Worst places in N.H. (Manchester, Nashua: place to live, gangs, bills)

[rmcewan]

Originally Posted by dblay

In southern NH it's all about bang for the buck. Frankly, those people that brag about schools...just brag! If your child is bright why not let him or her be the star. I am a teacher and I always warn parents...if you have a super bright child do you want him or her in a school with all bright kids? Or do you want him or her to shine? Number one is better than number two...let us all face it!!! So move to some expensive town so your child can be number 25 or move to a less expensive town and be number 1. I'm on a college admissions board frankly no one knows some of these town names...they know first in the class. Also, move to a less expensive town and live in a beautfiul home. Look, I'm a straight shooter...if you want to know my opinion ask me directly.

Huh? So expensive town = good school = bright kids. Poorer town = bad school = dumb kids? If the school isn't getting the grades, it must be the kids that are all dumb? Please tell me I'm misinterpreting your post Teach.

[maxxoccupancy]

Dozens of studies have been conducted regarding school funding versus test scores, and no correlation has ever been found, as far as I know. I recently testified before the NH House Ways and Means Committee that more funding is often used for more educational experiments, admin staff, guidance counselors, and alternative programs that actually interfere with the teaching of the three r's. Many legislators don't understand that there are only so many hours in a day.

When I attending public schools in Washington state (where the public schools have been state controlled since the 70's), there was little time left for actual instruction, and most of that was state mandated curriculum requirements, rather than math, science, reading, and history. There was plenty of money to pay for countless state mandated assemblies, environmental scare videos, and multiculturalism awareness, but no then no time left for actual learning. When studies did commence, it was always remedial review taken at the slowest pace possible.

The public schools seem to be designed to dumb down kids, to make them hate learning.

[gangofthree]

Thanks for your opinion; it is actually something we have thought about because she has been tested as "superior intelligence" but we would be happier to have her in a school with down-to-earth kids where she can make friends who are not spoiled. She may or may not end up #1 in the class but if she comes home happy I really don't care either way.

[Quilthugger]

Originally Posted by rmcewan

Huh? So expensive town = good school = bright kids. Poorer town = bad school = dumb kids? If the school isn't getting the grades, it must be the kids that are all dumb? Please tell me I'm misinterpreting your post Teach.

No, here's the relationship:

Educated people = higher salaries= expensive town
Educated people= involved (Pushy?) parents= motivated students = higher scores= "good" school

Poorer town= parents less motivated by status and material things= more relaxed parenting= lower scores= "underperforming" kids

Correlation does not equal causation. Lots of money does not make kids perform well. Parents who are involved help kids to reach their potential. Such parents are more likely to make more money and/or make more sacrifices to get their kids into a "good" school.

Susan

[Carbondated]

Originally Posted by Quilthugger

No, here's the relationship:

Educated people = higher salaries= expensive town
Educated people= involved (Pushy?) parents= motivated students = higher scores= "good" school

Poorer town= parents less motivated by status and material things= more relaxed parenting= lower scores= "underperforming" kids

Correlation does not equal causation. Lots of money does not make kids perform well. Parents who are involved help kids to reach their potential. Such parents are more likely to make more money and/or make more sacrifices to get their kids into a "good" school.

Susan

You do not factor into the equation that socio-economically disadvantaged children have more concerns outside of learning. They have a higher rate of being victims of crime, abuse, poorer nutrician and are left home alone because parents have to work 2 or 3 jobs. To simplify that poorer parents are unmotivated, and have more "relaxed" parenting skills is to continue to malign those hardworking "poorer" people, and keep them and thier children pigeon holed in our society's silent caste system.

[Quilthugger]

Originally Posted by Carbondated

You do not factor into the equation that socio-economically disadvantaged children have more concerns outside of learning. They have a higher rate of being victims of crime, abuse, poorer nutrician and are left home alone because parents have to work 2 or 3 jobs. To simplify that poorer parents are unmotivated, and have more "relaxed" parenting skills is to continue to malign those hardworking "poorer" people, and keep them and thier children pigeon holed in our society's silent caste system.

<shrug> I was not trying to judge whether children in resource-poor environments deserve to have lower scores or even compile the list of things that cause them to remain disadvantaged. Nor even to judge whether pursuing higher scores is actually worthwhile. I'm just pointing out there are always going to be some schools that score higher- and those schools are going to attract those with the means and cultural bias towards education, thus reinforcing their standing in the ranking system.

Susan

[crazapple112]

yah ummn the thing bout raymond so not true raymond is beautifull!!!! we just got a new building if you havnt heard and its pretty dang good...

[MA_brnNrsd]

OK I didn't read the whole thread but saw some where people are not too fond of the "Mass-a-two-shhhts" I actually never heard of that name for us, but it is different. I am just trying to understand cause I know a lot of states bad mouth us. I currently live in TN and I feel like they aren't fond of the northerners. I know we have been listed as one of the worst drivers next to NY. If someone can fill me in on the reputation we have I would appreciate it. I probably don't see it cause I am from there.

My fiance and I were thinking of where to move in a couple years cause we like it up North better. We were thinking Northern MA or Southern NH but reading this, I dunno anymore lol We definitely don't want to live where we are not welcome.

[buck naked]

TN - another state with no taxes...!


haven't heard anything about TN - I guess you're too far away.


Don't let this or any other thread scare you away. We have a couple of posters that only post negative things about NH but for the most part, we "live and let live".

[WannaComeHome]

Originally Posted by MA_brnNrsd

OK I didn't read the whole thread but saw some where people are not too fond of the "Mass-a-two-shhhts" I actually never heard of that name for us, but it is different. I am just trying to understand cause I know a lot of states bad mouth us. I currently live in TN and I feel like they aren't fond of the northerners. I know we have been listed as one of the worst drivers next to NY. If someone can fill me in on the reputation we have I would appreciate it. I probably don't see it cause I am from there.

Mostly the gripe is that too many folks from MA have moved up to southern NH and insisted on changing it to be more MA-like (too liberal for NH attitudes, busier traffic because of the large influx of people, too many chain stores, too many people in a hurry...). But I think there's always been an old rivalry between NH & MA. As long as someone doesn't move in and then constantly go around saying 'but shouldn't this change, and this is bad so it should change, and NH should consider adopting something that the state has long hated...' rather than learning to accept and work with the people already there, no one will care and your Mass roots will be forgiven : (after all - you'd be showing the good sense to move to NH!

I think a lot of states in the south, not just TN, have a thing about Yankees.

Oh, and don't worry about being listed as bad drivers - according to CNN the 'new' list came out and the top 5 are (in no particular order, cause I don't remember): NYC, Boston, Miami, DC & Baltimore! what a surprise: I'm stuck between 2 of the worst drivers But once you get NH plates and drive considerately, no one will know you learned in Mass.