If you had a budget of $650,000...where would you live? (schools, college)
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Blah blah blah writes long spiel blah blah blah writes long spiel blah blah blah racist finds the thread blah blah blah.
I took a nice long cycle yesterday up through the Wissahickon and to build my calf muscles tackled the hills by going up into Chestnut Hill and then took a long, winding detour back to Center City via Mount Airy and Germantown. Definitely some nifty housing stock up there.
But back to the relevancy of this thread and the long gone OP and some of the claims made, I must digress with a few of the boosters' beliefs.
Because I don't particularly find Mount Airy diverse.
It's a bunch of white liberals patting themselves on the back by living with black people. Is that diverse?
Where are the Asians? The South Asians? The Middle Easterners? The Latinos? I saw preciously few to the point of none at all (I'm sure there's one or two hiding somewhere and you'll be sure to tell me).
Because with the OP coming from Toronto and Toronto now being famous for diversity, that's what diversity means - a school where half the kids are from non traditional white Canadian Anglo-Saxon backgrounds, and from families from all over the world. Not white people patting themselves on the back for living next to black people.
And, of course, going from all the political signs I saw, it's hardly diverse in thought either.
I did happen to cycle past what should be the neighborhood elementary school. In theory. Henry H. Houston Elementary-Middle School. Maybe it was in the 1950s. Looked up the demographics online. It's 88% AA, 7% mixed, 3% white, less than 1% Asian (meaning none at all) and ditto for Latinos. Whatever happened to diversity in Mount Airy? Oh, and it's 100% low income too.
Gee. Now I understand why all these white folks (and some black folks too) have private school open house signs....
Let's compare this to, oh, say, Conestoga High school. 20% Asian. 75% white. Ok, the AA enrollment is pitiful at 3%, but one can't argue it's lily white either.
What about Lower Merion? 71% white, 13% AA, 10% Asian. Getting better, isn't it?
Now, I'll admit both Masterman and Central are the granddaddy of truly diverse high schools, but the big difference for out of towners is that all they have to do is to buy the house in the district and not worry about competitive admissions and all that. And get much better zoned local elementary schools too.
And it's in the suburbs where you'll find the real diversity. The real immigrant success stories. The big Asian American communities. The South Asians.
Seventy percent+ white schools are “diverse”, LOL. That’s private school “diversity”. City magnet schools (some not all) and some of the regular public schools in the city, Fox Chase (44% white, 21% AA, 13% Latinx, 15% Two or More Races, and 6% Asian) for example, are really the only racially diverse schools in the entire metro area. LOL at claiming suburban Philly schools are diverse. If Conestoga became 40% Asian white families would stop buying houses in the T-E district.
Seventy percent+ white schools are “diverse”, LOL. That’s private school “diversity”. City magnet schools (some not all) and some of the regular public schools in the city, Fox Chase (44% white, 21% AA, 13% Latinx, 15% Two or More Races, and 6% Asian) for example, are really the only racially diverse schools in the entire metro area. LOL at claiming suburban Philly schools are diverse. If Conestoga became 40% Asian white families would stop buying houses in the T-E district.
I think we need to focus on not just "diverse" but "diverse and stable". Is the Fox Chase example you provided simply an example of a school in transition where the white student share has been dropping every year since 1995 and will continue to do so? (This is an honest question, I don't know the answer.)
I think we need to focus on not just "diverse" but "diverse and stable". Is the Fox Chase example you provided simply an example of a school in transition where the white student share has been dropping every year since 1995 and will continue to do so? (This is an honest question, I don't know the answer.)
Diverse and stable rarely happen. Fox Chase kinda-sorta qualifies for that status. My main point was that Philly suburban schools, especially those in high income districts with tiny AA and Latinx enrollment like T-E aren’t diverse. They certainly aren’t as diverse racially, ethnically or economically as city public schools even if those schools may be in a temporary transitional state of diversity.
Magnet schools are the schools that offer the most stable diversity generally speaking but with one big caveat. They tend to be more white and Asian than the district in which the magnet is located, and especially for the more selective magnet schools, the students are typically more affluent than the modal public school student in the district in which a given magnet school is located. Masterman and Central are very racially and ethnically diverse schools. However, their students are significantly less like to be from low-income families than the average Philly public school. Diversity in schools is extremely difficult to sustain because white people though they talk a good game on the topic don’t actually value diversity. See Howard County MD for most recent example of what white parents actually think about diversity.
Diverse and stable rarely happen. Fox Chase kinda-sorta qualifies for that status. My main point was that Philly suburban schools, especially those in high income districts with tiny AA and Latinx enrollment like T-E aren’t diverse. They certainly aren’t as diverse racially, ethnically or economically as city public schools even if those schools may be in a temporary transitional state of diversity.
Magnet schools are the schools that offer the most stable diversity generally speaking but with one big caveat. They tend to be more white and Asian than the district in which the magnet is located, and especially for the more selective magnet schools, the students are typically more affluent than the modal public school student in the district in which a given magnet school is located. Masterman and Central are very racially and ethnically diverse schools. However, their students are significantly less like to be from low-income families than the average Philly public school. Diversity in schools is extremely difficult to sustain because white people though they talk a good game on the topic don’t actually value diversity. See Howard County MD for most recent example of what white parents actually think about diversity.
Just wondering if you have ever confronted any of these parents about how racist they really are just by saying what you say in your posts. See... I would back them into a corner with, "Stop lying about being in favor of equality when your actions prove otherwise? "
Just wondering if you have ever confronted any of these parents about how racist they really are just by saying what you say in your posts. See... I would back them into a corner with, "Stop lying about being in favor of equality when your actions prove otherwise? "
So I have but I try not to be confrontational about it as opposed to this site where I’m just bluntly pointing out the facts. My wife and I were also part of a group of teachers who thirty years ago started a magnet elementary school school in NYC with the express purpose of having a racially and economically diverse student body. Building and sustaining integrated schools is hard work and not solely because of white racism. Among other things, I came to hate the practice of recognizing religious holidays at that school because no matter what we did some parents were bound to be offended and complain about what we did or didn’t do in the parents’ estimation. It was a completely no win situation for the staff.
Just wondering if you have ever confronted any of these parents about how racist they really are just by saying what you say in your posts. See... I would back them into a corner with, "Stop lying about being in favor of equality when your actions prove otherwise? "
As I'm sure you both have noted, I'm willing to give others the benefit of the doubt - it's part of my "come, let us reason together" nature and persona - but I couldn't help but note that TownDweller had no answer to the question I posed at the end of my last reply to them: "But what would you do when blacks become 30 percent of the residents of your neighborhood?"
Our crime free lives( yours, mine( rest of my family's), PhilliesPhan's ( who shows up sometimes) means nothing to anyone else posting here. That's my conclusion.
I wish I could post more often! I usually stop by this forum when I have a break from my financial reporting. I've become pretty busy with my work in finance, traveling, and spending time with the most wonderful woman I could've ever asked to pop into my life.
Anyway, it's a shame that some posters will blatantly disregard the lived experiences of actual Philadelphians. No matter what we say (I don't mind engaging with other posters, as it's fun to prove them wrong with statistics that go against their perceptions), they will continue to look past just how far our city has risen from its nadir. Last Saturday, I took a long walk around Lower North Philly. I had absolutely no fear of becoming the victim of a crime, as I'm not involved with the criminal lifestyle. What a lot of people need to realize, is that Philly is safe for those who are removed from the lifestyle. Random violence is a thing (just as it is in the suburbs), but avoiding it can be simple so long as one exercises good street smarts necessary in any major metropolitan area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarketStEl
I have no kids and no plans to have any either, but I do pay attention to school issues thanks to what I do for a living.
They will eventually be relevant for PhilliesPhan2013 too. But if his attitude towards education resembles his attitudes towards neighborhood choice, living in the city and safety, he might also be willing to go against the conventional wisdom here too and use his own eyes, ears and brain rather than just "paint by numbers."
Coincidentally, my girlfriend and I were looking at homes for sale last week. I'm 24 and she's 23, so we're not looking to buy a home and have kids just yet; however, our relationship has been as strong as we met on our first date, so we're both starting to think about the "future"--both mid-term and longer term. After months of conversations about this, I can safely say that we would only look within a city when the time to buy a house comes around. At first, we looked at homes in any neighborhood before eventually looking at homes in neighborhoods within certain catchments. Through talking, I discovered that we were both comfortable with a lot of city schools: Adaire, Meredith, McCall, Jackson (East Passyunk), Dobson (Manayunk), Penn Alexander, Lea, and many others in Greater CC, South Philly, and Northwest Philly.
As a transplant from the Southwestern US, she had the opportunity to teach in a Philly school. What she discovered is, although we do not have all of the resources that suburban school districts have, the kids are mostly good and eager to learn. I've told her my story, including the fact that I'm partially a product of a school district FAR worse than the Philly SD: Chester-Upland, having attended Chester Community Charter School while living in West Philly. Despite my circumstances, I not only hold a degree from the Fox School of Business, but I also work in the Finance department for a prominent company in Center City. My single mom's active parenting style helped me navigate the morass that is the Chester-Upland School District, and I believe that taking an active part in a child's life is the ultimate way to guarantee a successful livelihood for them, no matter how a school ranks on paper.
While there is a possibility that we might not end up staying in Philly (she doesn't like any of the Master's programs for her field in he city), we will end up sending our future kids to a school in whichever city we end up in (if not Philly, then DC or Chicago most likely).
As I'm sure you both have noted, I'm willing to give others the benefit of the doubt - it's part of my "come, let us reason together" nature and persona - but I couldn't help but note that TownDweller had no answer to the question I posed at the end of my last reply to them: "But what would you do when blacks become 30 percent of the residents of your neighborhood?"
Your mid-west upbring, perhaps. Time is up for being reasonable particularly when now we(folks like you or me) are not safe in our own homes. Ironic that white parents don't want their little darlings in school with so many dangerous people.
We are relocating to the Philadelphia area. My husband will be commuting to Suburban Station daily and we have 3 children under 6 who will be entering the public school system.
My question to you is:
Q. Of all the towns, townships and school districts in and around the Greater Philadelphia Area, where would YOU choose to live if you had $650,000 to spend on a house? Why?
Thanks!
Here’s the OP. Back on track please. Off topic posts will be deleted and infractions May be issued.
As I'm sure you both have noted, I'm willing to give others the benefit of the doubt - it's part of my "come, let us reason together" nature and persona - but I couldn't help but note that TownDweller had no answer to the question I posed at the end of my last reply to them: "But what would you do when blacks become 30 percent of the residents of your neighborhood?"
I nearly responded to your question but by that time the thread had become hostile and anti-white I thought better of it. If this thread is indicative of the hostility I'd see on daily basis I would bail long before that point.
Play nice and I play nice. You said you would give me a pass, not that I need or want one from you. But it sounded lovely. Immediately after that, you throw another challenge and crow when I won't take the bait.
You can't have it both ways.
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