Would the APS cheating scandal deter your decision to move intown?

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Oh com'on. This APS scandal not only fills the local news but has gone national even being the butt of late night show jokes. This is beyond a "sound bite", and reading and research are only hurting APS's image.

Originally Posted by atl4lyfe

Well said. Because if you dig in deeper, you see the cheating was much more widespread than is reported currently. Plus who knows how many years and millions cleaning this up will take, if ever. And then theres the loss of SACS... yikes..

Big sale on RE in ATL.

Oh com'on nothin', Mathman.

Read the highlighted below (for you too, atl4lyfe):

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

...because anybody with common sense knows that only around 40% of the schools were in the scandal. Not all the schools. The schools that were in the scandal are schools that the average middle class family would not send their kids to those schools anyway. Cheating is happening at plenty of schools nationwide. Atl is the first school system that got caught.the news will continue to talk about this but they will not talk about all the "other" kids...

'Nuff said.

[GaBison2007]

No...I'M Planning to have kids one day and I myself went to schools in GA(Not ATL) deemed "unworthy" or worse than high-priced private schools and I more than exceeded expectations...I had a HS 4.0 GPA, got multiple full ride scholarships, and was enrolled in Honors Courses in College where I got a 3.56. I guess if I took regular courses it would be a 4.0, LOL....... I was born into utter poverty and my mother didn't just depend on teachers for my education.

She checked out tons of library books and demanded I read them because at one time a teacher recommended I needed better training in reading. She only let me watch the news or educational programming on tv (and a few cartoons on saturday lol).She helped me with Homework the best she could until of course it got too hard for her lol. She carefully screened my friends(and their parents) and who I was able to hang out with.............

By the time I was in 6th grade, I was tested and found to be reading and analyzing at the level of a person in their Junior year of College.BTW, this was while she was working 2 jobs at the same time tw. She also disciplined me VERY HARSHLY if I ever got out of line as well. People depend too much on teachers to do EVERYTHING to be honest and I could understand why teachers across the nation are getting overworked and stressed, esp in GA and also DC where I'm at now........IF you think ATL is bad, take a ride through DC or Bmore lol

Parents want teachers to educate their kids, discipline them(or not discipline them when they need it), feed them right, nurture them like babies.I could also see how teachers could be pressured to cheat because of all the things they have to do to not be on the chopping block...I think this whole scandal is more of a reflection on the pressures we're putting on our teachers than the actual quality of them because there is noooo wayyy in h*ll, GA or any other state has THAT many bad teachers........

...I remember in school (I graduated HS in 2003) Teachers would say how well-mannered I was. I could see it for myself. When I was in my honors/AP classes in HS, the kids SAT DOWN,were quiet and attentive, actually DID work efficiently, and for the most part were excellent students. When I had to take general classes, the difference was NIGHT AND DAY. Kids yelling in class, not raising their hands, not listening, the teacher having to repeat the same thing over and over again which slowed me down btw because I was sick of the repetitiveness....and if a kid cursed them out (which did happen multiple times) they couldn't do anything or else face the wrath of a disgruntled parent.Being in General classes was like being in prison and you'd think you were in the twilight zone because teachers could seriously not do ANYTHING to have a productive learning environment.....

You couldn't pay me a million dollars to be a teacher in this day and age....but to answer the question, A teacher is supposed to educate but parents need to step up as well....I once did truly have a bad teacher in middle school, but my mom was SO on top of my education, she caught what was happening before any damage could be done and DEMANDED that I either get another teacher or have a sit-down discussion with the principle and the teacher. The result of that meeting was that I was pushed up to Honors Courses right before HS because they found out I was slipping behind from utter boredom..............

...Lazy education from a parent gets a lazy kid *shrugs* and I'm not paying high tuition for something I can easily get for my kid if I can actually work in coordination with a teacher versus me letting them raise my kid...........People look at me in shock when I say I'm perfectly fine with them being in public school, however, I was in Public school as well and I turned out great with the help of my mom and teachers(Some of them I'm still in contact with

[Iconographer]

It would certainly give me pause for concern. Resale value would be a consideration as well.

[arjay57]

I don't think it will make much difference on whether folks live in the City of Atlanta and here's why:

1. The cheating scandal actually provides good news regarding the high performing elementary schools in APS. Schools such Mary Lin, Springdale Park, Sarah Smith I and II were cleared of any hint of cheating and continue to be an outstanding option for people who want to live in town and take advantage of good public schools. The investigation also confirms that public schools can achieve excellence when parents get involved and support the students, teachers and principals. Those schools are not endangered and the neighborhoods around them continue to thrive, in part because the schools are solid.

2. The scandal doesn't really say anything new about the problems at the schools there were involved in cheating. This has been going for a long time. Sadly, it plagues urban school systems all over the country and everyone knows it. The solutions will be complex, but it really isn't news to anyone.

3. The scandal again confirms that you can't repair the situation in No. 2 by continuing to spend massive amount of money. APS funding has been over the top. Over $1 billion in new physical plant in the last decade alone. The highest per pupil expenditures of any system in the state, and more than cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. The best paid teachers. The best paid superintendent. A huge corps of highly paid administrators. So hopefully the scandal will lead to less useless spending and more focus on real education reform.

4. A good number of people who choose to live inside the City of Atlanta don't have kids and are living intown for other reasons

5. People who live intown and who do have kids have been well aware of the situation for a long time. They either live in the areas where the public schools are excellent, or plan on using one of the city's many private schools. Intown living offers an abundance of superb private schools.

[Esteban5]

Blame will be easy to assign. What about accountability?

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by equinox63;20144358

If you have (or are planning to have) school-aged children, would the APS cheating scandal deter your decision to move to the City of Atlanta?

Probably not.

It would naturally be a concern but too many public school systems in our state, and other states, have systematic problems.

Dougherty County is now being investigated for possible CRCT cheating.

And now nationwide, numerous cities are being investigated for suspected cheating.

CRCT cheating is only one consideration when evaluating schools. Bullying is huge problem in schools and that should be a concern, too.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I don't think it will make much difference on whether folks live in the City of Atlanta and here's why:

1. The cheating scandal actually provides good news regarding the high performing elementary schools in APS. Schools such Mary Lin, Springdale Park, Sarah Smith I and II were cleared of any hint of cheating and continue to be an outstanding option for people who want to live in town and take advantage of good public schools. The investigation also confirms that public schools can achieve excellence when parents get involved and support the students, teachers and principals. Those schools are not endangered and the neighborhoods around them continue to thrive, in part because the schools are solid.

2. The scandal doesn't really say anything new about the problems at the schools there were involved in cheating. This has been going for a long time. Sadly, it plagues urban school systems all over the country and everyone knows it. The solutions will be complex, but it really isn't news to anyone.

3. The scandal again confirms that you can't repair the situation in No. 2 by continuing to spend massive amount of money. APS funding has been over the top. Over $1 billion in new physical plant in the last decade alone. The highest per pupil expenditures of any system in the state, and more than cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. The best paid teachers. The best paid superintendent. A huge corps of highly paid administrators. So hopefully the scandal will lead to less useless spending and more focus on real education reform.

4. A good number of people who choose to live inside the City of Atlanta don't have kids and are living intown for other reasons

5. People who live intown and who do have kids have been well aware of the situation for a long time. They either live in the areas where the public schools are excellent, or plan on using one of the city's many private schools. Intown living offers an abundance of superb private schools.

I totally agree!

[crazynip]

No, the CRIME RATE would affect my decision to not move intown.

[RoslynHolcomb]

No. If I could afford to live intown, those are not the school zones I'd be sending my kids to.