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Murphy is NOT a bad school. Do you know your facts?
Obviously many of you haven't had children in any kind of school system lately. So my 2 cents..... okay, maybe $1.00 !
I have children at both UMS-Wright( an excellent school that addresses the whole child) and Murphy IB (which addresses only academically). Murphy is NOT bad,and if a parent actually studies what is offered in public, there is no way that any private school matches up! But , yes, socially, that is another ball of wax! I personally called around and found out what the scores were at public (they are on the web) and at private schools( you have to call). In short, you would be surprised. I chose public 12 years ago as a result. Now I am more about the whole child, but,academically, public is actually great. Noone here will probably believe me, but I did my research. It's frightening how many parents don't check scores, etc.
My son is finishing up French 5as a senior in the IB program, and they also offer Chinese 1-5! UMS goes up to level 4, which is good but not as high as Murphy's. UMS offers French and Spanish, not German as well like Murphy does.
I believe without a doubt, due to my research, that UMS and St. Paul's is not academically as amazing as Murphy. Both private schools offer "the whole child" experience, and now I realize that is important. The highest level of classes offered at these well-respected private schools are Advanced Placement. So please don't think that that is particularily amazing, because it's not. And many times, some AP classes that are offered at Murphy or most other public schools are NOT offered at St. Paul's or UMS. But they do have most of them, but not the full thing like Murphy, Baker, or Mary G. Montgomery. Most public schools have a FULL AP schedule and then some. Sadly, there are some public schools, typically all black schools, that don't have access to a full AP curriculum. One of those is Williamson High, although an area church is donating to them so that they can have the level of language or AP classes needed to get into selective universities.
Several of his teachers at Murphy have their Ph.D's. IB stands for International Baccalaureate, and this is considered a higher level, since it is an international program, than AP (Advanced Placement is the highest American program offered in high schools.) For instance, the IB program at Murphy has an average ACT score of 30-31. To be fair, to qualify for IB you must be in "Gifted", which means have a high IQ. UMS's and St. Paul's average ACT scores don't even approach that because you don't necessarily have to be gifted to get in, although it is not easy at those schools either. Alabama School of Math and Science average was 27. Last year, several African- American students from Murphy were accepted into Harvard. Some of those were not IB students either. Whether they actually went, I don't know. You can go on St. Paul's & UMS's website to see where their students are going. A big trend right now is the public universities offering sweet deals to the over 30 ACT scorers, so many are choosing that over the ivies. We only applied to Georgetown despite many letters from Harvard trying to woo us. No way was I adding to their one million letters! Many parents are saying no to the ivies, and we don't care anymore. My son has 5 friends from Murphy who made 35's and 36's on the ACT, and they also are not into the ivies. Admittedly, the guidance counselors at Murphy are not good there- I've been very disappointed. Another reason for UMS choice I've now made.
Also, there is something to be said about "the whole child"; I have not felt that Murphy, with all of its academic wonders, has lived up to that. My son works all the time doing ridiculous homework. Weekends, summers. I know he will breeze through whereever he decides to go. (We haven't decided yet.) He hasn't had time to do stuff he's truly interested in, and I think that's very sad!
Leflore recently made the news with the school board deciding to allow them to actually lower their standards so a LOT of students could pass. It's supposedly a magnet school within a normal school; hence the problem. They should have made it completely a magnet school. They did not, so DO NOT send your children there!
Davidson, Daphne and Fairhope just started an IB program, so I'm concerned about the effect Davidson's may have on Murphy. I know personally there is a very sharp group of kids who go to Davidson right now. I would think that Daphne or Fairhope's IB would be pretty idealic, but I've never wanted to live over there. While the recent suicide at Davidson is tragic, I doubt that particular boy was in IB or AP, or even honors. These high schools are huge and students only have classes with whatever track they choose.
Keep in mind any IB program is going to attract the best and brightest and will be VERY competitive. My child has a 145 IQ and is 28th in his class of 541 students(there are 35 IB students at Murphy). He made a 32 on the ACT. Yes, we have many scholarships, but he was the bottom of the IB class, obviously, despite A's & B's. Like I said, COMPETITIVE. So maybe think of IB if your child has a 200 IQ; I guess we just weren't smart enough. Now, looking back, I wish that we had been in a smaller school, probably private. We offered this to him but he said no way. He loves Murphy.
It may be better for your child to be the best and brightest at a private school where it won't be quite so competitive; for one thing, there are not as many people. I've decided to do private school with the younger ones for that reason. Because you've probably seen public schools around here have a bad reputation to get over. Very sadly, the reputation is not even true. But as you see, noone thinks they are good so your kids will be penalized by that. I can't tell you how many people are like,"Oh......Murphy..." when they ask brightly,"where do the children go?" expecting UMS or St. Paul's. LOL!
Now many of you are wondering why I chose UMS. The academics are respected and challenging plus a sportsy program(yet balanced). I feel they actually care about my children and everyone is really, really nice. I have a lot in common with the other moms. Haven't run into snobby people at all. It's just not like that. Don't have a lot in common with the moms at Murphy. Yes, I hate the crazy traffic in Spring Hill so no way St. Paul's. I liked what UMS offered more. Also, UMS IS the older program, circa 1890's, by far. We've really liked it a lot, more than I expected, since I knew I was leaving an academically strong program. Also, I have a wide age range in my remaining children, so I was going to be going to several different schools if I stayed in public. UMS - I can stay at the same school the whole time.
Regardless of my present school choice, I want Murphy and other good public schools, to get the respect they deserve. Okay, so this was $5 dollars worth of advice!
My researched list of good public schools: Baldwin County: Fairhope
Daphne
Spanish Fort
Bayside (private school over there) Mobile County:
Baker
Murphy
Mary G. Montgomery (we actually chose not to go here, but went to Murphy instead because they had the IB program. We moved to go to Murphy. I have friends with girls that are very happy here. Girls seem to be happier here.) Good private schools:
UMS- Wright
St. Paul's
McGill-Toolen Catholic (you need to know some people think this is not a good school, but it is fine. Do I think it is the same level as UMS & SP....no.)
I'm not trying to knock downtowndoll's post, but Murphy HS is where the gang members attacked the teacher in the hallway of the school, and then painted gang symbols outside her home. I know that was one incident, but it would be enough to turn me away.
I agree and understand, but Murphy is not a bad school based on one incident.
Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover
I'm not trying to knock downtowndoll's post, but Murphy HS is where the gang members attacked the teacher in the hallway of the school, and then painted gang symbols outside her home. I know that was one incident, but it would be enough to turn me away.
Yes, southernnaturelover, I agree with you! I think recent happenings should concern all of us....
Here are some things for all of us to mull over. Also, I am very familiar with what is going on..
I also have concerns which is why it is easier for my younger ones to be in private now. But this kind of stuff can happen anywhere. Does anyone actually think that successful high-level drug dealers have their children in public school? Nope, they are in a good private school; but more likely, one of the Christian schools on the outskirts. Same with that mom you are pretty sure is a stripper. Sure, one drug dealer's kid in your class is a lot better than 50 low-level drug pushers that are sure to inhabit an average Mobile public high school. This is why many homeschool!
I had concerns in the beginning but spoke with so many bright kids who were attending Murphy (before my child got in there). I would ask , "Do you feel safe there?" and they really acted like I was a nut to even ask.
We've had absolutely no problems, and my son feels like we are not fair to some degree about it. He thinks we are too quick to assume things along socioeconomic lines, etc. as he likes and respects everyone he knows there. He thinks most of us are basically prejudiced about it all.
I do know there was a real disagreement about whether those boys were actually gang members between the DA and the principal. The principal doesn't think so. Neither does my child.
I don't know what the truth was about that. But now I do have to say, I wonder. .....
Personally, I think it's gang wannabees fueled by this gangsta rap, etc. There is a lot of stuff in the Mobile media right now about young hoodlums robbing area stores,etc. I'm very concerned myself because one of them was a judge's son- this was not a poor kid. This is a recent concern; it was not a problem previously. The paper just had an article that it's simply perception; that crime is actually down, lowest in 10 years, and that it is the media. But, like others, I don't know......it's very concerning.
I'm definitely watching all of this right now. Yes, I'm glad the younger ones are in a good private with what has been happening lately. But these private schools have waiting lists right now for most of the grades. So where do you go? I think it's great to know that public is doable; you just need to know that you have to take AP classes or the higher level ones to avoid the possibly bad kids. If you have a student that cannot do higher level classes, don't go to public.
My child at Murphy didn't know that boy or even the teacher at all, so you see he has had a completely different, positive experience. There are 4 different tracks so anyone in the AP or IB track will be separate from these other kids. While I don't know for sure about the AP, I know that sorry kid who hit that poor teacher wasn't in IB. 99.9% positive he wasn't in AP. My child doesn't do drugs or drink; but yes, he and his friends are super bright. Those type of kids don't do that normally.
BUT don't assume that just because you don't hear anything about area private schools, stuff doesn't happen. I worked as a teacher for several years at a well-known area Christian private school that shall remain nameless. We had a student try to bring a chain saw to the upper school. Why? We don't know.. It was hushed up immediately. It was not announced even to the teachers. There were also other really concerning things that I just don't want to talk about. Affairs and worse. Did any of us hear about it? On Channel 5? Of course not. The school's reputation is paramount. They quietly fire the teachers. And honestly, some of the kids at this particular school were so terrible that you wondered if they were kicked out of public. Really bizarre home lives. Also while I was there, several of these types of schools had an accreditation crisis. Graduates weren't being accepted into area colleges! It got taken care of, but that really concerned me. I took the oldest out and we entered public after that. You didn't hear about that either. The only private ones I would put mine in over here is UMS, St. Paul's, and McGill. Basically, make sure any school is accredited by SACS, not some other entity.
My big complaint is to say that "Murphy is not a good school." That simply isn't true, academically. How is that true when 35 students in IB have an average ACT score of 30-31? That doesn't even include the equally intelligent AP students. And, again, my child's grade started with 120 students so one would assume they all made at the least over a 28 on the ACT. They got $12 Million in scholarships last year. Mine has received to date: $224K in scholarships so far( will hear soon on 3 more private schools).
So on what criteria are we really judging a "good" school?
One kid making a terrible decision? That one at Murphy is now gone, and they even tried to get rid of that boy's sisters as well. The Davidson kid who killed himself is gone, sadly. What about the molesting of students long ago at McGill? That teacher is gone. What about nuts on college campuses?
It's sad that a few bad kids ruin it for the many stellar students from different socioeconomic groups who attend Murphy and also other public schools. Basically, schools across the nation, private, public, secondary, and university level.
Sadly, these days your children aren't safe anywhere.
This isn't a diss against Murphy, but I know lots of idiots that scored above 30 on the ACT. Test scores are not that big of a deal.
However, all things considered, I do think Murphy is a great high school. One of the best in the state actually. I think it has a good mixture of students and provides a somewhat real world experience. Some people don't want that so they send their kids to private schools so they can remain in a bubble.
Sorry had to throw that in being a Murphy Alumni although admittedly many years ago.
I am glad to see there are options other than private schools as not everyone can afford private schools.
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Murphy is NOT a bad school. Do you know your facts?
