[Dee2e]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Overfla, how reliable was your info about the children eating their lunch in the bathrooms? That's just unbelievable and if it did happen, the parents need to report it to the state board of health.

I've done extensive searching on this and can find no supporting documentation. If the original poster has the report (school reports are public record) please post the link to it. Thanks. I'd even like to know exactly what school has children eating lunch in the bathroom.

[SunnyDog]

Most are staying right here, and many more are coming.
Seems like the majority of posters here are married, have 2.3 kids, a SUV, a dog or 2, and their main priorities are schools and getting the cheapest 2000 sq. ft. house possible. I can't relate to this at all, I'm single, in my 30's, and happily kidless, as are all my buddies, and my relatives here are all either the same or retired. I guess if your main focus in life is top schools and cheap houses, than Florida won't be your cup of tea. However, if you place strong value on outdoor recreation, weather, nightlife, or entertainment, than I don't think FL can be beat IMO. Different strokes for different folks.

[Dee2e]

Originally Posted by SunnyDog

Most are staying right here, and many more are coming.
Seems like the majority of posters here are married, have 2.3 kids, a SUV, a dog or 2, and their main priorities are schools and getting the cheapest 2000 sq. ft. house possible. I can't relate to this at all, I'm single, in my 30's, and happily kidless, as are all my buddies, and my relatives here are all either the same or retired. I guess if your main focus in life is top schools and cheap houses, than Florida won't be your cup of tea. However, if you place strong value on outdoor recreation, weather, nightlife, or entertainment, than I don't think FL can be beat IMO. Different strokes for different folks.

Well said, SunnyDog. I totally agree with you!

[SunnyDog]

Thanks. I think it's important to keep the perspective that different people have different needs and wants, and just because a place doesn't meet your own desires doesn't mean the place is a dump that's bad for all. I have my own antedotal evidence of people leaving places like Atlanta, Dallas, and Charlotte for South Florida as I've met a number of young guys and gals from these cities who found them dull and moved down here looking for something better.

[chocomom]

Originally Posted by SunnyDog

Most are staying right here, and many more are coming.
Seems like the majority of posters here are married, have 2.3 kids, a SUV, a dog or 2, and their main priorities are schools and getting the cheapest 2000 sq. ft. house possible. I can't relate to this at all, I'm single, in my 30's, and happily kidless, as are all my buddies, and my relatives here are all either the same or retired. I guess if your main focus in life is top schools and cheap houses, than Florida won't be your cup of tea. However, if you place strong value on outdoor recreation, weather, nightlife, or entertainment, than I don't think FL can be beat IMO. Different strokes for different folks.

This is true. But please keep in mind, FL can not survive with ONLY people like you. They need me and my cop husband and 2 school-aged kids. I complain with the idea that the things that need to change won't, FL is a retiree state that likes to do things on the cheap. The infrastucture needs the middle class people you speak of because they perform the bulk of the white-collar jobs that keep the economy humming along. And one day you may just be a part of the very group you make fun of.

Dee2e, I don't complain about the whole state, just my part of it. There are many areas other than South Florida that are absolutely beautiful and still somewhat affordable. I have issue with the fact that I try to be an active participant in the issues that concern me and nothing ever changes, and just gets worse. Plus my husband is in law enforcement and the straight out truth is that many other states pay considerably more for his education and experience. FL likes to 'pay in sunshine', something thats needs to change and I don't know any of my creditors that will accept that as payment.

I don't diss those that LIKE the state. I simply offer my POV on the issues that make it a less than desirable place to be for some of the people considering locating here. In the short time I've been posting here, I've seen too many attacks on both sides that really need to cease. I also don't endorse the state I'm moving to; in fact, in another thread I specified why people need to stop and consider both their needs and LIFESTYLE before moving. What's perfect for one family made be a nightmare for another.

[spotrod]

Originally Posted by Dee2e

5 yrs exp and a Masters Degree in Osceola County gets you $37,300 a year. It's higher in Seminole County and Orange County. Pasco is $37,400 a year. (School year, not calendar year)

How many school calendars days are their now in Florida?

how about 202 in the school year and the figure i posted is for the big raise they gave this year - and as for anyone hating florida , i do not think the true floridians hate it , we hate what all the outsiders and the greedy people have done to it , there use to be a time when the snow birds came down but they left during the summer - great , we had our beaches and roads back til the next winter. well now everyone wants to stay . for us its not just the transplants but the lack of pay keeping up with the cost of living. you guys need to understand the housing and rentals were geared toward the low wages of the working floridians . you guys sold your places up north for big bucks , come here and have no problem paying cash out for our housing and could still put a good bit in the bank . well did you not think the developers would get greedy and raise those once 125,000 houses to 300,000 plus( not your fault they got greedy) for you guys it was great, for us we were left out. my god! a masters degree is only worth 39,000 a year; heck, we owe that in student loans. tell me what kinda house 60,000 can buy here. we left for a better quality of life not because we hate florida itself. you guys can have it and when even your pay, pension or s.s. does not go far in this state maybe then you will understand . because believe me this state will be just like california. so if you are a millionaire , kudos to you; if not - well maybe i run into you in ga --------------- cheers , wendy

[SunnyDog]

I'm just giving my own perspective, not everyone living here is depressed and dying to get out. I don't make big money neither--abit more than the average cop/teacher, but without kids (which I plan to have never) it goes futher. I didn't make fun of you, just offered the perspective of the childless singles who now make up a large portion of the population in America. The retirees are alot quiter than kids--I'll take them as neighbors anyday.

[chocomom]

Originally Posted by SunnyDog

I'm just giving my own perspective, not everyone living here is depressed and dying to get out. I don't make big money neither--abit more than the average cop/teacher, but without kids (which I plan to have never) it goes futher. I didn't make fun of you, just offered the perspective of the childless singles who now make up a large portion of the population in America. The retirees are alot quiter than kids--I'll take them as neighbors anyday.

Not saying you were at all!!! I like civil discourse because it opens our eyes to all sides of a debate and the issues at the core of it. But a state cannot survive on retirees alone. Childless singles play a great role in society (especially the tax money they contribute to the system), but they are not the backbone because they don't create resources in the form of children who for the most part become future taxpayers.

FL is not doing enough to help the middle class citizens WITH children. That is something that will, and is starting to, hamper economic growth. Businesses in South FL are complaining about a lack of employees and/or qualified employees. With affordable housing dwindling more and more everyday, they have just begun feel the pain.

Sunshine, beaches, and continually warm weather are great but don't pay bills. I would love to see a CURRENT study on how many people not only move into FL everyday, but how many are moving OUT.

[josephhawkinson]

Florida cannot sustain the current outrages home prices for long, which is the root of higher-cost of living that many complain. Prices started coming down already. This whole drive up in the past 5 years was based on speculation and not basics. That's why now nothing is selling unless priced right. And when I say priced right I mean 2001-2002 prices or bofore. There will always be some desperate or ignorant who will buy overpriced homes however despite Realtors wish these people make only a fraction of the buyer pool.

People who got fooled and bought houses in 2004-2005 in FL thinking "20% appreciation per year is just normal" are scratching their heads and thinking "What have I done wrong?" , which is a clear indication of denial. A house which sold for 100K in 2000 is for sale at 300K+ and seller wonders why it is not selling. In many cases these naive (or greedy) sellers are pumped up with disgraceful realtors and TV RE advertising. The fact that these sellers paid 250K for the house does not mean it is really worth it and someone else must pay 300K for it. That's what the real problem is.

When this craze ends (in about a year or two) and prices are back to 2001-2002 levels you will see FL become a better place to live .

[PHINSFAN]

Originally Posted by over florida

Schools are so crowded that this week we heard of kids having to eat lunch in the bathrooms.

This is so true, my daughter and her friends came home last week to inform us that HALF of the middle school classes did not get to eat lunch on the first day of school because the lunch room was so overcrowded that they couldn't get in to get food !
Her school has 3 times for middle school to eat 6th graders go at 9:30 AM - 7th graders go at 10:30 AM & 8th graders go at 11:30 AM THEY have 30 min.
She attends a middle/high school that is to handle 3100 students total they had to add 6 portables to hold the 6th grade classes that came in this year since they are overcrowded.

Last year our county opened a couple of Elem schools but no middle's to hold the kids moving into jr.high...


ALSO just a comment on this:

Originally Posted by over florida

I've done extensive searching on this and can find no supporting documentation. If the original poster has the report (school reports are public record) please post the link to it. Thanks. I'd even like to know exactly what school has children eating lunch in the bathroom..

JUST go to any school and count the portables that are on campus that is the overcrowding, if they can't fit the kids into the buildings what makes you think they can fit them into the lunch room that was built to seat a certain number, what report would be issued stating such ????
Ask any child that attends Fl schools about how many kids are in there class, lunch room, etc.
When we personally spoke with the principle his answer was "we are correcting the problems that we are encountering, it's a learning experience every year as we obtain new students"

AND this school is one of the BEST in our area...