The Bad, the terrible and the worst of NEPA (Allentown: condo, crime rate)

[Mr Yuk]

I still think, overall, NEPA has more people tied to their religion and church than just about anywhere but the south. What are you basing church attendance on? The crowd in any particular church? NEPA tends to have a lot of smaller ethnic-based churches that were built when the population of the area was larger, which is why today, there are too many churches around, and many are sparsely-attended and are being closed. As opposed to other areas, where a town may have 1 big church for a whole town or a few towns. Around here, a small town of about 5,000 people may have 6 churches.

[weluvpa]

The politicians are the scum of the region....Their actions are what has put the region into the downward spiral its in with no hope of recovery......

The out of state scum, crime etc... all linked to the actions of the politicians......

When you drive a city, region or town into the ground whom do you think will replace the residents that are fleeing.....

There is no bible, church or god that can or will fix this country, region or city.....Waiting for it or relying on it is a terrible waste of ones times...

[Pa Dutch]

Originally Posted by Mr Yuk

Test scores don't tell the whole story though.....city districts' scores are somewhat dragged down by a higher number of non-English-speakers, plus, overall, when there is a poorer demographic, there may be more kids who just aren't as intelligent, may have learning disabilties more so than in more affluent suburban districts, and may just not have parents that push kids to study as much. But the quality of education is just as good as in those higher-scoring suburban districts. I'm happy so far with the academics in the SSD, and I myself went to a school district in the suburbs that has a so-called "great reputation" (more because of sports than anything else, in my opinion). But I still keep in touch with friends from there whose kids go to that school now, and I hear a lot of complaints.

If kids are raised right, and school work is stressed as important at home, they will do good in pretty much any school, especially any school in NEPA. There are no horrible districts in this area.

I have to disagree with this a bit. Not to go too far off topic, but what you wrote isnt entirely true.

Schools that are ranked higher, have students who perform well on the pssa tests. Districts that are doing better on pssa testing can teach the students a more rounded education. They don't have to worry about teaching to the pssa tests as is prevalent in poor performing districts.

Students who transfer from poor performing schools to better performing schools are almost always behind academically. Sometimes by several grades.

Luzerne has 3 districts ranked within 100 spots from dead last, those are horrible districts. I know NEPA has pride, but don't let that get in the way of reality, or the struggles of your area will continue. I know about horrible districts, I have three relatives who taught in the Allentown School District. 20 years ago many said what you wrote. Now look where we are. I have no skin in the game, I'm just trying to be realistic.

[auntieannie68]

Originally Posted by Mr Yuk

I still think, overall, NEPA has more people tied to their religion and church than just about anywhere but the south. What are you basing church attendance on? The crowd in any particular church? NEPA tends to have a lot of smaller ethnic-based churches that were built when the population of the area was larger, which is why today, there are too many churches around, and many are sparsely-attended and are being closed. As opposed to other areas, where a town may have 1 big church for a whole town or a few towns. Around here, a small town of about 5,000 people may have 6 churches.

i volunteer in this diocese--my previous diocese(out of state) had 2x as many churches--all well attended-----i have been to services throughout the diocese and the only times i have seen full attendance is at the 2 major holidays---i was surprised to hear so many of my formerly church attending friends and family have stopped attending --many have joined the "i am disgusted with religion here" group----having seen the diocesan attitude towards attendees i can understand this
this DOES contribute to lack of community cohesiveness and deterioration---just ONE of the many reasons things here have gone downhill imo

[bloominscranton]

Originally Posted by PA_Dutch_Love

I have to disagree with this a bit. Not to go too far off topic, but what you wrote isnt entirely true.

Schools that are ranked higher, have students who perform well on the pssa tests. Districts that are doing better on pssa testing can teach the students a more rounded education. They don't have to worry about teaching to the pssa tests as is prevalent in poor performing districts.

Students who transfer from poor performing schools to better performing schools are almost always behind academically. Sometimes by several grades.

Luzerne has 3 districts ranked within 100 spots from dead last, those are horrible districts. I know NEPA has pride, but don't let that get in the way of reality, or the struggles of your area will continue. I know about horrible districts, I have three relatives who taught in the Allentown School District. 20 years ago many said what you wrote. Now look where we are. I have no skin in the game, I'm just trying to be realistic.

I agree 100 percent! While my son does very well in school (he is in 5th grade), he has not had the "overall" education that his siblings received in similar grades. His current work in 5th grade is what my older children were doing in 3rd and 4th grade in an out of area out of state district. I know he is behind his peers in his former school district! While he is a high performer here and on his PSSA's I feel what is required and expected of him is just at a lower level. I would be greatly concerned if he was an average student here.

[weluvpa]

So we have woman and children jumping from 3rd floor windows to avoid guns, illegal aliens swinging machete's at schools. Bob Mellow found guilty AND all you guys are going to do is quest god and the SSD....

FOR WHAT ITS WORTH THE SSD SUCKS!!!!!! NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU TRY TO TURN IT 300+ IN THE STATE SUCKS..................

My son will not be in the SSD past 8th grade....

PS LET'S KEEP RELIGION AND GOD OUT OF THIS, HE CAN'T FIX IT......

[auntieannie68]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

So we have woman and children jumping from 3rd floor windows to avoid guns, illegal aliens swinging machete's at schools. Bob Mellow found guilty AND all you guys are going to do is quest god and the SSD....

FOR WHAT ITS WORTH THE SSD SUCKS!!!!!! NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU TRY TO TURN IT 300+ IN THE STATE SUCKS..................

My son will not be in the SSD past 8th grade....

PS LET'S KEEP RELIGION AND GOD OUT OF THIS, HE CAN'T FIX IT......

maybe true or not but i have never seen an area that needs prayers more than nepa does

[Chefkey]

I personally don't think the crime has been that bad compared to bigger urban areas. It comes to mind when I recently spoke to a friend who came from Syracuse. He is getting an apartment near Main Street in the Wilkes Barre South. When I asked him about crime there he told " Ehh, I lived in Syracuse" and I laughed and said I lived in Philly, both way worse.

It is sort of funny to me to see how much people here worry about the crime when I have lived far worse.

For me, the Blight is this area's worst problem. Why can't Leighton get that Train Station knocked down already? At least just Bulldoze it and pave the area over. It is unsightful stuff like that bringing the image of the area down.

[weluvpa]

Chefkey I don't "worry" about crime. Don't like the trends now a days, but I don't worry about.

My family business was in Newark, then East Orange NJ, on a good day I only heard two or three gunshots and found only one stolen car behind the plant in the morning....LOL

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by Chefkey

I personally don't think the crime has been that bad compared to bigger urban areas. It comes to mind when I recently spoke to a friend who came from Syracuse. He is getting an apartment near Main Street in the Wilkes Barre South. When I asked him about crime there he told " Ehh, I lived in Syracuse" and I laughed and said I lived in Philly, both way worse.

It is sort of funny to me to see how much people here worry about the crime when I have lived far worse.

For me, the Blight is this area's worst problem. Why can't Leighton get that Train Station knocked down already? At least just Bulldoze it and pave the area over. It is unsightful stuff like that bringing the image of the area down.

We're going to loose the Sterling and you want want the train station razed as well? Yeah, maybe a Sheetz would nicely fill that space.