stop denegrating PG county! (crime rate, private schools, college)

[msim]

I've been reading the different posts on here from people who find PG county to be deplorable. I had a chance to drive throughout the county this past weekend, and can say from my perspective the place ain't all that bad. I live in Philadelphia AKA "killadelphia" all these people complain about crime, and schools; it just makes me laugh. Try to live in philly where there is real crime, real poverty, really bad schools, and I can reassure you that you'd all be thankful for what PG county has to offer. Now saying that; PG does have its problems, as does all places, but come on people you all make it seem like beirut, and its NOT!!
Its seems that PG county suffers from what I like to call well-to-do kids trying to be bad, "fronting" so to speak; beacuse they think that's what being AA is all about. I can bet you any amount of money that if these kids spent time in a real "hood" they would'nt last 2 days. So to conclude my rant appreciate the good you have here in PG. and try to change the bad, don't run away, because its not all that bad! Just this weekend 20 people were shot in philadelphia, and out of those 20; 11 died. How's that for bad.

[1973 Forced Busing]

Thanks for the fresh perspective. I needed it bad. I'll use it liberally!

[Alanboy395]

PG has bad problems, but u is right i'll choose it over philly in a heartbeat. Richmond, Va is in my view even worse than PG. Richmond has 80+ murders and has 100k residents and PG has 130+ and 800k residents. Of course, PG is the worst in the DC area but when you put it up against Mont. Co, Fairfax Co, Howard Co, arlington, and alexandria what do you expect? PG is the beirut of the DC area, but it ain't nothin compared to other areas of the country. But i will say one thing. I think DC is closer to getting crime out of its ghettos than PG. 2day in the post it says that DC has one less murder than PG which has 50. that may the result of the gentrifaction of NE/SE DC and them thugs going to PG.

[RoadTripGurl]

I won't choose Philly or PG. You have your persepctive because you lived in Philly and then came here. I grew up in PG and just because I never lived in Philly doesn't mean I don't want a better qulaity of life. Even if Philadelphia has a higher violent crime rate than PG's almost 9,000 last year, I still want a better environment for my children to grow up in. And for your information, I was not a well to do kid and some of these kids are not well to do either. Maybe better off but not well to do...

[pwright1]

Msim, driving through the county over the weekend and living there are two totally different perspectives.

[irishmom]

I could be wrong, but isn't PG one of the poorer counties in MD? I don't think there are a lot of well to do kids running a muck there. Maybe I'll drive through this weekend to be sure.

[Mom21]

Irish Mom, you have GOT to be kidding??? Have you been hiding under a rock or something? PG is KNOWN for being the richest AA county in the country.

Also, I say Amen to the OP. I lived in PG from 1981 to 2004 (I live in So. MD now), 90% of my friends and co-workers still live in PG, both in and outside of the Beltway, and there is not a one of them that I would be afraid or concerned to live where they live. A lot of the murders in DC are thugs or (wannabe thugs) killing each other. That doesn't excuse or make it alright, nor does it mean it's not a cause for concern. What it does mean is that the average citizin in PG is at no more at risk for being killed than the other counties in the area.

I also lived in Richmond until 1981, most of my family is still there. Now, THAT'S a scary place!

I wanted to add: notwithstanding the positive things I have said about PG, the public school system SUCKS! There are, however, affordable private schools.

[irishmom]

Originally Posted by Mom21

Irish Mom, you have GOT to be kidding??? Have you been hiding under a rock or something? PG is KNOWN for being the richest AA county in the country.

Also, I say Amen to the OP. I lived in PG from 1981 to 2004 (I live in So. MD now), 90% of my friends and co-workers still live in PG, both in and outside of the Beltway, and there is not a one of them that I would be afraid or concerned to live where they live. A lot of the murders in DC are thugs or (wannabe thugs) killing each other. That doesn't excuse or make it alright, nor does it mean it's not a cause for concern. What it does mean is that the average citizin in PG is at no more at risk for being killed than the other counties in the area.

I also lived in Richmond until 1981, most of my family is still there. Now, THAT'S a scary place!

I wanted to add: notwithstanding the positive things I have said about PG, the public school system SUCKS! There are, however, affordable private schools.

I said I could be wrong...LOL But I do know people say the schools are terrible and usually poor schools are related to poorer areas and if the private schools are affordable that would make me think it's a poorer area as well. Here I pay $1670 a month for my two kids in private school...so if that's affordable then I guess PG county is rich...LOL
I also do animal rescue in Maryland and the main site of the rescue is in PG and the people I've met there are far from rich and most of the applications for dogs there can't even afford the adoption donation, so we won't place with them. So that's how I got the impression that it was one of the poorer counties. I always relate the more wealthy counties with Montgomery and Howard...but like I said I could be wrong...LOL

[Mom21]

IrishMom:

$1679 for two kids is nothing to sneeze at. When I said "affordable" I really meant affordable. Back when my kid was in school ('85-'97) the most I paid was $4,000/yr. I don't know what that translates to in 2007 dollars, but to me that was EXTREMELY affordable. It was a good school, too. Had been in business since 1981 and in 1997 still had 100% of students going to college full time after graduating, and a good sprinkling of kids being accepted into military academies.

[irishmom]

Originally Posted by Mom21

IrishMom:

$1679 for two kids is nothing to sneeze at. When I said "affordable" I really meant affordable. Back when my kid was in school ('85-'97) the most I paid was $4,000/yr. I don't know what that translates to in 2007 dollars, but to me that was EXTREMELY affordable. It was a good school, too. Had been in business since 1981 and in 1997 still had 100% of students going to college full time after graduating, and a good sprinkling of kids being accepted into military academies.

Wow $4000 a year really is affordable!!! I'm in Howard County (and we're ok but not rich by any means!) and actually we have them in a Catholic school and a Montessori school (next year my little one will join his brother at the Catholic school and I'll get a break for having them two at the school, but still it will be steep) and they really aren't the most expensive private schools here...they are middle of the road at best! But like you said you are going back 10 years and I'm sure it's more in PG now also...isn't it sad that everything costs so much now...and it's not really better, just more expensive.