. I think public schools even at their worst at least give kids a sense of independence ("I can do things on my own."); teaches them how to deal with bureaucracy; and gives them practice with complex social situations (including dealing with people of all races, classes, and orientations--a lesson that is invaluable to being a living, functioning, and even-minded member of adult society).

I wouldn't let people scare you from the Rockford public schools.

[wakeboarder5287]

Being born and raised in Rockford, now currently going to college in Chicago. I have to disagree somewhat with what everyone is saying about the RPS 205. I had the privilege of going to both public and private schools in Rockford. I did not find a huge difference between the educations. Now that ALL depends on the public schools you choose to go to. Make sure that the school you pick for your children has a good reputation. Elementary school (Bloom, Marsh, Brookview, RESA) those are just a couple of schools that are good places. As for middle and high I can only recommend Eisenhower and Guilford due to the fact that Eisenhower is a main feeder school for Guilford and Guilford is by far the best High school in the district, minus Auburns excelled program. But if you pick all honors/AP courses at Guilford you will get a good education that is equal to private school without the cost. As for Rockford itself, yea it has some interesting characters but thats what makes it Rockford and I wouldn't trade it for a suburb. Also, I applaud the efforts made by local businessmen and businesswomen investing in the re-vitalizing of downtown. It's a work in progress but at least this is the start. Also for the neighborhoods, the neighborhood that I grew up in was very close and I can name my neighbors up and down my street and close to my home. They attended my graduation parties and we have block parties. I guess it all depends on your neighborhood, but I think for the most part there are some great places to live in Rockford. I think when it comes down to it you have to find what makes Rockford unique (in a good way) but once you do I think you'll find why people live here.

[Joanhelen]

Born & raised in Rockford-and it's a "normal" town I would say. Check out Clinton WI-my brother just moved there from Rockford and loves it. He still commutes to Rockford for work. Not too far.
Good luck!

[Doug Bergren]

I'm originally from Freeport, and I didn't notice that much racism when I lived there, although I'm sure there was some. I'm white, and even dated a black girl for awhile, but that was in the 70's, a bit ahead of its time. If you don't want to experience any grief for being in an interracial relationship, move to Europe. People there seem to be much more intelligent about such things. Although I lived in Rockford for a time, I'm not familiar with the racial issues there now. I was lucky enough to leave that town 13 years ago, and I've never looked back.

[Havasu]

For all of you Rockford fans here is a nice report on how bad the crime is. Its the worst in the entire STATE. Location a factor in county’s high crime rate - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

[Don Vito]

Rockford seemed kind of ghetto.

[leewy23]

I agree that if you are looking in Rockford, look in Loves Park or Machesney Park areas. That is the Harlem School District and I have had good luck with my two children attending there.
As far as Contry Homes are concerned, they are newer homes but my good friend is a realtor in town and he says they are poorly built and that renovating an older home is a much better bet in the area. Also, you need to watch out when buying because there are some newer construction areas in Loves Park and MAchesney Park that ARE NOT in the Harlem School District, they are Rockford schools, for some odd reason.

[theitalian3721]

I have lived in Rockford for many years, my husband has lived there all his life. We are about to have our first child and KNEW we needed to get out of Rockford as soon as we could. I actually graduated from a Rockford public school in 2006 so I know a little about how Rockford's schools are, and to be honest, they are in a horrible state. Fortuately, there are many private schools in Rockford that are very reputable, but Rockford is Rockford. In September 2006, I was carjacked by gunpoint two blocks from my home. That alone was enough to get us out of Rockford. But there's more... the mayor and many Rockford public officials don't give Rockford citizens much of a say. They pass tax increases spend tax money on obvious pork-barrel areas. Shopping may be good in Rockford, but truly, living there isn't. Now, if you were to live in a surrounding town, I would suggest smaller towns like Ridott, German Valley, and perhaps Rockton. Wish you the best.