"State should expand Metco" ' add more cities' (Boston: school districts, taxes)

[wror]

"State should expand Metco"
By Cheryl Brown Henderson and Jim Stergios MARCH 08, 2017
"Metco which allows about 3,300 Boston and Springfield students to attend school in surrounding districts"
"More than three-quarters of students in the program are African-American or Latino"
"Metco deserves to be expanded"
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/....html#comments

[bugelrex]

Shouldn't the focus be on 'fixing' the underlying problem? Why are the schools so bad that they have the escape?

[chicagoliz]

Boston public schools should have more funding and should be improved. But the Metco program is working and should be kept as strong as possible. As a parent in a district that receives Metco students, I'm really glad the program exists.

[CaseyB]

Metco owes money to some of these cities and towns. They should pay their bills before there's any talk of expansion.

[robr2]

Originally Posted by bugelrex

Shouldn't the focus be on 'fixing' the underlying problem? Why are the schools so bad that they have the escape?

I think the basic issue with BPS is that the vast majority of the students don't have the parental support needed to succeed in school. When parents are involved - no matter the school district - the kids do well. When parents are either to busy working multiple jobs or just don't care, meeting with teachers, looking for opportunities, etc. doesn't happen and the kids get lost in the system.

Kids that get into the METCO program or into the test and charter schools or go to private schools have family that is involved. The kids that are left behind tend to be lower performing - sometimes due to no fault of their own - and that drags the school system down.

[Whatsnext75]

Part of me says screw METCO because why should it only be for people of color? What about white people that can't afford good school systems? But then the other part of me looks at white people living in places like Weston, Wellesley, Concord (that most people can't afford_ and thinks why should only you get the best of everything?

[massnative71]

As is noted by robr2, it is generally for the politically connected and families with other resources not shared by the AA community at large. It kind of defeats the whole purpose. But then again what good would sending a student from a broken family and no support at home, to Weston? Would their chance of success really be increased that much over BPS?

[gf2020]

I live in a community that receives Metco students as well. Years ago, the students that engaged in the Metco program were among the so-called "best and brightest" and the suburban school districts were an opportunity for these outstanding students to shine. Now the students that are received through Metco frequently have significant learning disabilities or behavioral issues and the suburban districts are tapped out trying to provide adequate services to these students.

[Whatsnext75]

There's so many more cases of learning disabilities diagnosed now and there are strict accessibility laws that these are the types of students who get priority first. So much for the best and brightest. Everyone deserves a chance but makes me wonder how many of these bright students fall through the cracks because of the ones who have learning issues...and do the ones with learning issues even go on to be successful.

[bugelrex]

Originally Posted by Whatsnext75

But then the other part of me looks at white people living in places like Weston, Wellesley, Concord (that most people can't afford_ and thinks why should only you get the best of everything?

Isn't that why we have taxes? we take money from the people who work hard all their life so that their share can contribute to the overall society?