Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
But see, it's NOT just that simple. When your employer transfers you to NC, you don't have much choice in the matter unless you want to find a new job - again, just NOT that simple.
Most people who move to Raleigh look forward to it, recognize the positives of the area, and are happy about it, even when the move is due to a work transfer. However, they most certainly have EVERY right to be UNHAPPY about the bussing situation. I know people who live in Raleigh right now who don't like the bussing situation. So it's not just people who haven't yet moved to NC who share this opinion.
There are always options....move to a different county (Granville, Durham, etc etc) and commute to the job like others do. Private school, religious school....home school.
It's a strength that our schools are more balanced...and it's a strength that is going to do our kids well as they go out into the word and have to deal with folks that are different, racial, economically, culturally from them.
If you don't want diversity...then....well...maybe public school in a diverse city isn't your best option.
Racial desegregation? No, they don't look at race at all....it comes to money on both ends....richer schools do better...richer students are more motivated, more wealthy parents tend to know the value of education - the parents can be black, white, blue or polka dotted...that doesn't matter.
It's a way to spread that mindset around fairly and raise the success of all students....rather then just the few that are going to do well no matter where you put them.
If it's just a bad system....why are so many other larger districts looking at this system (including a recent Supreme Court case where Wake County was mentioned directly) as a way to solve their funding and achievement gaps?
Can things be improved? Certainly....but by improving what we already have in place....not tearing it down completely because some folks can't handle the idea that their children may go to school with kids that don't have as much money as they do.
Hey there Des, not looking to argue or anything - especially since I don't necessarily disagree with you
But...just in case you didn't know it, down here in Charlotte we were under a court order to bus our kids for almost 30 years just to acheive racial balance in our schools and it was not a success at all. Finally the court order was lifted a few years ago and now all our kids get to go to either their neighborhood school or one of the magnet programs scattered throughout the city.
Granted, this has caused a problem with the schools in our poorest neighborhoods, but in the end I believe it will work itself out. Our current superintendent, Dr. Peter Gorman, is doing a great job at INSISTING that parents take more responsibility for their childrens education. He is pushing neighborhood leaders to reclaim their schools. Back before desegregation in the 1960's schools like West Charlotte High School, which was all black, had a tremendous reputation for successful academics and sports. It was intensely supported by the people in the neighborhoods it served. They were very passionate about it in fact, and they had a lot to be proud of. Busing changed all that. Local control of the school and a feeling of "ownership" faded away over time as more and more was done for the school, instead of the school community having to continue to do much for itself.
I could go on and on, but my point is that there are many instances where busing to acheive racial harmony in schools has done much more harm than good. Down here in Charlotte when we hear about the way ya'll are doing things we kinda just shake our heads.
Hey there Des, not looking to argue or anything - especially since I don't necessarily disagree with you
But...just in case you didn't know it, down here in Charlotte we were under a court order to bus our kids for almost 30 years just to acheive racial balance in our schools and it was not a success at all. Finally the court order was lifted a few years ago and now all our kids get to go to either their neighborhood school or one of the magnet programs scattered throughout the city.
Granted, this has caused a problem with the schools in our poorest neighborhoods, but in the end I believe it will work itself out. Our current superintendent, Dr. Peter Gorman, is doing a great job at INSISTING that parents take more responsibility for their childrens education. He is pushing neighborhood leaders to reclaim their schools. Back before desegregation in the 1960's schools like West Charlotte High School, which was all black, had a tremendous reputation for successful academics and sports. It was intensely supported by the people in the neighborhoods it served. They were very passionate about it in fact, and they had a lot to be proud of. Busing changed all that. Local control of the school and a feeling of "ownership" faded away over time as more and more was done for the school, instead of the school community having to continue to do much for itself.
I could go on and on, but my point is that there are many instances where busing to acheive racial harmony in schools has done much more harm than good. Down here in Charlotte when we hear about the way ya'll are doing things we kinda just shake our heads.
I wouldn't send my daughter to Charlotte schools after what I've read about them and seen from seeing what a family member and some friends have went through.
But it's apples and oranges....the two systems have done things very differently. Wake's isn't perfect...but it's nothing like Charlotte's.
I wouldn't send my daughter to Charlotte schools after what I've read about them and seen from seeing what a family member and some friends have went through.
But it's apples and oranges....the two systems have done things very differently. Wake's isn't perfect...but it's nothing like Charlotte's.
Several of the best schools in the state are in Charlotte But no, I would never say what we have here in our school system is perfect.
Many people dont agree with this, people living here a long time and newcomers. Problem is governments dont ultimately do what the people want, so it is what it is. It is the worst idea and just a bandaid for overcrowded schools and they also dont admit that they are trying to desgregrate.
They're simply trying to achieve a socio-economic balance in all Wake county schools. If they didn't do that, you would end up with poor-performing schools in places like south-central Raleigh, where even otherwise bright kids would likely drop out of school. Poor schools breed bad students.
And it must be working, because there are no poor-performing schools in the school district, and Wake county schools are considered one of the best school systems in the nation.
There are always options....move to a different county (Granville, Durham, etc etc) and commute to the job like others do. Private school, religious school....home school.
It's a strength that our schools are more balanced...and it's a strength that is going to do our kids well as they go out into the word and have to deal with folks that are different, racial, economically, culturally from them.
If you don't want diversity...then....well...maybe public school in a diverse city isn't your best option.
It has nothing to do with whether or not I want diversity, and I don't understand why you're assuming that about me. Just b/c I don't want my kids to have to ride a bus to a school far away, when they could go to a neighborhood school, doesn't mean that I'm anti-diversity. What it means is that I don't want my kids bussed far away when they could go to a neighborhood school. Contrary to your belief, there are no devious, evil, racist motives behind my thinking.
As for other living options - it's so easy to throw out "solutions" to a problem you know nothing about...just move to a different county....add an even longer commute to your day...NOT an easy solution. Private school and religious school - out of MANY people's budgets so NOT an easy solution. Home school - many families have two working parents, so NOT an easy solution.
While I do agree with you that it's important for our kids to experience diversity, bussing is not the solution. Anti-bussing people are usually NOT anti-diversity - they just don't want their kids riding around in a bus when it's not necessary.
I am very close with a principle and have asked about this very thing. The reason I have inquired is because a church bus started being seen at my childrens school a few years ago.
This is how it was explained....
The county counts the number of family's that are on the free meals/discount meals.
Then they look at the percentages. If 1 particular school is too high with a percentage they try to move those children to a different school.
They can't make the children move if it is their base school.
If a school does not have a certain percentage then the school does not receive the funding that is provided for the schools that have met their percentages.
This particular principle had been downtown, even the churches to rally the families to come to our school because the previous years they did not meet the %. It finally worked and they worked a deal for use of the church bus and driver to drive to Cary with those students.
It had absolutely NOTHING to do with race at that time.
As for the H.S., my daughter chose to go to Southeast Raleigh H.S. which is 20/25 minutes away. As many know it is not in the best part of town. The board puts these magnet schools in these types of areas to pull children from other parts of the county. This was to get a balance in school scores. If they did not put a specialized school in these areas they would not get the scores they are getting.
This is where the school board is having to balance these 2 types of issues.
my daughter chose to go to Southeast Raleigh H.S. which is 20/25 minutes away. As many know it is not in the best part of town. The board puts these magnet schools in these types of areas to pull children from other parts of the county. This was to get a balance in school scores. If they did not put a specialized school in these areas they would not get the scores they are getting.
I think it's a good idea to put magnet programs in schools that might otherwise be underperforming. I also think that it's great to allow kids & parents options. But there are some areas ITB that really have no "base" school. All of the kids are being shipped out to the suburbs.
But you cannot argue with the test results. Seems the kids are doing better in school. Desdemona's right in that the whole district seems to benefit. Here's a (somewhat dated) article from the New York Times discussing the system.
It's the neighborhoods I'm thinking about. Middle class housing may never be seen in the economically challenged areas of the city, partly because middle class parents don't want their kids riding on buses for an hour and a half every day, and they'd rather not drive across town for a PTA meeting. Voluntary, I can see. But local schools should still be an option.
I would rather not live in Durham, or Johnston county. My job would be downtown, thus the draw of ITB living. Traffic's getting bad enough without me adding one more car to the I-40 congestion.
But there are some areas ITB that really have no "base" school. All of the kids are being shipped out to the suburbs.
Every home has a base school, it just might not be in close proximity to the home. That is certainly an issue that have many families upset. Some kids pass by a school that is a stones throw away from their home to get to their school which is their base and miles past the 1st one.
Quote:
Middle class housing may never be seen in the economically challenged areas of the city, partly because middle class parents don't want their kids riding on buses for an hour and a half every day,
I might be misunderstanding what you just said....but if middle class homes were put in challenged areas I don't believe the kids would be bussed out. These areas want the scores just like SEHS does because of its location. Also again, it is based on the free meal/discount and the middle class would not qualify for that so there is no reason to bus the kids out. There would be no advantage for the distant school to receive the middle class.
I am going on what I had been told by a principle a few years ago. It could be that Wake County School board is approaching this in a different manner now. I would call student assignment and ask your questions. You pay them for this reason...a better understanding of what is happening.
It's the neighborhoods I'm thinking about. Middle class housing may never be seen in the economically challenged areas of the city, partly because middle class parents don't want their kids riding on buses for an hour and a half every day, and they'd rather not drive across town for a PTA meeting. Voluntary, I can see. But local schools should still be an option.
Thing is...they wouldn't be riding that long. Wake County has rules that base school times can be no more then an hour. This is not even 'across town'....as buses have to take a very convoluted route and make so many stops.
If a parent was driving it straight - it would probably be no more then 20 minutes...if that.
If you go to the WCPPS website, you can see a map with the base area for each school. (Yes, each school has a base area....even those, especially those, IBL)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
