Memphis City Schools – Help! (between, people, personal)

[strumpeace]

Originally Posted by frogamelanchier

We need an educated workforce if we're going to be economically competitive, and the private and county schools aren't enough.

Exactly. Memphis needs an educated workforce. And most people who live in Memphis were educated in MCS schools. And you appear to be implying that Memphis does not have an educated workforce. Thus, you've undermined your own argument.

The only disgrace here is the MCS system. It's a failing system. It has been threatened with a state takeover. That's not true of the county system. It's comical that you would even attempt to compare the two. That you have to dig for a story from Millington High (the worst of the county high schools, iirc) to compensate for the hundreds of videos of problems at MCS schools available on the internet says much about your mindset. Further, the fact that you can name two decent programs out of what--some 100+ schools--is sad. And those two programs are special, optional programs at that. I would suggest that sending your child to a special, optional program is no different than enrolling him/her in a private school. You're still trying to get out of the regular schools one way or the other. It's hypocritical to chide folks for going to private schools when you send your own child to a special, optional school that functions separately from the regular public school.

If someone wants to send their children to MCS schools, that's their business. However, simply hoping that the schools get better will not make them better. People should be fully aware of the problems MCS faces and the terrible dysfunction that reigns throughout the system.

I would say the biggest problem with MCS is people who turn a blind eye to the real issues confronting the schools. Denial is a river that runs right in their backyards, apparently.

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

I would suggest that sending your child to a special, optional program is no different than enrolling him/her in a private school.

Hey, we finally agree on something.

Originally Posted by strumpeace

You're still trying to get out of the regular schools one way or the other.

Of course, that's the whole point of the optional program for most parents. How else would you get an excellent education in a Memphis City School?

[strumpeace]

Your argument makes much more sense than the other guy's. I understand that you're simply pointing out that there is an alternative within public schools for those who may not be able to afford private schools. Good point, and I absolutely agree.

What I find ludicrous is the argument that people come on this board and promote from time to time, that being 1) that people should fully support public schools, and 2) that these folks' own children attended MCS -- in the optional programs. These folks don't seem to understand that attending a special, selective, optional program that exists separately from the public schools at large is no different than attending a private school (minus the cost).

If they really believed in supporting and uplifting the MCS system, they would be trailblazers and enroll their children at Northside or Trezevant or Melrose -- rather than enrolling their children in exclusive, selective, optional programs.

[Bowyer]

Strumpeace hit the nail on the head!

2 good schools out of 100+ schools says a lot about the system. How would ( frogamelanchier)feel about sending your kids to some of the truly "inner-city" schools? I would never!

[willdgate]

Memphis City Schools - Breakthrough Leadership Breakthrough Results

Shelby County School Listings

These sites should help!

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by willdgate

Memphis City Schools - Breakthrough Leadership Breakthrough Results

Shelby County School Listings

These sites should help!

MCS finally put in boundary maps!

[TN-rox]

Just save yourself the trouble and opt for private or move just a little farther out to have the county schools. I would never live in those areas if I was going to have to put my kids into the schools, or drive halfway across the city for one of the few good schools.

[frogamelanchier]

Strumpeace:

> Exactly. Memphis needs an educated workforce. And most people who live in Memphis were educated
> in MCS schools. And you appear to be implying that Memphis does not have an educated workforce.
> Thus, you've undermined your own argument.

I have not undermined my own argument. Rather, you're distorting my argument to fit your own agenda. I am the first to acknowledge that Memphis' workforce is not as well educated as it could be, and I am the first to admit that there are many bad MCS schools. If you read my earlier posts carefully, you'll see that. My point is that the workforce is not going to improve itself. Our future workers are educated at MCS schools, so as a community it should be a goal of ours to improve those schools. What we often get instead are people sitting on the sidelines throwing stones and actively impeding the efforts of folks who are working to improve things. _That_'s a big part of what stands in the way of progress, and that's why I say it's a disgrace.

> ...you can name two decent programs out of what--some 100+ schools--is sad.

The excellent schools that I cited are not the only ones I _can_ name, as you suggest; they're just the ones that I _did_ name, since I have direct knowledge of them. There are many others. That's not to take anything away from the county schools; I'm sure there are some great ones there too. Not surprising, really, since the kids they're educating come from much more affluent backgrounds.

> ...sending your child to a special, optional program is no different than enrolling him/her in a private
> school. You're still trying to get out of the regular schools one way or the other. It's hypocritical to
> chide folks for going to private schools when you send your own child to a special, optional school
> that functions separately from the regular public school.

The optional school is a part of the Memphis City Schools. How is can you possibly say that I'm turning my back on MCS by sending my kids there? Honestly, I'd like to understand your perspective -- it just makes no sense to me. I fully support schools' meeting kids where they are, i.e., putting kids who need remediation in remedial programs, and kids who are prepared for more advanced studies in accelerated programs. The optional program is MCS' approach to doing the latter. It is not related in any way to sending kids to private school.

Bowyer, I would never compromise my children's education on principle. So to answer your question, no, I would not send my child to a school where I felt that they were not safe or would not receive a good education. Fortunately, the choice you present is a false one. I have the best of both worlds -- my kids are getting a great education at the same time that we're supporting our local public school.

[strumpeace]

Originally Posted by frogamelanchier

I fully support schools' meeting kids where they are, i.e., putting kids who need remediation in remedial programs, and kids who are prepared for more advanced studies in accelerated programs. The optional program is MCS' approach to doing the latter.

You are absolutely incorrect.

The entire purpose of the optional programs is to keep white children in the school system. That was the stated purpose of those programs when they started; it continues to be the purpose today.

Without those optional programs, the white population of MCS would be approximately one percent. Any white parent who sends their child(ren) to an optional program is participating in systematic racism.

[frogamelanchier]

Yesterday I visited my kids' optional classes. There were about 30 kids in each class, and about 3 kids in each class were white, including mine. Your accusation of racism has no basis in reality, and it's just plain nasty besides.

Note that I have not accused parents who send their kids to nearly all-white private schools of being racists. I know lots of decent people who choose to send their kids to those schools, and I like and respect them even if I have made a different choice.