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I always thought that making elected officials responsible (including tax hikes) for school matters would make people pay attention to the school $$$ problem alot more. And this would be done better at the town level.
However the main problem with larger school districts is it leads to forced busing, declining schools, middle class flight and blockbusting by real estate agents trying to scare people into selling their homes. We need look no further than the massive school district to our west, New York City and see what happened there.
So until someone can propose a solution that will not to lead to massive long term blockbusting neighborhoods in such towns as Islip, Babylon, Brookhaven & Hempstead, I see no alternative but to oppose school district consolidation.
What you really want to say is that you don't want your White kids going to school with Blacks and other minorities.
That is why you refuse to change and that is why Long Island is going to suffer.
BTW "blockbusting" is already happening. All those minorities are moving out to Island looking for a better life. Long Island is more diverse than ever and will continue to become more so.
What you really want to say is that you don't want your White kids going to school with Blacks and other minorities.
With all due respect, why do you always assume that "it's all about skin color"?
Can you not consider the fact that it may ALSO be that parents do not want their kids to go to school in an area that has crime and drug and gang problems way above the level of where they currently live/attend?
If there are any mostly-minority school districts on LI that are not ALSO located in significantly-higher-crime-rate communities, I'd like to hear about them. But I don't think you will be able to cite any.
Yes if I had children I would do my level best to teach them to make good choices and all that, no matter what environment and companions they find themselves with. But that doesn't mean I'd be willing to toss them into a "shark tank" such as Brentwood, Central Islip, Wyandanch, Hempstead, etc etc at that stage in their lives.
Because, historically, it IS about skin color. I went to a mixed district (South Huntington) and you wouldn't believe the racist crap I heard from people. I STILL hear it. And LINative's argument was very much race-based. No two ways around it.
The answer to why people don't want it is the same as someone said about heaven. Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.
Sure, everyone wants to lower their school taxes but nobody wants give up local control. District "A" may decide they want to pay more taxes so that they can have better facilities. District "B" doesn't. Under the current system there is a form of democracy.
Then there is insulation. I lived in NYC most of my life. The thought of getting an appointment to see the NYC School Superintendent was like getting an appointment to see the President. If I want to have a meeting with my local Long Island Superintendent, it's easy.
Then there is the cost issue. How much does a hand full of Assistant Superintendents really cost, an extra $1-2 million a year per district? Voters seem to be willing to pay that to keep control and to avoid being merged with Roosevelt-like districts.
Because, historically, it IS about skin color. I went to a mixed district (South Huntington) and you wouldn't believe the racist crap I heard from people. I STILL hear it. And LINative's argument was very much race-based. No two ways around it.
Speak for yourself. I grew up in Queens and went to a high school (FK Lane) where I was in the minority. You are also mistaken if you think that race determines class in Queens. So you might as well stop trying to sound politically correct and score some cheap points and try to figure this out.
My comment is based on reality. Most middle class parents of any raceornationality from places like East Islip, West Babylon, East Meadow etc are not going to want their kids in high schools with lower class kids.
What you really want to say is that you don't want your White kids going to school with Blacks and other minorities.
That is why you refuse to change and that is why Long Island is going to suffer.
BTW "blockbusting" is already happening. All those minorities are moving out to Island looking for a better life. Long Island is more diverse than ever and will continue to become more so.
Change is happening.
Apparently you do not know what blockbusting is.
See the above post as an answer to your racist charge. Its pretty sad to call someone a racist who you do not know, based on a single post, because you do not agree with them. Get off your high horse and try to think of what might happen instead of throwing cheap shots.
What you really want to say is that you don't want your White kids going to school with Blacks and other minorities.
That is why you refuse to change and that is why Long Island is going to suffer.
BTW "blockbusting" is already happening. All those minorities are moving out to Island looking for a better life. Long Island is more diverse than ever and will continue to become more so.
Change is happening.
BTW "blockbusting" is already happening. All those minorities are moving out to Island looking for a better life. Long Island is more diverse than ever and will continue to become more so.
The above is not blockbusting. Communties changing overtime by race, nationality or religion is nothing new in New York.
Blockbusting is an attempt by real estate agents to convince middle class residents (historically white) to sell their homes because if they don't their homes will lose value rapidly as the neighborhood is going down. This is one reason why many communties (such as Rosedale & Lakeview) are not as well intergrated today despite an attempt by resident block associations to keep them that way.
It worked primarily because we have been divided by race in this country instead of by class, income, education etc. For instance it is interesting to note that you automatically assumed I was talking about race and called me a racist.
The problem is that while in some areas, you can separate race and class, on Long Island it's difficult to do so. The poor districts are minority, and the two are closely linked. It was a deliberate effort to push black people into ghettos in the '50s and '60s and Long Island has never recovered.
The problem is that while in some areas, you can separate race and class, on Long Island it's difficult to do so. The poor districts are minority, and the two are closely linked. It was a deliberate effort to push black people into ghettos in the '50s and '60s and Long Island has never recovered.
Agreed 100%. It is a shame because much of our racial problems would be reduced if white people did not panic when a black family moved on the block. Many still will flee which led to my point of blockbusting.
Many black families are middle class particually the ones I know on the South shore of Queens (I do not live there anymore but I still work there). Many people do not know but the average Black American income is higher than the average White in Queens.
I apologize for the confusion if people thought I was talking about race in post #20. What the OP needs to understand is that many middle class parents of all races, ethnic groups & religions carefully pick their LI school district based on things like test scores and performance. They do not want say 25% or more of the student body to change all of a sudden because lower class children are bused in regardless of the race or the ethnicity of the children.
I am pretty sure that the residents of Merrick, Baldwin, Islip or Melville etc would not be happy if you put several thousand poor kids from Russia or Ukraine into their schools overnight.
Still I understand what you are saying Alexis and at least for now on LI - poor and lower class = black to too many people.
I think we need to stop seeing things in black and white. And find a way to raise up the lower performing schools without damaging the ones that are working.
Last edited by LINative; 02-01-2009 at 12:04 PM..
Reason: needed post #
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