What is Las Cruces REALLY like? (Santa Fe, Taos: fit in, schools, college)

[LasCrucesOne]

Yes, there are Buddhist meditation groups in LC.

Welcome

[Calmeg29]

I love reading all of these posts I have lived all OVER the country, loved San Diego, and lots of south-westernern parts of the country. I don't mind snakes, if they want to hang out in my bedroom that's fine as long as they dont climb under the sheets!!! Figure if I could put up with the Ex, what's a li'l rattler or Scorpion??

[ChikenJo]

We're in Cruces for graduate school and let me tell you, if you are a liberal, the name of the town Cruces (Crosses) is apt. That's what you'll be carrying while you live here and get beaten verbally by the Limbaugh loving, Born Agains.

We're from Oregon (Eugene, Yreka, etc.). We have lived here for 5 years and have met only one other like minded family with our liberal views. Many of the public schools are not good. Not because of the teaching staff, but because of the cultural attitudes of the parents and community at large. They had a "dance" at our son's public kindergarten where they encouraged the girls to dress up and wear makeup and boys to wear suits. They had a disco ball and slow dancing and the whole bit. The school encouraged McDonald's to come in and give a presentation and free coupons to all the K-5 graders. There are 4 private schools; Catholic, Independent, Lutheran and Southern Baptist. I'm not sure about the Lutheran (we haven't checked it out yet), all of the other three validate Intelligent Design as another viewpoint in the science curriculum.

Many parts of the community do not value education. I asked someone in the public schools why that is. He said that he's seen parents encourage their children to have babies in high school to keep them out of college and home in Cruces so the parents can count on them in their old age.

If this is your idea of the perfect town, you'll feel right at home here. On the plus side, everyone is very friendly and it is a cheap place to live. If you keep to yourself and don't have kids, it would be ok.

I am so apalled by the attitudes here, I don't want my son to remember we ever lived here. We are a very liberal, open-minded, Obama-loving family. My son has become prejudiced from the treatment he's recieved here from the other children, teachers and parents. I tell him that it's not this way in other parts of the country. My heart cries to think that he may retain this world view throughout his life.

Silver City is better but it's hard to find work there. The northern part of the state (Albuquerque and farther north) is better too. I hope my frankness doesn't offend. This has been my personal experience.

In all the 5 years we've been here, I've seen one snake at City of Rocks park in the desert. Never seen a scorpion in a house. Snakes and scorpions are the least of my concerns about living here.
There is a Unitarian church here that is fairly liberal. The University has a large Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern population. I'm sure popular religions from those regions are represented on campus.
Good luck

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by ChikenJo

I hope my frankness doesn't offend.

Offend?

Oh heck no.

I am sure the people don't mind you telling them the city has

"public schools that are not that good"

"many parts of the community that do not value education"

"parents (who) encourage their children to have babies in high school to keep them out of college and home in Cruces so the parents can count on them in their old age."

"I am so apalled by the attitudes here, I don't want my son to remember we ever lived here."

"My son has become prejudiced from the treatment he's recieved here from the other children, teachers and parents. I tell him that it's not this way in other parts of the country."

"Snakes and scorpions are the least of my concerns about living here."

Gosh, I sure can't see anything there that might offend someone.

[mike0421]

I guess we all have different perceptions. I think LC is way over to the left politically, at least when it comes to economic philosophy (i.e. what, you are successful? We'll need more of your money for welfare programs!). Socially, I will agree that LC is at least moderately conservative. This from someone who used to live in New Jersey, which is one of the more liberal states in the country.

[domino]

If Las Cruces is so right-leaning and pro-Limbaugh, I'm suprised they overwhelming went with Obama in the last election cycle. I grew up there, and there are some very vocal ultra-conservatives, but the area is predominantly democratic.

I went to Catholic and public schools, and was never taught creationism as a science, and none of my friends parents encouraged them to drop-out and become parents. Maybe you need to look at who you associate with.

Final comment . .. you don't sound very open-minded (contrary to your assertions).

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by ChikenJo

We're in Cruces for graduate school and let me tell you, if you are a liberal, the name of the town Cruces (Crosses) is apt. That's what you'll be carrying while you live here and get beaten verbally by the Limbaugh loving, Born Agains.

We're from Oregon (Eugene, Yreka, etc.). We have lived here for 5 years and have met only one other like minded family with our liberal views.

Wow, just wow. I am really surprised to hear this. I've only been here a year and I've met many people who share my liberal (pro-Obama) views, particularly during this past election season.
I've never been 'beaten verbally by the Limbaugh loving, Born Agains' and I've not found any greater preponderance of folks that fall into that category than lived in NJ or NY.

Originally Posted by ChikenJo

Many of the public schools are not good. Not because of the teaching staff, but because of the cultural attitudes of the parents and community at large. They had a "dance" at our son's public kindergarten where they encouraged the girls to dress up and wear makeup and boys to wear suits. They had a disco ball and slow dancing and the whole bit. The school encouraged McDonald's to come in and give a presentation and free coupons to all the K-5 graders. There are 4 private schools; Catholic, Independent, Lutheran and Southern Baptist. I'm not sure about the Lutheran (we haven't checked it out yet), all of the other three validate Intelligent Design as another viewpoint in the science curriculum.

While I am a firm believer in evolution, I also firmly believe that private schools have the right to teach whatever they choose.

Originally Posted by ChikenJo

Many parts of the community do not value education. I asked someone in the public schools why that is. He said that he's seen parents encourage their children to have babies in high school to keep them out of college and home in Cruces so the parents can count on them in their old age.

I have no experience with the elementary programs here, however, I have a grand-daughter in middle school and I do not find this attitude that you describe at all. All of her friends are extremely motivated and are already planning their high school and college careers.

Originally Posted by ChikenJo

If this is your idea of the perfect town, you'll feel right at home here. On the plus side, everyone is very friendly and it is a cheap place to live. If you keep to yourself and don't have kids, it would be ok.

I am so apalled by the attitudes here, I don't want my son to remember we ever lived here. We are a very liberal, open-minded, Obama-loving family. My son has become prejudiced from the treatment he's recieved here from the other children, teachers and parents. I tell him that it's not this way in other parts of the country. My heart cries to think that he may retain this world view throughout his life.

I am sorry to hear that your son has had such a hard time. Again I find this quite contrary to my grand-daughter's experiences in the middle-school. She has found the kids to be very welcoming, much less 'cliquey' than the kids she went to school with in NJ and much less concerned about what everyone is wearing, etc. In addition, there are pro-Obama folks and families all over town, many of whom still get together post-election - there was a big inauguration party just down the street from me. If you want to associate with like-minded people, they are really not that hard to find.

Originally Posted by ChikenJo

Silver City is better but it's hard to find work there. The northern part of the state (Albuquerque and farther north) is better too. I hope my frankness doesn't offend. This has been my personal experience.

In all the 5 years we've been here, I've seen one snake at City of Rocks park in the desert. Never seen a scorpion in a house. Snakes and scorpions are the least of my concerns about living here.

Not offensive at all - I never expect that everyone will have the same experiences any place. As I said earlier on, however, your experiences have been very different from mine.

Originally Posted by ChikenJo

There is a Unitarian church here that is fairly liberal. The University has a large Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern population. I'm sure popular religions from those regions are represented on campus.
Good luck

I do agree - the folks at the Unitarian Church are fairly liberal, and very friendly too. We tend to turn up at the same events - political rallies, animal shelter meetings, art openings and so on. Like I said, if you want to meet like-minded people, they are not that hard to find.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by domino

If Las Cruces is so right-leaning and pro-Limbaugh, I'm suprised they overwhelming went with Obama in the last election cycle. I grew up there, and there are some very vocal ultra-conservatives, but the area is predominantly democratic.

I went to Catholic and public schools, and was never taught creationism as a science, and none of my friends parents encouraged them to drop-out and become parents. Maybe you need to look at who you associate with.

Final comment . .. you don't sound very open-minded (contrary to your assertions).

I have further input. It is my observation, that like most of the remainder of the US, Dona Ana County in general becomes more conservative the further you travel from LC. For instance, northern Dona Ana County, towards Hatch, leans more conservative than LC proper. South of LC as well, though, not as much.

[funkymonkey]

Originally Posted by ChikenJo

We are a very liberal, open-minded, Obama-loving family.

Obama beat McCain in Dona Ana county.

My son has become prejudiced from the treatment

How so?

[6 FOOT 3]

Although i don't live in LC i've known the city fairly well since the 70's and i've never known it to be a conservative stronghold.

It reciently elected a mayor (Ken Miyagishima) who is a enviromentalist democrat who beat out the conservative pro growth former mayor (Bill Mattiace) in a city wide election.

The state legislature elections in november from las cruces elected 4 state senators who are democrat and 8 house reps who are democrat as all 12 represenatives from las cruces are all democrat. (sorry mike ).