Moving to McAllen Texas from Indiana (Pharr, Weslaco: insurance, magnet schools, living)

[crbcrbrgv]

Don't move to the Valley. Even the best districts will potentially leave your children woefully unprepared for an average University. And what Ms. Bookworm above me says is quiet accurate. Athletes are worshiped and get away with a lot. People who study hard are not accepted and many high schools start out with 900 freshman and graduate 450 or less. My wife is Mexican and I am an Anglo who loves Mexican culture and speaks Spanish. Problem is, the Valley is its own culture. It is a culture of dependency where almost 100 percent of the children receive free breakfast regardless of family income and many take advantage of Section 8 housing even though they don't qualify. Traffic enforcement is sparse (although it's pretty good in McAllen) and poverty is rampant. As Bookworm said, sexual activity is very common also although I would argue it is just as common as any other town. In the Valley, nobody has heard of coitus interruptus much less condoms. And if your children want weed, coke or alcohol they can get it faster than Samantha from Bewitched gets something from twitching her nose. And the hospitals are not good. LVN's do RN work. You want a good idea of how hospitals are in South Texas and the Valley, ask BellestarTX

[TexasNick]

Hey crbcrgv weren't you just recently saying the oppositve? you're singing a different tune now. That's good. I hate to open the newspapers now...did you hear about the cop in Alton? You just don't read that kind of stuff here even in SA.

[MidwesternBookWorm]

Originally Posted by crbcrbrgv

As Bookworm said, sexual activity is very common also although I would argue it is just as common as any other town.

That is unquestionably the case; just spend an hour or two in any high school in the country if you doubt it.

What I referred to was men in their twenties and thirties who look specifically for young girls to debauch. Not all the men in that age group in the Valley do that, of course, but there's a certain segment of the male population who actually keep track of the number of young girls that they can seduce, and who brag about their conquests.

[crbcrbrgv]

I support IDEA publics schools but I will give two different answers and perspectives. One for those that must move down here and one for those who are thinking of it. To quote the great Ned Flanders, "I don't want to sound like a negative Nelly!"

[GRANDMA24]

I just wanted to give you my impression of the area you are contemplating moving into. I was born and raised in McAllen, Tx. At the age of 40 (1983) I moved to Colorado with my two girls to get away from the area for good. You need to know that it is like living in Mexico. I found that the schools were rapidly going downhill because of so many children who could not speak or understand the English language. It was becoming imperative that (if you wanted to work in the area) you had to speak Spanish. Being that the population is 80% hispanic, they are catered to much more than the white population. The area is hot, humid, dirty and because it is located on the Mexican border, crime runs rampant. The border is dangerous... people disappear there all the time. Underaged kids go over there to drink alcohol and party... you cannot imagine how dangerous that is. You say that you have two beautiful girls (just like me)... I WOULD NOT take them into that environment. I fear that they would be very disappointed (and you as well). We are still in Colorado and love it here. If my Mother were not still down there, I would never go back.

[crbcrbrgv]

You need to know that it is like living in Mexico.

Grandma, we both know that your statement is a complete INSULT to Mexico!

[lndigo]

Oh, ew. Sorry, but McAllen kind of sucks. =P The weather's a killer, and the town doesn't really have much character or much going on. It's only an hour away from South Padre Island, so I'm guessing that's a plus, especially since you're moving from Indiana. As for your kids, I grew up in McAllen (went to McAllen Memorial, decent school), and segregation/discrimination didn't seem like much of a problem. One of my best friends was a blue-eyed, blond Mormon, and she had no problem with her social life. Of course, being hispanic, I really can't speak for any white, just what I saw. As for you and your husband, on the other hand, you might (again, just assuming) have a much harder time than your kids, mainly because much of the adult population have grown up in Latin America and tend to be much less assimilated and much more segregated than the youth. Again, I grew up attending McAllen ISD schools, but Sheryland ISD had (I don't know about the current situation) a better reputation. Best of luck to y'all.

Edit: The schools aren't as bad as the above posters claim, I promise. I was an AP student, and I had no problem with social acceptance. I'm also gay, and that didn't pose much of a problem. As for preparing kids for average universities, I beg to differ. I very much do feel that I was adequately prepared for the "above average" (rigorous-wise) university I attended.

[crbcrbrgv]

Indigo, they are worse than average. You were lucky. You attended McAllen ISD, which is actually one of the best ISDs in Texas. Sharyland has a better reputation but is very overrated. La Joya, oh dear god. Edinburg isn't so great either. Donna, Edcouch-Elsa and Mercedes are darn near third world. Weslaco is another overrated school district. They graduate anyone that stays for four years. Harlingen, not too shabby.

[cdn nurse]

I do not have children, but have a lot of friends who do. I moved here from canada 14 years ago and although I am dark eyed and dark haired, most of my friends are anglo and alot are blond. I live in Harlingen and hear from them that it is not as difficult in the schools here for children that are not hispanic. I have lived and worked in mcallen, brownsville and harlingen. I would definitely pick harlingen over any other city or town in the RGV. I think there are more people who are not hispanic in Harlingen because there are alot of medical people and other professional people who move here. I like it and bought a house after living here for 5 years because I decided I never want to leave. It is about an hour to Mcallen though.
One thing you will really like is the weather. I hated the cold. Although I do miss the changing of the seasons.

[Willys]

Originally Posted by bellestaroftexas

i personally feel very very uncomfortable in South Texas, being a blonde blue eyed anglo female...

I've heard that, more than once. Not from bellestar, but more than once.

You say your husband like what he saw. Was he taking time, looking on his own or being shown what he should see?