Prince George’s County must do more to address middle-income flight (Frederick: short sales, foreclosure)

[bowian]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

I was just reading a CNN story about St. Jerome Catholic School in Hyattsville that provides a classical education. I think that is attractive to some parents who may have otherwise let their kids attend public school or a regular catholic school. The article doesn't suggest that these schools are an alternative to failing public schools. It is merely another option.

I read the same story, and I had been researching St. Jerome's among other options. I think a variety of alternatives makes for good educational choices. In addition to the potential for more rigorous academics, private schools attract like-minded families in terms of values. In public school, you get what you get. And that can also be valuable. In fact, IMO, a well rounded education should ideally include both public and private school options.

Congratulations, by the way!

[bowian]

Originally Posted by EHCT

Believe me, I wish I didn't have to send my daughter to private school. Before I had children I swore up and down that I wouldn't be one of those people that paid property taxes while also also shelling out more money to send my kid to a private school. It still hurts when I think about it, but considering the alternative it's worth it. PG's schools are terrible, there's no doubt about it. Even the so-called high achieving schools in the county aren't all that great. I'm interested to see what is done to bring the school system up to par because it's going to be a huge undertaking.

I have heard your story from many parents who really believe in public schools. When you say that even the high-ranking schools are terrible, can you expand on that?

[lynnylo]

Originally Posted by pgtvatitans

I'm just curious, what was your source of information that helped you draw that conclusion? What did you see that made that decision for you?

The threads in this forum, advises I got from other users, links to different articles they've posted, etc.

[stpickrell]

Of course when everyone goes to 3-10 different private schools, what effect does that have on the community?

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by stpickrell

Of course when everyone goes to 3-10 different private schools, what effect does that have on the community?

It improves it? I'd imagine when a large number of children in a community get an adequate education, it can only help to improve it.

[EHCT]

Originally Posted by bowian

I have heard your story from many parents who really believe in public schools. When you say that even the high-ranking schools are terrible, can you expand on that?

I didn't want my post to come off as me proclaiming that the high-ranking schools in PG are terrible. I was just saying that comparatively speaking they really aren't all that great. When compared to schools in other areas that are known for their high achievement the high achieving PG schools don't quite measure up. I'll use Eleanor Roosevelt as an example because my wife and I are very good friends with a couple whose daughter goes there and it's a school that people in the area tend to speak highly of.

Our friend complains periodically about the shortcomings the school. An example that stuck with me was her daughter's biology class not having a substitute while the everyday teacher was on longterm disability leave (this happened a couple of years ago). Our friend did everything that she could short of personally contacting the superintendent to get this situation addressed. As far as I know the problem went unresolved for the remainder of the school year. I mean think about it; the freshman biology class literally did not have a teacher for a substantial period of time (at least a few months). For any school I would find this to be unacceptable. But for a school that's supposedly one of the cornerstones of PG's public school system it tells me a lot.

To be fair, our friends do think that the school is decent for the most part and offers a strong curriculum, but I don't know if they've just resigned themselves to the fact that there's not a better alternative out there or what. I'm not an educator, so I can't do a fair and accurate comparison of test scores or other data to illustrate my point further. And, I don't want to get into the fighting and other behavioral issues because honestly that can happen in any school, it happened in my high school and I'm sure it happens in most high schools from time to time. But listening to some of the stories that our friend's teenage daughter has told us, I have my doubts that this school would represent the gold standard for public schools in other areas. That's all I'm saying.

[bowian]

Originally Posted by EHCT

I didn't want my post to come off as me proclaiming that the high-ranking schools in PG are terrible. I was just saying that comparatively speaking they really aren't all that great. When compared to schools in other areas that are known for their high achievement the high achieving PG schools don't quite measure up. I'll use Eleanor Roosevelt as an example because my wife and I are very good friends with a couple whose daughter goes there and it's a school that people in the area tend to speak highly of.

Our friend complains periodically about the shortcomings the school. An example that stuck with me was her daughter's biology class not having a substitute while the everyday teacher was on longterm disability leave (this happened a couple of years ago). Our friend did everything that she could short of personally contacting the superintendent to get this situation addressed. As far as I know the problem went unresolved for the remainder of the school year. I mean think about it; the freshman biology class literally did not have a teacher for a substantial period of time (at least a few months). For any school I would find this to be unacceptable. But for a school that's supposedly one of the cornerstones of PG's public school system it tells me a lot.

To be fair, our friends do think that the school is decent for the most part and offers a strong curriculum, but I don't know if they've just resigned themselves to the fact that there's not a better alternative out there or what. I'm not an educator, so I can't do a fair and accurate comparison of test scores or other data to illustrate my point further. And, I don't want to get into the fighting and other behavioral issues because honestly that can happen in any school, it happened in my high school and I'm sure it happens in most high schools from time to time. But listening to some of the stories that our friend's teenage daughter has told us, I have my doubts that this school would represent the gold standard for public schools in other areas. That's all I'm saying.

I hear you. I would have been furious if I had been those parents.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by bowian

I hear you. I would have been furious if I had been those parents.

I blame the unions. That's just me. Sometimes the superintendent's hands are tied by the unions. Sad situation, petty even, but real. Stuff like, the teacher can't be replaced, etc. Or rules concerning teacher transfers, etc. Seems like a simple solution even to hire a teacher part time to fill in. I'm sure the unions had something to do with it. I could be wrong though.

[EducatedBro82]

Its fairly easy to do so. Foreclosure rates in Bowie and Mitchellville have risen. So to avoid damagin your credit, get guaranteed Government Money to rent your house out to Section 8 and have the family pay $750 while the govt pays the rest of the $2500 mortgage.

[WhoDatInMD]

Originally Posted by EducatedBro82

Its fairly easy to do so. Foreclosure rates in Bowie and Mitchellville have risen. So to avoid damagin your credit, get guaranteed Government Money to rent your house out to Section 8 and have the family pay $750 while the govt pays the rest of the $2500 mortgage.

Do you know if these foreclosures are because the bank is now processing quicker a backlog of paper work in order to put these homes on the market quicker? Or are more and more owners now defaulting on their loans? If the latter, I would assume most of these foreclosures are happening in the newer developments