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I've always seen both sides of the argument for and against diversity busing. We all have different perspectives based on our own experiences.
Growing up I went to city schools in Rochester, NY. It was neighborhood schools. Districts are by town up there, not by county like here. Because of this, the schools are pretty segregated. If you didn't like the schools you had two options. 1. Move to the suburbs. 2. Go to private school. Those weren't options for my family. We couldn't afford to move to the suburbs and obviously private school wasn't an option either. The schools in the city are horrible. Test rates are in the gutter, last I checked only 20% of 3rd graders could pass the state assessment. Over 80% free/reduced lunch rates some schools closer to 100%. We walked to school. Parents weren't at the school, most of the parents I knew worked 2 jobs. I was one of the few white kids at my school. I went to school with my friends in my neighborhood. We were all poor so it just was what it was and I didn't realize schools were different elsewhere. Fast forward to my later school years when we did finally work our way out of poverty and into the suburbs. I needed additional help for 2 years to catch up to my peers. Parents were involved at the school (they weren't working 2 jobs to make ends meet). We had enough books, supplies, and computers for everyone to use. We went on field trips. We had instruments for band that weren't broken. It was really weird to go from one environment to the other.
When we moved down here I looked for a house that had great schools. I wanted the best for my kids just like everyone else does. I bought a house based on those schools. My children were never reassigned to a different school. If they were though, I don't think I would have minded all that much. Wake County schools aren't "bad" compared to where I moved from. Yes some are worse then others for test grades, etc. but none of them compare to what I know to be truly bad schools. An hour bus ride, yeah that's not fun but when my kids were younger they were already at school early and staying late because I had to work. Kids are resilient. They can adapt. The world won't come to an end because they are on the bus for awhile.
I could go on and on but this is one of those subjects that people just end up arguing over and once a side is picked for or against, rarely does anyone change their mind.
Thank you...I have said this about New Hanover County schools as well...certain counties have expectations of their schools and the ability to have high achievers, in fact most counties do. There are options, but there is an epidemic of folks in NC wanting "only the best rated"....not everyone can have the best rated and the ratings aren't always accurate....make the most of your situation and be sure your public policy makers have reasons for their decisions and hold them accountable when you vote if you don't agree. In NC the affluent counties have an advantage and are fairly good producers of quality students.
When I was going to school back in the dark ages of the 70s when schools were racially integrated as well as economically integrated, most of the teachers that I had were able to differentiate successfully in very economically and racially diverse classrooms. I had the occasional less-than-good teacher, but I don't think that was based on the other kids in the class — that was just crappy teachers. They were going to be crappy no matter who the students were. For the most part, though, I had pretty decent teachers who did really try. I did see classmates, who were from low-income homes, thrive and do very well and go to college to study engineering, etc. The wealthy and middle class kids I went to school with did not suffer from their association with the kids from lower income backgrounds and many of them went on to be quite successful, also.
As far as my kids, we are not in WCPPS, but are in CHCCS and I think my daughter's 3rd grade teacher this year at Carrboro Elementary has been really excellent. She has several kids who are first generation immigrants, several kids who I'd guess are from lower income backgrounds, and many gifted kids. She and her assistant do a great job meeting the different needs of all the kids in her class. FWIW, in case anyone has the wrong impression, at Carrboro Elementary the student population is about 50% white, with the rest Hispanic, black, and asian (many of whom are refugees from Burma/Myanmar). The free and reduced lunch percentage at the school is 37%. I think it's a great school and we are really happy there. The teachers are fantastic and the administration is great, too.
That is simply not the reality of the way it works. Both of my kids are AG kids in blended classrroms and have had plenty of opportunities to advance through the years. There are different levels of math instruction and reading groups and all sorts of tools and resources teachers have these days. They are well trained to deal with children on all ends of the spectrum.
In any case, I don't see what that has to do with the assignment policy other than to prove Meh's point that some parents simply don't want "those kids" in their kids' classrooms.
Not sure what to say; I guess I know different teachers and hear different things from them.
A. DISTANCE
Assignments should be made with consideration of proximity to residence. No student should be required to travel more than the maximum time established by Board Policy 7125.
A "goal" of less than 1 hour or elementary, middle and high school students, with exceptions that can add up to 45 additional minutes? That alone should be unacceptable.
Some buses have a "ride time" of 45 minutes or more within the same neighborhood thanks to major cuts in the number of buses. Ride times don't really mean anything in terms of assignment. The kids who have the "exception" of a possible additional 45 minutes are going to those schools by choice (magnets and application schools) per the policy.
Some kids in my neighborhood who go to Adams have a ride time of 45 minutes to an hour and the school is 2 miles away. The kids who go to Martin 12 miles away are home in 15 minutes! It really depends on how crowded the buses are and how many stops it has to make.
That is simply not the reality of the way it works. Both of my kids are AG kids in blended classrroms and have had plenty of opportunities to advance through the years. There are different levels of math instruction and reading groups and all sorts of tools and resources teachers have these days. Thoy are well trained to deal with children on all ends of the spectrum.
This discussion has been about whether bussing kids hither and yon improves academic performances or merely distributes the low-performing students so certain schools are not identified as low-performing schools.
Numerous anecdotes about how poor kids do better in middle-income schools, and many even go on to college to be attorneys and so forth just like their classmates.
No stats to back any of this up. As Wake County surely has the information on who was bussed where and whether they graduated and with what grades, I'm thinking this information could be used to justify bussing as a strategy to improve academic performance. If indeed it does.
As to teachers having all sorts of tools, resources, and training to deal with children on all ends of the spectrum, you may want to hang out on the Education forums for awhile and see just how excited teachers are about teaching classrooms filled with students on all ends of the spectrum.
In any case, I don't see what that has to do with the assignment policy other than to prove Meh's point that some parents simply don't want "those kids" in their kids' classrooms.
All kids need a strong academic foundation to be successful in our global economy. We don't have many jobs for those who drop out of high school, people who can barely read, etc.
For decades now, we've been bussing low-income kids across town so middle-income kids can be their Reading Buddies, Science Partners, and role models, their parents can provide them with poster board, and the teachers can provide them with the additional support they require and apparently is not available in their local schools.
Is it working?
If so, hallelujah.
If not, let's quit pretending that our Goody Two Shoes approach to helping kids struggle out of poverty works. We're not fooling anybody, least of all the kids.
"Those kids" as you call them, need a decent education. Is bussing providing that?
Did you read the policy? Please point out where it says anything about diversity being a goal.
Personally I believe that ANY child can get not just a "decent" education, but an excellent one in almost all wcpss schools BECAUSE of the past diversity policies.
Obviously the board agrees, even some of the ones who formerly opposed it.
With that said, I'll bow out now so I can spend my evening doing more productive things . Those who want "data" can easily find it themselves.
This dead horse has been beat many times already in many past threads, with many of the same posters over and over again .
In any case, they're voting on it on May 21st, so y'all can have fun with that!
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