Indian Hill info (Cincinnati, Mason, Wyoming: upper-class, renting, how much)

[lilac1]

We are relocating to Cincy and b/c of job and family are looking East side. We currently live "out in the country", but very close to town. We want good schools for our kids with plenty of opportunity for advanced classes (5th and 8th graders). We like the opportunities that IH schools can provide, especially the many AP courses in high school. We can afford to live there, but are not the "uber rich" (or snobby)as I've seen some on this site characterize the people in Indian Hill. I have also heard about the "drug problem" in the school. My question is, how much of this is hearsay vs hard fact. Are there some folks out there who live or have lived in Indian Hill? We have moved before to an upper-class neighborhood, and I was a little worried about not fitting in, but everyone we met was actually down-to-earth, hard working, nice people. I also think kids can get into trouble no matter where you live...it depends more on the parenting. I guess I just wanted a little more feedback since I've recently seen some negative opinions on this site and another one. Thanks a bunch!

[Nomomo11]

Well the neighborhood is uber wealthy and uber safe. The drug problem is there, even at my own high school just a few years ago, we all knew that the Indian Hill kids have the best drugs. That said, it really depends on your kids and who they are. If you think they can handle themselves I imagine they will be fine. Personally I wouldn't live there, I grew up right next door in Terrace Park, and they had some of the snobbiest, rudest people I've ever met.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by lilac1

I have also heard about the "drug problem" in the school. My question is, how much of this is hearsay vs hard fact.

If you think that there is a high school within 50 miles of Cincinnati (or any other city) who does NOT have a drug dealer working the place, you are sadly mistaken.

I remember my MIDDLE SCHOOL days in Anderson. The principal told our parents that there were no drugs found in the school while he was around. What he did not know was that kids were shooting up in the boys' room across from the office.

[kjbrill]

The drug problem in IH is likely no worse than any other well-off school district in the area. Obviously access to money draws the dealers. If your kids are well-rounded and confident they should be OK. The nouveau riche are the bigger problem, as they have not learned how to act in a sophisticated society, and their kids are some of the biggest pain-in-the-as*es you will ever encounter. Like they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Thankfully IH has been around long enough the percentage of nouveau riche is not that high. Some other suburban locations like the Heritage in Mason, Long Cove in Deerfield Township, this may not be the case.

[aepilot]

Drug problem in Indian Hills Schools...yeah! Have you seen the movie "Traffic"??? Actually, I have no clue. Every school has drug problems.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by aepilot

Drug problem in Indian Hills Schools...yeah! Have you seen the movie "Traffic"??? Actually, I have no clue. Every school has drug problems.

Which is exactly why you should not condemn one district over another. The problem permeates the entire country, not just one school district or locality. It also transverses socio-economic classes. I will admit to not having the answers to combat the problem, but I hope someone does.

[CincyEastSider]

I grew up in Indian Hill and attended the public schools there....

I get frustrated when I hear people characterize the people of IH as snotty, spoiled, blah, blah. Sure there are some jerks that live there - just like the rest of the world.

It _is_ a beautiful place and the Village government is very responsive.

Sure, it's expensive. So what? Wish I could afford it.

I know firsthand how good the schools are there. Excellent. I attended Northwestern U and only graduated in the top 25% of my class at IHHS and a 580/660 on the SAT. The colleges KNOW how well prepared students from IHHS are.

Drugs? Sure. Mostly beer and pot. Rarely anything harder and I was a wild kid. It's NOT what was portrayed in "Traffic" - that was "supposedly" CCDS anyway (they received a huge settlement from the movie's producer's after they failed to realize that there is a "Country Day" school in Cincy and then proceeded to smear it.) CCDS doesn't have a drug problem any worse than IHHS which is to say, minimal.

Don't listen to any stereotypes about IH. It is wealthy but the people there are as friendly as anywhere I'ved lived....

[goyguy]

Stereotypes exist because there's at least a hint of truth to them. I've gotten sneering negative reactions from newly met people from time to time when they hear that I was raised in Wyoming. Though I wasn't brought up in filthy-rich circumstances, and my screen name should give away that I don't happen to be Jewish , the flak I've caught indicates that I just as well could've been. It's those people's loss for not seeing beyond assumptions. As for being averse to Jews, that speaks for itself. Again that's their problem and I don't need it in my existence.

Snobbery always has existed, and always will exist, wherever a lot of money's concentrated. And the nouveau riche will always be the loudest and most flagrant offenders. There's no use fighting or denying it. By the same token there's no reasoning with anyone who won't look beyond the "typical" and accept a person as an individual. My best friend in high school overseas was from Indian Hill (we were both sons of P & G'ers assigned to Japan.) I'll always be glad that I wasn't brought up to generalize where people are concerned, not only for this reason. We got along "famously" and saw no reason to presume anything or trash anything about each other's place of origin. Life wouldn't've been quite as bearable, let alone fun, if my parents had said "You know about Indian Hill, don't associate with that kid." (They had other hang-ups in that regard, but that's been gone into elsewhere in this forum and need not be raised here...)

I concur, any well-reared and confident child should be able to hold their own wherever they go. My only negative view of Indian Hill is that a great deal of the village (much is made of this) is sparsely settled to say the least. I like socializing with, and crossing paths with, neighbors. When everybody lives in a 25-room house set back a half-mile from the road on five acres of land 'tain't so easy to do. There are streets like "the Clippingers" and parts of Drake Rd where the homes are in close proximity, though. Even so, when you encounter another person out and about they're likely as not on a horse! There I go stereotyping, myself, but as someone near and dear to me recently wrote, "Stereotypes exist because there's at least a hint of truth to them."