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It's hard to answer this question without getting political. Conservatives, by and large, prefer the suburbs to the core cities; and are in general less favorably disposed toward public schools. Liberals, by and large, prefer the core cities to the suburbs; and are in general more favorably disposed toward public schools. (Yes, I know there are plenty of exceptions both ways; I'm speaking in generalities.)
As a conservative, I would not want to have my family live in most core cities, because I consider them to be dangerous and tending to espouse viewpoints with which I don't agree. Also, I just find the suburbs to be easier to navigate. Cultural amenities like bars and nightclubs and art museums and ethnic restaurants are less important to families than things like high quality schools and space to go outside and play and general safety. Plus, it's easier to drive to the big box where there's plenty of parking and load up your car with the stuff you bought and bring it home to your own personal garage than it is to take the bus to the store, then take another bus to another store, then lug the stuff you bought (plus your kids in tow) on another bus back home.
At this time, there are only a few major cities that I would even give thought to moving to with my family. They tend to be places that are at least somewhat conservative-leaning (even if in a liberal state) or mildly liberal in a conservative state. Places like Salt Lake City and Nashville and Grand Rapids and Omaha and Oklahoma City and Greenville and Fargo and Sioux Falls and a few others. I would give consideration to those places. But not many others.
It's hard to answer this question without getting political. Conservatives, by and large, prefer the suburbs to the core cities; and are in general less favorably disposed toward public schools. Liberals, by and large, prefer the core cities to the suburbs; and are in general more favorably disposed toward public schools. (Yes, I know there are plenty of exceptions both ways; I'm speaking in generalities.)
As a conservative, I would not want to have my family live in most core cities, because I consider them to be dangerous and tending to espouse viewpoints with which I don't agree. Also, I just find the suburbs to be easier to navigate. Cultural amenities like bars and nightclubs and art museums and ethnic restaurants are less important to families than things like high quality schools and space to go outside and play and general safety. Plus, it's easier to drive to the big box where there's plenty of parking and load up your car with the stuff you bought and bring it home to your own personal garage than it is to take the bus to the store, then take another bus to another store, then lug the stuff you bought (plus your kids in tow) on another bus back home.
At this time, there are only a few major cities that I would even give thought to moving to with my family. They tend to be places that are at least somewhat conservative-leaning (even if in a liberal state) or mildly liberal in a conservative state. Places like Salt Lake City and Nashville and Grand Rapids and Omaha and Oklahoma City and Greenville and Fargo and Sioux Falls and a few others. I would give consideration to those places. But not many others.
I get what you are saying, but I wouldn't equate political liberalism (or Democrats) with Urbanites...though Urbanites are more likely to be liberal.
They have the publication "City Journal" for conservative urbanites, and Tucker used to write for them a lot, and other conservatives who care about the health of American cities; they exist.
And you will be surprised that many many Democrats prefer exactly what you do, the convenience and relative safety of suburban environments. Up north for example, most of our suburbs trend Democratic these days.
It's hard to answer this question without getting political. Conservatives, by and large, prefer the suburbs to the core cities; and are in general less favorably disposed toward public schools. Liberals, by and large, prefer the core cities to the suburbs; and are in general more favorably disposed toward public schools. (Yes, I know there are plenty of exceptions both ways; I'm speaking in generalities.)
As a conservative, I would not want to have my family live in most core cities, because I consider them to be dangerous and tending to espouse viewpoints with which I don't agree. Also, I just find the suburbs to be easier to navigate. Cultural amenities like bars and nightclubs and art museums and ethnic restaurants are less important to families than things like high quality schools and space to go outside and play and general safety. Plus, it's easier to drive to the big box where there's plenty of parking and load up your car with the stuff you bought and bring it home to your own personal garage than it is to take the bus to the store, then take another bus to another store, then lug the stuff you bought (plus your kids in tow) on another bus back home.
At this time, there are only a few major cities that I would even give thought to moving to with my family. They tend to be places that are at least somewhat conservative-leaning (even if in a liberal state) or mildly liberal in a conservative state. Places like Salt Lake City and Nashville and Grand Rapids and Omaha and Oklahoma City and Greenville and Fargo and Sioux Falls and a few others. I would give consideration to those places. But not many others.
What I have found are a lot of people move to the city with the best of intentions, but then move out once their kids get to school age. Unless you can afford private school, or get your kid into an exam school, a lot of urban schools have problems.
That's kind of how I feel about Boston. Personally, I'd love to have my daughter grow up in the city, but I'd hope that she could get accepted into an exam school when she reaches HS or she's going to be in HS that might not suit her needs.
What I have found are a lot of people move to the city with the best of intentions, but then move out once their kids get to school age. Unless you can afford private school, or get your kid into an exam school, a lot of urban schools have problems.
That's kind of how I feel about Boston. Personally, I'd love to have my daughter grow up in the city, but I'd hope that she could get accepted into an exam school when she reaches HS or she's going to be in HS that might not suit her needs.
I’d include charter schools into that mix as well, as there can be enough of them to essentially be another school district/network within a city/area.
I'd probably do it in very few of them. Private school would be a must. You'd need the money to live in one of the wealthy professional enclaves *and* pay for private school. And whatever resources you do have obviously would go further in a nice suburb. I also quite like a car-centered lifestyle where I can drive to wherever I need to go, and driving in D.C. is a mess (it's becoming increasingly messy in Arlington/Alexandria too thanks to the local anti-car politics, which is - among other things - what seems to happen when "Apartment Democrats" take over in suburbs).
There are some Southern cities that are so large due to expansion policies that they include a ton of suburban and even rural real estate. It'd be more feasible to live in those, but even there I'd be skeptical. Those cities expanded because they want access to suburbanites' taxes. Given who controls what those are used for, nah I'd probably pass on that, too.
I'd probably do it in very few of them. Private school would be a must. You'd need the money to live in one of the wealthy professional enclaves *and* pay for private school. And whatever resources you do have obviously would go further in a nice suburb. I also quite like a car-centered lifestyle where I can drive to wherever I need to go, and driving in D.C. is a mess (it's becoming increasingly messy in Arlington/Alexandria too thanks to the local anti-car politics, which is - among other things - what seems to happen when "Apartment Democrats" take over in suburbs).
There are some Southern cities that are so large due to expansion policies that they include a ton of suburban and even rural real estate. It'd be more feasible to live in those, but even there I'd be skeptical. Those cities expanded because they want access to suburbanites' taxes. Given who controls what those are used for, nah I'd probably pass on that, too.
Even with some being a part of a countywide school district.
It really depends on the school the kids would be going to. In Birmingham, for example, if in high school, it's pretty much private, Ramsay, or ASFA. If the kid expressly wants to go into the trades or culinary, then Huffman's okay, too. After that, it drops pretty significantly. Woodlawn has some good investment to try to turn it around, but it's still a work in progress (Hope the Business and Finance education department gets more off the ground). The other occupational based high schools need a couple of years to prove themselves (Plus, the Aviation charter school ended up in Bessemer.).
Do cities like that have forced busing (like Boston), where you might get bused to a school in a different part of the city?
No, thankfully. In fact in MN, anyone can go to any school if they go through the paperwork (and provide owned transportation).
In GA, what's weird is that kids that go to the same elementary school, might not go to the same middle or high school. meaning middle school does not determine high school, and elementary school does not determine middle school. Each is dependent on where you live. So you kids may have to find new best friends every so many years, which is a bit obnoxious....
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