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Mad fiddler, you may be relieved to know that Stacey Campfield is no longer a state senator. So "Don't say gay" and a good portion of teh Krazy is now gone from our statehouse.
Mad fiddler, you may be relieved to know that Stacey Campfield is no longer a state senator. So "Don't say gay" and a good portion of teh Krazy is now gone from our statehouse.
Don't be so sure about that... still looks like there are a lot of crazy bills lining up for this year's session.
Thank you all for your responses. It has been an interesting conversation. I'm glad to hear that there are some liberals in the area and generally people have respect for different view points. I think that is really all I can ask for knowing how conservative Williamson County is. I just think we need to find the right school that is not leaning to the right in the curriculum and that our oldest daughter can feel comfortable speaking about her/our beliefs, and the diverse friendships she has made with friends who are Hispanic, Black, Muslim, Jewish and children of gay parents without being told she is wrong. We are a culturally Christian/Jewish family (we do not practice any religion but we celebrate Christian and Jewish Holidays) so I want my kids to feel comfortable to talk about their Jewish Heritage and the Jewish holidays that we celebrate with family in NY if they so choose.
Wmsm4Life and Septimus I have read some of your posts on other threads similar to this, and I like your thinking. Where do you send your kids to school? I also was wondering if I could PM you at some point if we decide to go forward with this move. Although I've been a member of citi-data for awhile I don't know if there is a way to PM here.
OP I can't speak specifically to the Nashville area but in Memphis a quality education, with students from very diverse backgrounds, can be had by attending the top magnet/optional schools. Students are selected based solely on performance and include many, many different skin colors, religions, ses, etc. Perhaps it would be worth your while to see what the Nashville area offers in the way of magnet programs.
Thank you all for your responses. It has been an interesting conversation. I'm glad to hear that their are some liberals in the area and generally people have respect for different view points. I think that is really all I can ask for knowing how conservative Williamson County is. I just think we need to find the right school that is not leaning to the right in the curriculum and that our daughter can feel comfortable speaking about her/our beliefs, and the diverse friendships she has made with friends who are Hispanic, Black, Muslim, Jewish and children of gay parents without being told she is wrong. We are Jewish/Christian family ourselves so I want my kids to feel comfortable to talk about their Jewish Heritage and the Jewish holidays that we celebrate with family in NY.
Wmsm4Life and Septimus I have read some of your posts on other threads similar to this, and I like your thinking. Where do you send your kids to school? I also was wondering if I could PM you at some point if we decide to go forward with this move. Although I've been a member of citi-data for awhile I don't know if there is a way to PM here.
Thank you all again.
CJLG620
I'll admit that I honestly don't know how to answer this question. In fact, I avoided it because I assumed I would not qualify as "progressive" enough to reply.
I've lived in Tennessee my whole life (nearly 50 years) and in this area for 23 years. I am a lifelong Christian and I guess a moderate Republican. I don't have the perspective of a "minority religious group." I personally don't believe, however, as some of my friends do, that we should have prayer in schools or call it "Christmas Break" instead of "Winter Break." At any rate, I have never had to relocate long-term, so I can only offer you some random thoughts.
Williamson County in general has a well-educated population. Each school has its own personality that is a influenced by a combination of its administration and the student population. The schools all can be VERY different. My three kids have attended Brentwood High, Brentwood Middle and Lipscomb Elementary. I have been very satisfied with their education and have had no religious incidents with teachers or kids. At the risk of sounding like a cliche, some of our closest friends celebrate Hannukah. There are always people who will have a random weird horror story, and I have met prejudiced people in every state where I've been, including NY. Those are my disclaimers.
At the end of the day, Franklin is generally a Christian area. If the mere presence of churches, Christian radio stations, Jesus fish decals on cars or businesses that say, "Have a blessed day!" offends you, then you will not do well here. If you can live and let live, then I honestly believe most people you encounter will do the same for you.
The thing is, it will be a HUGE adjustment for your husband and probably a big jump for you too. Brooklyn and Franklin are MILES apart in too many ways to count.
You will not get a lot of "diversity" in Franklin.
You will not get a LOT of liberals in Franklin.
There are MANY people here, however, who are accepting and tolerant. Do not forget that, for all its Christian influence, Nashville (including its suburbs of choice) is a creative city, and a lot of the people who live here are generally open-minded. Just because there are a lot of conservative, white Christians does not mean they/we are all racist rednecks.
I have found that this area is an incredible place to raise my family. I know half a dozen couples who moved away to other states and then moved back here as soon as they could because they missed it.
As far as the curriculum "leaning," that is determined at the state level. Teacher influence is always a risk, but I have never encountered a teacher here who was not professional, and we've only had a couple that I felt needed to retire (and not for political or religious reasons).
I would recommend you look at the Centennial High school zone. It has what I believe is the most socioeconomically diverse student population, excellent leadership and involved parents.
Not sure if this helps at all. It's past my bedtime!
I would recommend you look at the Centennial High school zone. It has what I believe is the most socioeconomically diverse student population, excellent leadership and involved parents.
I advise exercising caution in choosing a home based on a particular school. Williamson county is a very high growth area, thus, our school zones are in constant change. I know many families that have purchased homes with the intent of attending a particular school only to have the attendance zone change, then forced to attend a different school. WCS only guarantees school zoning one year at a time.
My husband and I, along with our 2 young daughters (6 & 2), are considering relocating to Franklin from Brooklyn, NY to gain a better quality, more convenient, and more affordable lifestyle for our young family plus, we want to be closer to my retired parents who live in Franklin. They want to be involved with helping (ie. babysit, pick up from school, extracurricular activities) with our kids. A little back story, I grew up in Franklin but left in the early 90's. I have lived in NYC for 17 years, my hubby his whole life. Good Schools are the highest priority for us so this is why Williamson Co/Franklin is ideal but the tradeoff is that we lose the diversity and the progressive mindset that we are so used to. We're not political but we are liberal, and I'm worried about not fitting in or finding people like us. I am concerned that my children will lose the natural lessons of diversity and tolerance that they see and experience in their current neighborhood. I understand that children learn most of that from home but there are definitely life lessons in having a class of kids from all different backgrounds. We are not trying to recreate Brooklyn but I’m wondering what Progressive Parents do for their kids in Williamson Co/Franklin and if they are happy? We have considered Nashville neighborhoods like East Nashville, Sylvan Park and Bellevue for it's diversity but on first glance the schools are chancy and at this time, we can not afford private school. We know that this is going to be a big lifestyle change for us, (particularly my hubby has to become more comfortable with driving) but we are ready to embrace the change.
Thank you in advance for your response.
If you grew up in Franklin in the '90's, then you already know most of the scoop on Williamson County and are at an immense advantage compared to most transplants. Franklin has certainly grown and is more diverse than the town you left, but the culture hasn't really changed that much. Just ask yourself if you're willing to raise your children in an area like the one you grew up in and you'll have your answer. If it was too conservative then, it would probably feel too conservative for you now after 17 years in NYC.
If it's too conservative for you, then do some good due diligence on the Davidson County schools and give them a chance. Your children are still young and you have no idea yet whether the academic magnet program, which sounds right up your alley, will be an option for them yet. There's also a strong chance you can afford to live in an area with good elementary schools within Nashville if most of Franklin is truly a viable option for you. Have you considered areas like the Crieve Hall where you would be in a strong elementary school district and also a short jaunt down 65 to your family in Franklin?
If you grew up in Franklin in the '90's, then you already know most of the scoop on Williamson County and are at an immense advantage compared to most transplants. Franklin has certainly grown and is more diverse than the town you left, but the culture hasn't really changed that much. Just ask yourself if you're willing to raise your children in an area like the one you grew up in and you'll have your answer. If it was too conservative then, it would probably feel too conservative for you now after 17 years in NYC.
If it's too conservative for you, then do some good due diligence on the Davidson County schools and give them a chance. Your children are still young and you have no idea yet whether the academic magnet program, which sounds right up your alley, will be an option for them yet. There's also a strong chance you can afford to live in an area with good elementary schools within Nashville if most of Franklin is truly a viable option for you. Have you considered areas like the Crieve Hall where you would be in a strong elementary school district and also a short jaunt down 65 to your family in Franklin?
And not just Crieve Hall, there are probably 10 or so elementary schools in Davidson County that are solid. As different areas improve, there seem to be more good options for elementary schools. At some point, it seems like that has to filter up to the middle school level, right?
And when your kids reach middle school, you could apply to the magnets, re-evaluate the middle schools, etc
If you don't think you would be happy in Franklin, no reason you would have to move there.
As a conservative, I think you should have an open mind about such things. My three children attend public schools, where they are indoctrinated daily with politically correct ideas (as a rule). To counter the "nuanced" liberalism that accompanies such PC memes, my wife and I always review the homework and (of course) attend our Presbyterian church every week for worship and often other days for other occasions. Values begin at home and are cultivated there. I would never leave my children's education solely in the hands of a teacher (whether public or private). If you truly are progressive, then you will appreciate the diversity of opinions and attitudes in schools in Tennessee. I venture even more than the schools in the Northeastern USA, you will find that there is far more diversity of opinion expressed in Williamson County. Good luck!
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