"There are no good schools in the city." (Philadelphia: middle-class, real estate)

[NewtownBucks]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Sorry to drag NewtownBucks into this, but I find it useful to contrast her attitude to yours. She clearly likes and prefers suburban life, as, it appears, do you. But she harbors no animus towards either city living or those who prefer it. I often get the impression that you do harbor such an animus and find us urbanophiles at least disingenuous and maybe worse.

* his. LOL

[NewtownBucks]

For the record, I love the city. My wife and I have actually talked about whether we will move into the city once our kids are out of the house. For now, we have roots in the suburbs, the kids have friends and activities they are involved in, and we live in Council Rock SD for a reason, but she lived in the city when we met (and I effectively lived with her for a time when I was going to Temple grad school), and we come down to the city quite often to go out to dinner or a band or a show. We would love to get a condo somewhere in the city full time. I also work in Old City, so my commute would get a lot easier...

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

I like the way you are downplaying the pervasiveness of drugs in the city. This is the problem with communities in the city. Drug use is excused and even tolerated when it's effects are there for all to see. Then the residents will blame everyone else but themselves for their misery.

With this kind of attitude I don't see the situation in public schools changing soon.

PS. I'm for decriminalization of drugs but I'm against legalization of drugs. Teens should be protected from drugs until they are old enough to screw up their lives.

This is neither the time nor place to get into Prohibition with you.

Sites that rank or grade schools aren't going to get into that sort of thing. For that, check with the local PD or a crime map.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by NewtownBucks

For the record, I love the city. My wife and I have actually talked about whether we will move into the city once our kids are out of the house. For now, we have roots in the suburbs, the kids have friends and activities they are involved in, and we live in Council Rock SD for a reason, but she lived in the city when we met (and I effectively lived with her for a time when I was going to Temple grad school), and we come down to the city quite often to go out to dinner or a band or a show. We would love to get a condo somewhere in the city full time. I also work in Old City, so my commute would get a lot easier...

It would get easier too were Newtown Branch rail service ever to be restored.

But I think that's a dead letter now. Even if Bryn Athyn were to reverse course on having trains run through it again.

Apologies for gender-bending you. Happens to me a lot, thanks to my first name.

[NewtownBucks]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

It would get easier too were Newtown Branch rail service ever to be restored.

But I think that's a dead letter now. Even if Bryn Athyn were to reverse course on having trains run through it again.

Apologies for gender-bending you. Happens to me a lot, thanks to my first name.

The Septa thing is definitely dead. That's not really a big concern, though. Getting into the city with Septa from either Langhorne or Cornwell Heights isn't an issue, traffic slows well after these stops. Having the train run all the way out to Newtown would just create a really long train ride like Doylestown.

[MB1562]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

On the contrary, I don't think it captures drug issues and other behavioral problems.

Why else do you think the city is overrun by unruly teens? No wonder parents throw block parties when their kids graduate from high school because it's a huge achievement.

I went to high school in a stable, middle class, almost all white community. Drug use was rampant there. You seriously have your head shoved where the sun don't shine if you think drugs aren't running wild on the Main Line too.

[1ondoner]

You don't need to be apologetic for not setting your roots in the city. You made the right choice.

Originally Posted by NewtownBucks

For the record, I love the city. My wife and I have actually talked about whether we will move into the city once our kids are out of the house. For now, we have roots in the suburbs, the kids have friends and activities they are involved in, and we live in Council Rock SD for a reason, but she lived in the city when we met (and I effectively lived with her for a time when I was going to Temple grad school), and we come down to the city quite often to go out to dinner or a band or a show. We would love to get a condo somewhere in the city full time. I also work in Old City, so my commute would get a lot easier...

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

You don't need to be apologetic for not setting your roots in the city. You made the right choice.

So you read the person's post and obviously missed the part about their considering moving to the city once the kids have flown the coop.

Yes, this is why fixing the schools matters for the city, for it's quite clear that one of the big reasons they settled in Bucks was because of the quality of the school district.

But given that, what is so wrong about liking city life?

[1ondoner]

It's unfair to expect outsiders to move into the city to fix the schools. Why can't those who live in the city fix the schools?

And no, I did not miss the part about him moving back to the city. I was commending him for bringing up his kids in the suburbs. That was a wise decision.

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

So you read the person's post and obviously missed the part about their considering moving to the city once the kids have flown the coop.

Yes, this is why fixing the schools matters for the city, for it's quite clear that one of the big reasons they settled in Bucks was because of the quality of the school district.

But given that, what is so wrong about liking city life?

[NewtownBucks]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

It's unfair to expect outsiders to move into the city to fix the schools. Why can't those who live in the city fix the schools?

And no, I did not miss the part about him moving back to the city. I was commending him for bringing up his kids in the suburbs. That was a wise decision.

It was the right decision for us, but I know people who raised or are raising their kids in the city, too, and the kids are perfectly well off. To each his own.