Raising kids in the city rather than heading for the suburbs (Chicago: 2013, homes)

[chicagobear]

Originally Posted by hlcc

Anyone familiar with these 2 schools?
Lincoln Park HS
Ogden (K-8)

According to CPS, that's the two public schools for my address.

I walk by Ogden every day on my way to work, and there's plenty of white people in Range Rovers etc who are willing to send their kids there so it must be good enough.

I work with people who live in Lincoln Park who said that LPHS was too dangerous to send their kids to, but maybe that's starting to change.

[JTW2013]

We're a young family who moved from the suburbs back to city this year. People thought we were crazy.

These conversations bug me because they are based on the assumption that we all value the same things. For example, I think we can agree that all parents want their children to receive a good education but we don't all agree about what constitutes a good education.

If you want a conventional education for your children then it seems clear that you should be in the suburbs. There are some school districts in the suburbs that look great on paper; good test scores, etc. Houses are very expensive in these districts but if education is your main priority you can sacrifice your desire for a SFH and buy a townhome or condo.

We don't want a conventional education for our kids so there's no reason for us to move to one of those school districts and pay high property taxes for something that we don't want. Our kids are in a Chicago private school this year and I'm going to return to homeschooling them next year. Our cost of living in the City is less than it would be in any of the desirable suburbs. But the math wouldn't be the same if we were going to use the public schools.

There are inconveniences and benefits of city living with kids but all that really matters when making the "city vs 'burbs" decision is what kind of an education you want for your kids. Chicago has some amazing private schools and it's a great place to homeschool too. There are good private schools in the suburbs too but do you want to pay high property taxes and private school tuition?

[chet everett]

I would caution that all signs point to property taxes in Chicago SKYROCKETING to deal with the CHASM of debt that has been racked up...

[JTW2013]

I'm sure property taxes will increase but they're already extremely high in all of the desirable suburbs and I don't see those property taxes going down. So for the foreseeable future, the City is likely to still be cheaper than the desirable suburbs for those of us who don't intend to use the public schools.

ETA, Chet, it's like you're on some kind of a mission here to be negative about everything written in favor of living in Chicago. I realize I'm exaggerating here but why can't you see that other people may not value what you value and therefore reach different conclusions about where to live?

We have no desire to enroll our kids in New Trier or any other "good on paper" public school.

[chet everett]

I often recommend Chicago for those who are realistic about the trade-offs that go along with it.

I know quite a few people that are raising kids in the city; for cops / teachers that are required to do so mostly choose parochial schools. I have previously posted on how some private schools started with a more "alternative" focus have largely been forced to raise tuitions to the point where they are only on option for the most affluent families. Chicago's Waldorf School is $18,000/yr!

For folks that wish to "homeschool" I suppose one could live in Waukegan or Gary IN and have many of the benefits of an "urban" environment / access to Lake Michigan and significantly less costs...

The often unrealistically "sunny" outlook that some portray about everything inside 606xx needs to be tempered by the reality of the problems that stem from a political - connected class abusing their privilege for too long. The power of technology to help turn the tide of this corrupt culture are limitless. I can only hope that more people from this class of insiders suffer the same fate as Toni Berrios and are shoved out by folks that honestly wish to make Chicago a better place.

[Ace Rothstein]

Originally Posted by chet everett

For folks that wish to "homeschool" I suppose one could live in Waukegan or Gary IN and have many of the benefits of an "urban" environment / access to Lake Michigan and significantly less costs...

Come on now.

[chet everett]

Honestly, there are still literal MANSIONS in the section of Waukegan near the Lake and you can buy 'em for less than a nice splitlevel goes for in Vernon Hills. And down inside the city limits of Gary IN you can find a place in the Miller Beach development for a fraction of what it would cost a few minutes away in New Buffalo, with all the glorious sunsets and access to nature that one could want...

People that accuse me of being closed minded about the various options in a whole range of urban setting should really broaden their horizons!


When it comes to "hipsters" if this 5 year resident of Chicago with a background of blogging for HuffPo than I am all for more 26 year olds like Will Guzzardi displacing the "established powers" in Humbolt Park or Logan Square -- Guzzardi Beats Berrios in Northwest Side State Rep. Race - Logan Square - DNAinfo.com Chicago

[Aleking]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I often recommend Chicago for those who are realistic about the trade-offs that go along with it.

I know quite a few people that are raising kids in the city; for cops / teachers that are required to do so mostly choose parochial schools. I have previously posted on how some private schools started with a more "alternative" focus have largely been forced to raise tuitions to the point where they are only on option for the most affluent families. Chicago's Waldorf School is $18,000/yr!

For folks that wish to "homeschool" I suppose one could live in Waukegan or Gary IN and have many of the benefits of an "urban" environment / access to Lake Michigan and significantly less costs...

The often unrealistically "sunny" outlook that some portray about everything inside 606xx needs to be tempered by the reality of the problems that stem from a political - connected class abusing their privilege for too long. The power of technology to help turn the tide of this corrupt culture are limitless. I can only hope that more people from this class of insiders suffer the same fate as Toni Berrios and are shoved out by folks that honestly wish to make Chicago a better place.

straight trolling

[chet everett]

Get a clue -- Trolling | Know Your Meme

513 N County St, WAUKEGAN, IL 60085 | MLS# 08526041 | Redfin

7418 Locust Avenue, Gary IN - Trulia

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Get a clue -- Trolling | Know Your Meme

513 N County St, WAUKEGAN, IL 60085 | MLS# 08526041 | Redfin

7418 Locust Avenue, Gary IN - Trulia

Comparing a life in Chicago to Gary or even Waukegan is pretty troll worthy.