what are the best shools? (Raleigh: house, neighborhood, school district)

[Skipstone]

Ducter, thank you for those insights. You mentioned things I had not thought of, but you're right.

Hopefully, since your own wife is a legal immigrant, it won't be implied that you are a bigot for being concerned.

Personally, I feel 2,000 illegals out of 7,000 per year is a staggering number. Do the multiplication and I don't care if we're getting new schools or not, we're all paying for this in taxes and in other ways.

I think this article from the News & Observer says a lot too:
http://www.newsobserver.com/1155/story/412207.html (broken link)

It's something for everyone to consider whether they place their children in the schools or not.

And then there are the increasing health risks: http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/commentary.asp?record_id=313 (broken link)

I think it's good to be informed.

[Dnaylor]

I appreciate all the information above. It is difficult enough trying to make a move. Having young children makes it even harder. We are leaning towards the Cary area. Homeschooling won't be an option as we both are FT professionals. Any thoughts about daycare/preschool programs in that area? If you had two small children, being two full time working parents with a commute to Raliegh, any desirable neighborhoods you'd recommend? Also, any medical people/nurses out there who know of good hospitals near Cary? We are starting from scratch with limited knowledge of the area as we are coming from MA and our search has just begun. I/we appreciate your helpful comments/time!

[Desdemona123]

Originally Posted by ducter

When I break the law, say I rob a bank, will I be called someone who undocumentedly robbed a bank and not be told I did something illegal? If these people are "undocumented" can someone please tell me who is illegal? Our children and childrens children will feel the effect of this inflood of illegal immigrants. My wife is a LEGAL immigrant and this current governements greed and lack of enforcing laws is a slap in the face to Americans and LEGAL immigrants.

The school effect...
The schools are crowding here and there is penty of it happening because of the flood of illegal immigrants into this state. They dont pay taxes thus they dont pay for their kids to go to school but yet many have more than 3 children per houseshold. Do you think that these kids are not going to schools ? Yet an average tax payer has their taxes raised constantly but that seems to be OK but I cant call an illegal immigranthe or she is illegal! Also when they come here illegally and have children do you think they are paying that huge hospital bill, no again tax payers are. Soon it will be better to renounce your citizenship here. This country was not made great by the breaking of established laws. There is NO reason they couldnt come here legally, they choose not to because they are better off money wise.

The school systems are (not just in NC) being brought down because many of these students dont know english and are not willing to learn since we have so many documents translated for them, also many of the parents feel that ther child does not need to learn our language (not just hispanics). As they struggle in class the classes being to operate at a slower rate.

I've not run into any student here that never picked up English or wanted to learn English...both Hispanics and those form other countries, though yes, some do need extra support for a time especially at first. There was a boy that started third grade with my daughter that had very minimal English skills (he was from India and I didn’t ask about his paperwork)…by the end of the year he pretty well fluent though still behind a bit in grammar and writing skills on paper. The children of legal immigrants often need this help.

In addition, before you go into a tirade about legal v. illegal immigrants, you may want to know that my mother was a legal immigrant many years ago, so I do know the difference. And yes, I do believe there needs to be immigration reform to solve the problem. The underlying issues have been going on across the world for centuries….it’s not going to stop anytime soon. Real workable laws and procedures need to be put into place to deal with it….not work against it in my opinion. Immigration as a whole does not hurt a country, the continued marginalzation and prejudice towards immigrant populations (legal ones included) does.

As for taxes, the schools monies from property taxes. Immigrants do pay rent, so the landlord pays the taxes with this rent money. Therefore, unless you want to deny the children of all renters access to school, this comment has nothing to do with the debate. I’d just rather all children received a quality education to allow for them to be productive members of society in the future.

Like it or not, Wake County schools does a great job of educating children….and they do so with the added challenges an immigrant population presents. This is a strength, not a weakness.

[ducter]

Many dont realize how illegals ruin different areas of life. Schools are getting crushed in many states like NC. Basically if you make it here illegally there are too many give "aways" for these people. This is our governments fault for doing this and us allowing them to. Since I went through this with my wife I KNOW that there are many ways to come here legally and contribute to America instead of sucking it dry. And before someone trys to say I hate a certain demographic, our laws apply to all, regardless to race, color or origin and I am speaking of ILLEGAL not LEGAL immigrants. Our governments never actually give us a legal reason why they allow this, just excuses and the "feel sorry for them routine"

Many people dont care that much because they have their house and cars and figure things are OK. Maybe when and if their teens go to get a summer job they realize that they cant because illegals are taking cheaper pay (because they dont pay into society like everyone else) or the y cant because of year round schools which happen because of the illegals.

We have to look beyond our goverment which cant be trusted to see the truth.

In less than 2 years we had rezoning of kids (wasting gas and tiime, against the wills of taxpayers), new schools built, a school bond approved and an "education" lottery (thats a bigger joke than "undocumented") and guess what.....They cant stop moving kids around and are still raising taxes and claim they dont have enought money.

I realize that many people have moved from higher cost states and have made a good deal in the real estate market, but how long are we going to run to undeveloped states to save money...

The current numbers show that illegals are coming here faster than America can keep up with them.
Here is an EXCELLENT video presentation of what is REALLY going on with immigration
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...roy+beck&hl=en

Also do you know that 2 border patrol agents are in jail for 12 years for shooting an illegal drug smuggler in the butt while jumping the border? Of course we gave the illegal amnesty here. Well maybe his children can go to Wake county schools....I am sure that wont affect the quality

[Skipstone]

Dnaylor, if you locate in Cary I believe you'll get the best of all those worlds. I'm sure someone here will be better able than me to give you more specifics.

Hope your move goes smoothly! I've moved with young ones and yes, it can be challenging for sure. But they get pretty excited seeing the big truck pull up with all the men carrying things out. I'm not sure how old your children are - and I never did this, but if my kids were still young enough I think I would buy them each a "moving teddy bear" to befriend and take with them to their new location. The teddy would be their friend on the trip down and they could help the teddy see new things and tell him all they experience. I think keeping some familiar and favorite objects for the car or airline trip can really help the child not feel like everything he owns has been taken away in the moving truck.

Like I said I don't know the ages of your children so what I've said depends on that. I just know from all my many moves that children do process things differently than we adults do. They can't see the whole picture and put it in the same context so they don't necessarily know what's next. They live more in the present-moment than we do. I think is the reason we adults sometimes dreamily remember our own childhoods.

[Dnaylor]

My toddler is 17months, and I'm pregnant now,,,so the other child will be a baby. That's why research is so challenging. I'm trying to gather as much info now while I'm not so sleep deprived. I'm sure I'll also be dealing with sibling jealousy........a new place, a new job. We are leaving all our family/friends behind on the east coast. Hearing from people who have been through it and are familiar with the area is reassuring.

[Skipstone]

Ducter, I'm having trouble getting that link to come up. Is anyone else having trouble? Maybe it's some glitch on my end.

I'd like to view it for sure.

[Dnaylor]

So even if we our kids go to for example, Cary Elementary, they may be reassigned to another school?

[Skipstone]

Dnaylor, your situation resonates with me. We moved from the east coast clear out to the west coast when I had a child under a year old. That was the mid-summer move when I had bronchitis. I remember finally arriving at the new destination and being horribly sick in the hotel with my baby awake and playful. I could barely get out of bed and he had all the energy in the world, as sweet as can be.

And then we had one more move back to the east coast before I got pregnant again and after having this child - we then moved 5 weeks later up near Canada! I can remember the hormonal stuff making me tearful during all the fast changes.

Arrrrgghh.

All I can say is yes, this too will pass.

Your main focus is your child and the little one inside and if things get scratched during the move, so be it. Stuff can be replaced. Nothing matters as much as those kids and your staying healthy.

The main thing since you're expecting another little one is to take care of yourself and let others do it all if you can at all possibly manage it. That is hard to do, but it's a must in my book called Learning the Hard Way. Have you read it yet? I have. Many times!

In our first move I was leaving lots of friends too and it was hard. But the good thing about moving with young ones is it's easier to connect with others with children the same age. Local MOPS groups are encouraging.

And just a thought, but a mom working in a professional field where my dh works began having children and had second thoughts about keeping the job. She went home and says she hasn't regretted it. Another woman he works with has young kids and wants to go back home, but she says they can't because they have so many financial obligations (big house payment, etc.) that it would be very hard. She says she wishes they had purchased less in a home so she would have the flexibility to either work outside the home or stay home with her kids. She goes nuts sometimes when her children get sick in the daycare and she's running back and forth between work and handling the rest.

Anyway, I know you'll do the best you can under the circumstances of moving. If I can do it, anybody can!

[ducter]

Originally Posted by Desdemona123

Real workable laws and procedures need to be put into place to deal with it….

THERE ARE LAWS ALREADY IN PLACE, OUR GOVERNMENT IS JUST ALLOWING THEM TO BE BROKEN . If we already have laws that are being broken, what sense does it make for congress to make new laws if THEY ARE THE ONES NOT ENFORCING THEM. This is exactly how the government wants to get us from the real problem...them!

And note
Like it or not, Wake County schools does a great job of educating children….and they do so with the added challenges an immigrant population presents.

This is a strength, not a weakness.
REALLY ARE YOU SERIOUS...ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS NOW A STRENGTH FOR WAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS!

The link works for me just paste it intp the address bar in your browser (everything from http to en:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...q=roy+beck&hl= en