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I think the problem is most people (black, white, yellow or chartreuse) prefer to go to a neighborhood or the closest school, not the one a small group of politicians decree they must attend to balance diversity.
No parent wants a bus ride for their child, regardless of race.
If a bus will take their child out of a poor-performing school and into a high-performing one, I think a lot of parents would want that.
After all these years the answer is still parents. If parents are involved with their kids and school the kids typically do well. Too bad you don't have to have a license to have a child.
The discipline in schools is a joke. Talk back to your teacher? Get in a fight with another student? No problem! Skip school? Refuse to do your classwork or homework? That's OK! The reason kids used to do well in school is because they were expected to do well by their parents, teachers, neighbors, etc. They were also afraid of the consequences if they didn't do well.
We have proven that busing kids from one end of the county to another is not the answer. Why spend $ on buses when that money could be used to improve all of the schools. The money spent on busing, additional drivers, gas, maintenance, etc. not to mention the time kids spend traveling when they could be learning is crazy.
Busing and magnet schools just allow the 'undesirable' schools to remain undesirable.
The choice that Ertistic was referring to was more specifically about where one lives. Someone with a higher income has a lot more choices on where to live than someone with a lower income. And for the most part, the household income of a school's population is directly correlated with its test scores. You could argue that some low-income people are that way because of choices they made, but even if that's the case that's not the children's fault and it makes it an uphill battle for them.
I agree with what you say about household income and test scores, but what does that have to to with low income children going to certain schools. If the credentials, resources and hours are the same from school building to school building then busing children of low income to high income schools isn't going to change the outcome.
Districting is done so kids can go to school with their neighbors and socialize according and taxes can be appropriated accordingly. If a black parent wants their kids in a mostly white school, they can move to that neighborhood. If a white parent wants more diversity, they can also move. In my home state they did redistricting so many times to blend the races and it caused many parents with money to donate to the schools to flee to private schools as they felt the tax dollars weren't being fairly assessed anymore. In addition their kids didn't always go to school with their neighbors so less close proximity friendships are formed. I experienced this as a kid and an adult. My question is why can't kids go to freaking school with their neighbors without being guilted into thinking there is something wrong with that due to some racial numbers?! Move if you don't like your school. If you can't afford your favorite school, do your best to get the best district you can period.
[quote=Metairie;51489153]Districting is done so kids can go to school with their neighbors and socialize according and taxes can be appropriated accordingly.
I'd encourage you to read more about the history of school boundary mapping in Charlotte, or township annexation in many other cities. There are many cases of "neighbors" being cut out of schools closer to their homes based on factors outside of proximity. Segregated schools were a reality for our community not that long ago.
If a black parent wants their kids in a mostly white school, they can move to that neighborhood.
Wow. Who knew it was really that simple?
If a white parent wants more diversity, they can also move. In my home state they did redistricting so many times to blend the races and it caused many parents with money to donate to the schools to flee to private schools as they felt the tax dollars weren't being fairly assessed anymore. In addition their kids didn't always go to school with their neighbors so less close proximity friendships are formed. I experienced this as a kid and an adult. My question is why can't kids go to freaking school with their neighbors without being guilted into thinking there is something wrong with that due to some racial numbers?! Move if you don't like your school. If you can't afford your favorite school, do your best to get the best district you can period.
I can sense your defensiveness. The concept of fairness and what is best for our community is a great topic for mature discussion. I think getting past the blame of "who's fault is it" is necessary for productive conversations about what we should do to improve schools with 95+% low income attendance and more obstacles than more affluent neighbors across town. If you focus on guilt or blame, I think it keeps us from tackling the issue at hand - and instead makes it easier to 1) ignore the issue 2) pretend the issues don't impact you.
Becoming aware of the challenges facing these schools and the community cost of neglecting their needs would really help some parents learn what is more "fair" when it comes to the realities of per pupil spending comparisons.
I'd encourage you and others to research more about the history of segregated schools in Charlotte and elsewhere and try to take on the perspective of parents with low income.
Districting is done so kids can go to school with their neighbors and socialize according and taxes can be appropriated accordingly.
I'd encourage you to read more about the history of school boundary mapping in Charlotte, or township annexation in many other cities. There are many cases of "neighbors" being cut out of schools closer to their homes based on factors outside of proximity. Segregated schools were a reality for our community not that long ago.
If a black parent wants their kids in a mostly white school, they can move to that neighborhood.
Wow. Who knew it was really that simple?
If a white parent wants more diversity, they can also move. In my home state they did redistricting so many times to blend the races and it caused many parents with money to donate to the schools to flee to private schools as they felt the tax dollars weren't being fairly assessed anymore. In addition their kids didn't always go to school with their neighbors so less close proximity friendships are formed. I experienced this as a kid and an adult. My question is why can't kids go to freaking school with their neighbors without being guilted into thinking there is something wrong with that due to some racial numbers?! Move if you don't like your school. If you can't afford your favorite school, do your best to get the best district you can period.
I can sense your defensiveness. The concept of fairness and what is best for our community is a great topic for mature discussion. I think getting past the blame of "who's fault is it" is necessary for productive conversations about what we should do to improve schools with 95+% low income attendance and more obstacles than more affluent neighbors across town. If you focus on guilt or blame, I think it keeps us from tackling the issue at hand - and instead makes it easier to 1) ignore the issue 2) pretend the issues don't impact you.
Becoming aware of the challenges facing these schools and the community cost of neglecting their needs would really help some parents learn what is more "fair" when it comes to the realities of per pupil spending comparisons.
I'd encourage you and others to research more about the history of segregated schools in Charlotte and elsewhere and try to take on the perspective of parents with low income.
No no, it really is that simple. And FYI I am not from Charlotte, my experience was in a different state and the facts are the facts and statistics . I'm sorry my answers don't comply with your PC teachings, but the reality has been white flight and flight of funding in my home town. I'm also sorry you need to appoint guilt, thats your problem not mine. I can afford any private school I'd like for my child, so go ahead and push for more rezoning etc... good luck with that.
My question is why not push to improve "parental" funding in the bad school districts no matter what race they are or aren't? Why not push for more parental involvement and nuclear families? Why not fix whats actually broke instead of trying to move kids around thinking the money and involvement will remain unchanged? I'm sorry if my opinion (much like yours) is insulting or hurtful, thats not my intent. There have been articles written on this very topic based on statistics not written on loving words or feel good catch phrases.
No no, it really is that simple. And FYI I am not from Charlotte, my experience was in a different state and the facts are the facts and statistics . I'm sorry my answers don't comply with your PC teachings, but the reality has been white flight and flight of funding in my home town. I'm also sorry you need to appoint guilt, thats your problem not mine. I can afford any private school I'd like for my child, so go ahead and push for more rezoning etc... good luck with that.
My question is why not push to improve "parental" funding in the bad school districts no matter what race they are or aren't? Why not push for more parental involvement and nuclear families? Why not fix whats actually broke instead of trying to move kids around thinking the money and involvement will remain unchanged? I'm sorry if my opinion (much like yours) is insulting or hurtful, thats not my intent. There have been articles written on this very topic based on statistics not written on loving words or feel good catch phrases.
I think must have misinterpreted my post. I'm not offended. I was making the point that focusing on guilt is NOT productive. You brought it up in your first post.
The opportunity task force DOES include family stability as a key part of improving our community. You should read it. There are some ideas you would likely agree with. One key part of the study though, is acknowledging multiple factors contributing to the current state.
Feel free to share any sources that you find helpful. So far all I've read is a misinformed opinion that there isn't an issue currently and the solution is "let people move where they want." My issue is not that the statement isn't warm, fuzzy and PC. It's that it's out of touch and simplistic. It's not even a solution. More of a denial. We can agree to disagree. What you haven't heard from me is advocacy for major redistricting or bringing back bussing.
I'm in favor of busing! I think it's great. My husband was bused from Myers Park to West Charlotte and he had a fabulous experience.
Do you really wish you could buy a home in Myers Park and somehow have your kid bused to West Charlotte?
If you somehow want that, then why not just buy a home in West Charlotte? Why forcibly implement that on the rest of the Myers Park neighborhood...or on the West Charlotte neighborhood?
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