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Old 06-15-2013, 01:21 PM
 
9 posts, read 30,254 times
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Hi, everyone,

I'm wondering in the Great Boston area, which several towns have the most ethnic diversity, and also with good school districts? So far the name of Lexington has buzzed a lot. But I read some posts saying that's it a pressure-cooker for school-age kids. Is it that bad? What other school districts are good options for minorities seeking good education for their kids?

Thanks a lot for your help!!

Thanksforyourinput
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Old 06-15-2013, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Cambridge, MA
4,881 posts, read 13,745,647 times
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"Diversity" is defined in many Boston suburbs as "White and Asian." There's a small AA population in Lexington, but by and large the same definition applies there.
OP, by your writing I can tell by your nonetheless perfectly understandable English that this language isn't your first. Does it concern you that your child(ren) would be able to easily have access to, and interaction with, people of your nationality or who at least speak your native tongue? If so it'd be helpful to us to have some more specifics so we can be better informed and thereby better inform you!
High-pressure school systems aren't anything new. Some kids can handle the non-stop "achievement and more achievement" culture OK, some actually thrive on it, and some balk. Peers are of course a strong influence. But parental example is what children (usually without admitting it) look to first and foremost. When a person puts their mind toward realizing or exceeding their potential it doesn't much matter what setting it's done in, though the prestige and connections offered by certain academic communities naturally help.
For top-drawer academics along with a rich demographic variety Brookline wins easily. Distantly behind would be Lexington, Milton, Newton, Sharon, and Arlington. Then of course you have the city of Boston itself, with its elementary and middle schools of wildly varying quality leading to the "ticket to Harvard" Boston Latin School for those who pass the entrance exam. In Cambridge there's also a grand mosaic of humanity in residence, but despite sky-high expenditures the schools still have disparate levels of student success all the way through the twelfth grade. Malden, Randolph, Everett, and Stoughton are other communities which have grown more diverse in recent decades but where the academics are pretty abysmal.
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Old 06-15-2013, 02:15 PM
 
9 posts, read 30,254 times
Reputation: 10
Thanks a lot for your reply. Thanks for all the information. You're right :-) . English is not my first language. I really wish I can write like you one day. Yes, it does concern me whether the environment I'm sending my children to is minority friendly. I care about that a lot, even more so than academics to a certain degree. As for the school work pressure, my kids might thrive on it (I don't know yet since they are still young), but I myself as a parent indeed 'balk'. I feel like I might not be able to keep up with all the stress for so many years.
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Old 06-15-2013, 02:25 PM
 
9 posts, read 30,254 times
Reputation: 10
Yeah, I mean Asian population by minority.

Quote:
Originally Posted by goyguy View Post
"Diversity" is defined in many Boston suburbs as "White and Asian." There's a small AA population in Lexington, but by and large the same definition applies there.
OP, by your writing I can tell by your nonetheless perfectly understandable English that this language isn't your first. Does it concern you that your child(ren) would be able to easily have access to, and interaction with, people of your nationality or who at least speak your native tongue? If so it'd be helpful to us to have some more specifics so we can be better informed and thereby better inform you!
High-pressure school systems aren't anything new. Some kids can handle the non-stop "achievement and more achievement" culture OK, some actually thrive on it, and some balk. Peers are of course a strong influence. But parental example is what children (usually without admitting it) look to first and foremost. When a person puts their mind toward realizing or exceeding their potential it doesn't much matter what setting it's done in, though the prestige and connections offered by certain academic communities naturally help.
For top-drawer academics along with a rich demographic variety Brookline wins easily. Distantly behind would be Lexington, Milton, Newton, Sharon, and Arlington. Then of course you have the city of Boston itself, with its elementary and middle schools of wildly varying quality leading to the "ticket to Harvard" Boston Latin School for those who pass the entrance exam. In Cambridge there's also a grand mosaic of humanity in residence, but despite sky-high expenditures the schools still have disparate levels of student success all the way through the twelfth grade. Malden, Randolph, Everett, and Stoughton are other communities which have grown more diverse in recent decades but where the academics are pretty abysmal.
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Old 06-15-2013, 04:52 PM
 
Location: Boston, MA
3,961 posts, read 5,702,373 times
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Quincy, Brookline, and Newton come to my mind. Malden, Cambridge, and Somerville as well but the public schools aren't as good. Of course there is still Boston itself with a mixed bag of some stellar schools and mostly crummy schools.
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Old 06-15-2013, 09:11 PM
 
9 posts, read 30,254 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Urban Peasant View Post
Quincy, Brookline, and Newton come to my mind. Malden, Cambridge, and Somerville as well but the public schools aren't as good. Of course there is still Boston itself with a mixed bag of some stellar schools and mostly crummy schools.
Thanks!
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Old 06-16-2013, 07:41 AM
 
Location: Behind You!
1,949 posts, read 4,396,796 times
Reputation: 2761
"Diversity" is typically found in sketchy areas, which usually goes hand and hand with higher crime and crap schools. People can argue that one all they want but that's the reality of it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by thanksforyourinput View Post
What other school districts are good options for minorities seeking good education for their kids?
Do "minorities" have different educational requirements than everybody else? I'm confused. How about instead of riding the "minority" train, you just consider yourself a person like everybody else and move to a nice town with good schools for your kids? It's really that simple.
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Old 06-16-2013, 09:40 AM
 
9 posts, read 30,254 times
Reputation: 10
Thanks for your input. I do wish to move to a good school district.

Quote:
Originally Posted by snatale1 View Post
"Diversity" is typically found in sketchy areas, which usually goes hand and hand with higher crime and crap schools. People can argue that one all they want but that's the reality of it.




Do "minorities" have different educational requirements than everybody else? I'm confused. How about instead of riding the "minority" train, you just consider yourself a person like everybody else and move to a nice town with good schools for your kids? It's really that simple.
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Old 06-16-2013, 09:58 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts
6,301 posts, read 9,581,338 times
Reputation: 4797
Acton is diverse, has good schools, substantial Asian population.
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Old 06-16-2013, 10:23 PM
 
Location: In the hot spot!
3,939 posts, read 6,675,893 times
Reputation: 4091
I dislike the term, "minorities" and think it is inadequate to describe people of color.
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