Finding a Memphis suburb (Germantown, Collierville: private schools, living in, suburbs)

[Grace316]

I appreciate reading the data provided here and looking for more detail about the Memphis suburbs for families with kids in Jr. High/High School. Could you tell me about the social and political climate in this area? Welcoming to new kids?

[Geneyus]

The suburbs tend to be more conservative like the rest of the state. If your teen attends a large high school, he or she should be able to find friends no matter what kind of political or cultural background they have. It may be hard or frightening the first half of the year, but they'll eventually find friends in classes.

What schools were you looking at?

[Grace316]

Collierville, Houston, and Germantown for starters. We haven't experience with private schools so it doesn't always occur to me to look at them unless the test scores for available public schools are poor. Schools with strong academics is a priority, so any advice in that area is very helpful.
It looks like on the city data election section that this area voted democratic the past two presidential cycles. In what way is the area conservative if voting democratic?

[Smtchll]

Originally Posted by Grace316

Collierville, Houston, and Germantown for starters. We haven't experience with private schools so it doesn't always occur to me to look at them unless the test scores for available public schools are poor. Schools with strong academics is a priority, so any advice in that area is very helpful.
It looks like on the city data election section that this area voted democratic the past two presidential cycles. In what way is the area conservative if voting democratic?

That info is for Shelby County as a whole, which always votes democrat. Shelby County is not what I'd call liberal though because most of the democrat vote comes from African-Americans, who are socially conservative despite voting democratic.

Germantown & especially Collierville are conservative. They're not as conservative as small towns in TN, but they're still far more conservative than liberal. If you want true liberal, you'd have to look into Midtown Memphis. East Memphis might work too, but it's more moderate than liberal. The most widely-known liberal school is White Station, in East Memphis. It has a diverse student body, many of which are not Christian (many Jewish students) It's a public school, but it also has an optional program which is highly regarded. I think you should look into it if you want your kids to be around a more liberal student body

[Grace316]

Not interested in my kids being around liberals. Looking for conservatives. Thanks for the information.

[Smtchll]

^ Well then Collierville & Germantown would work, but like I said, they're not as conservative as small towns in TN. For example, prayer in school would never fly in Germantown or Collierville, but many small towns allow it.

[Geneyus]

Originally Posted by Smtchll

^ Well then Collierville & Germantown would work, but like I said, they're not as conservative as small towns in TN. For example, prayer in school would never fly in Germantown or Collierville, but many small towns allow it.

Prayer wouldn't be going on in class, but there are some student groups that pray regularly at school. You can't go wrong with schools in Germantown or Collierville.

[Smtchll]

Originally Posted by Geneyus

Prayer wouldn't be going on in class, but there are some student groups that pray regularly at school. You can't go wrong with schools in Germantown or Collierville.

I meant prayer/reading Bible verses over the intercom. They used to do it at Munford High School as recently as 2006, but they stopped doing it. I'm sure it still goes on in smaller towns throughout TN, but I could never see that kind of thing happening at Collierville or Germantown, even though they are pretty conservative.

[BirdieBelle]

Better not let the ACLU hear about that. They've had a field day with schools around Nashville.

As to the OP, the above-mentioned county schools would be fine choices.

[Grace316]

What is the social culture of Germantown and Collierville like? We live in the midwest now so I'm unfamiliar with southern culture. It does look like these are both great schools. Any nuances about the communities would be helpful. Thanks again. You have provided interesting information already. We are conservatives living in a liberal area now, so it is very familiar to us. Very secular, no Pledge of Allegiance in the schools. If the job is going to require relocation, I think it would be nice to be around more like minded people which is why I ask about the political climate.