Mayors give city positive reviews (Scranton, Pittston: skateboarding, homes, neighborhood)

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

The Abingtons and Clarks Summit...The schools are better.

You make some valid points, Dan, but this is one in which I disagree with you. Scranton schools are just as good or better than any in the area. I will argue that Scranton schools are better, especially on the elementary/middle school level, since in Scranton we have smaller neighborhood schools, where you know the teachers and principal on a first name basis, as opposed to large megaschools in Abington, where hundreds upon hundreds of kids are bussed to school from as far as 15 miles away. Just because many of Scranton's school buildings may be older and in need of some cosmetic repairs, and Abington has the big new fancy modern buildings, don't automatically assume that means you get a better education in Abington. Abington has more money than Scranton, that doesn't make it better. Don't listen to what real estate ads say when they try to pass of certain school districts, like Abington, as better in order to sell more houses. I went to a school district that the real estate agents and others created a false perception of being a good school...Valley View....and I can tell you first hand, Valley View schools are lousy. The VV school board is more worried about getting teaching jobs for their families and their buddies, and about the football team, than they are about education. And don't think those schools are safer than Scranton either. I know current VV teachers who say that the school has a big drug problem...and drugs are commonplace at affluent schools like Abington and Prep, due to the kids having a lot of money to burn and parents who are more involved in their careers and material pursuits than in raising their children.

Once again, as someone is not a product of Scranton schools, and not even a born-and-raised Scrantonian, I am very pleased so far with my kids experience in Scranton schools.

[weluvpa]

My son goes to Robert Morris but that is where his education in the Scranton schools will end. He will not go to the mess that they call Northeast Intermediate, nor will he go to the SHS. Thats my opinion, I agree about the elementary schools in the city baring a few they are good, but it stops there for us. As far as the children of Prep and Abington and drugs I agree and disagree, drugs are just as available to lower income kids and realy they are more likely to do them due to lack of options. I went to Prep and I was drug free and still am so I did not find anymore access to them then any of my friends that went to public school. As far the basic services and dailey conveniences I think that could quite possibly be better and more accessible to those that do live in the out lying areas around the city. Paul would love to see all those new houses stop and the people move into the city well what about the towns like Dickson City, Archbald, Jessup & Peckville, what are they supposed to do, not develope, not grow. The housing boom in these communities is making their economies grow and a good influx of business to their once weary downtowns. They should suffer for the almighty Scranton......The basic services in some of these towns is better than what we have here in Scranton and they do not LACK for any dailey conveniences that would otherwise be available to the downtown, I am still not sure what they are but whatever. The idea of big city living in the downtown of Scranton is just plain wrong, it does not fit with our region and the demographics of the city. Downtown is 3 x 4 blocks, thats not urban Paul, I am not sure what cities you have lived in and or what you think urban downtown living but Scranton truley does not have the public transportation(especially now that they are thinking of cutting fuding for colts) or urban infacstructure that is needed to pull something like this off. Pipe dream with a capital P.

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

I went to Prep and I was drug free and still am so I did not find anymore access to them then any of my friends that went to public school. .

These are different times we're living in now. VV didn't have drugs when I was there 15 years ago, but from what I hear they do now. I'm not even saying that Scranton schools don't have a drug problem, they most certainly do, but I just wanted erase the misconception that drugs are only a problem for lower-income schools. Drugs are everywhere unfortunately, not just in Scranton, but all over this area, even in the affluent towns.

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

My son goes to Robert Morris but that is where his education in the Scranton schools will end. He will not go to the mess that they call Northeast Intermediate, nor will he go to the SHS. .

I agree with you there. I wouldn't want my kid at SHS either (I don't know much about NE Intermediate), that's exactly why the only part of Scranton I was willing to move to was West Side.

[weluvpa]

NE intermediate is a terrible school, your lucky becasue west has its own intermediate school and it is one of the better ones if not the best middle school in the city but after that its SHS. My son will be at St. Paul's for 6 thru 8th grade then hopefully he will go to Prep or Wyoming Seminary. We have also been looking into some athletic boarding schools for him so he can move forward with his snowboarding and they will open a wealth of opportunities for his future with networking and what not. He actually thinks it will be cool to snowboard during the earlier half of the day then go to school in the afternoon. I certainly want him to be able to experience all the things that I did and more. We are very active in outdoor non traditional sports which is against the norm here I know, but we race BMX together, quadding, snowboarding, surfing, snorkeling(He is not old enough to get his dive cert.), no hunting but range shooting(target), fishing and soccer. He is aloud to do what he wants and we are fortunate that he does like the sports and activities that I am into and have been into since I was a kid. I am lucky. I agree with you on the elemnetary school ideals but I think that Abington and North Pocono have better high schools.

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

We are very active in outdoor non traditional sports which is against the norm here I know, but we race BMX together, quadding, snowboarding, surfing, snorkeling(He is not old enough to get his dive cert.), no hunting but range shooting(target), fishing and soccer. He is aloud to do what he wants and we are fortunate that he does like the sports and activities that I am into and have been into since I was a kid. .

That's excellent...its good to hear of kids these days that are active and not just sitting around playing video games or out causing trouble. Not to say that video games are bad...but too much of them can be bad.

[weluvpa]

Everday we do something together, weither its the range or bikesor quads but something outside everyday. Games are for the evening, to wind down before bed. I will not and do not allow him to sit in the house on nice days and play games. Nope not in our house, my mother used to have to force me back inside and now adays you have to force them out but not me, I make it more interesting outside then inside and thats the ticket get them involved and do it with them. He loves to shot and so do i so why go to the range and shoot targets. He loves it because if he listens and takes his time he gets the bullseye(results, they want results for their effort). He shoots semi auto 22 rifle with a scope and he is more serious and better behaved then alot of the adults that are there a couple days a week. I found it to be the best way to teach responsiblity because he knows what can happen if the rules are not followed, it kind of drives it home on its own. It commands his repect and he knows it, I did not have to teach this one it did it for me. So many parents these days use games as electronic babysitters and thats just wrong, if you are not involved with your children you cannot blame anyone else for how they turn out but yourself.

[nocturnal rooster]

Originally Posted by conorsdad

That's excellent...its good to hear of kids these days that are active and not just sitting around playing video games or out causing trouble. Not to say that video games are bad...but too much of them can be bad.

oh god, you're not one of those bandwagon people who blame video games for serial killers and crack dealers, are you? It's not the video games, it's the PARENTS. Parents blame videogames because they don't want to take responsibility for their bad parenting.

[NYRangers 2008]

Dan, it sounds to me like your son is well behaved. I only met you once, but you seem like a really decent guy and a great Dad. It is good to do things outdoors, especially in the summer. Video games are OK, but they shouldn't be the only thing a kid does. He needs to go out and experience life and do different things. So when he grows up he can say he did more in his childhood then just play XBox or Playstation.

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by nocturnal rooster

oh god, you're not one of those bandwagon people who blame video games for serial killers and crack dealers, are you? It's not the video games, it's the PARENTS. Parents blame videogames because they don't want to take responsibility for their bad parenting.

My point is that too much sitting on your **** playing video games (or TV, etc) is bad. I was saying that its a good thing that Dan has his son interested in a lot of outdoor activities.

I do think a lot of video games are bad...some of the excessive violence, sex, etc in today's video games is a sad commentary on our society. But I agree with you, the problem is the PARENTS that let their kids play these video games, or are too lazy to check to see what their kids are playing, watching, and listening to.