Can a family really have it all living in the Seattle area?

[ness]

For my own personal curiousity---what is it about these areas that seem so awful to those who say they would "never live south of seattle"??? all i see is quaint waterfront communities with reasonably priced housing and decent schools. i understand that areas inside Tacoma have pockets of high crime, but i don't think that's the case with UP, Steilacoom, Gig Harbor, etc. I'm not trying to be a contrarian, I'd just like more insight. Maybe there's something I'm not seeing. I DO know about the soil contamination issues in some of these areas....which is one negative.

[pwright1]

As a former agent in the region its not all about the eastside. I never understand why people totally write off the southend. Yes it has pockets of crime but the entire southend region? Please. There are very nice areas with good schools. There are beautiful areas of Tacoma. Do not listen to anyone who totally writes off the southend.

[Elyse33]

Absolutely! I completely change my mind about Tacoma. If you care about your childs math education move to one of the afore mentioned areas in Tacoma!!! They had the guts to realize the sad state of affairs regarding Fuzzy math, new new math taught in Gig Harbor schools, Bellvue etc. many of the affluent areas ...most of the kids are so lost or behind by a year or two and moving from another state has been nothing but a nightmare regarding a student once quite proficient in math now struggling along with C-...omg, it is ridiculous. Tacoma said no more of our kids failing and our teachers having an impossible time teaching this pilot program that failed in California....Sooooo they paid 550,000 for Saxon math text books that took guts to return to "old fashioned math".........standardized math has failed miserably in Gig Harbor. What a shock it has been. Each school system can choose their own math program??? Odd...

Just my opinion and experience....also in 8th grade why not require the kids to read a book or two. The have "prime time" and read only on Mondays and Fridays (sometimes not even those days)....no book reports...this has been bad enough for us to consider moving back to Texas.

Elyse...(moved here from Dallas this summer, possibly moving back to Dallas just for a better education)

[Woof]

Kent used to be a decent place, but seemed to be going downhill when I last lived in Seattle.

I don't know much about Vashon Island but it appears to be in a good location .... depends on commuting costs I suppose, could be high.