LDS? Housing / School Issues! (West Valley City, Sandy: new home, neighborhoods, elementary school)

[av8torx]

Hi, We are new to the area and I want to be very honest with my concern. We are non LDS. We have nothing against LDS at all, but I am hearing that if you have a child in a public school in many areas of SLC south of 3300 ( ie Draper, Sandy, etc) your kid will be excluded from many activities with the Mormon kids. We want to get a house that is relatively new with at least 2500 square ft and a 2 car garage. I hear that there are really only two places that you can live to avoid the issue, Sugarhouse, and Park City. Sugarhouse is nice but very small homes and old. Park City way too expensive and crowded. We want our young boy to have friends and feel welcome in school. I hear that during class the LDS kids will leave the room to do activities and the non LDS are left sitting around doing nothing. We want to live in a nice home and feel our boy is going to be happy in the neighborhood and school. Can someone please give us some advice. We have no idea what to do. Thanks J

[pwrnjc]

Utah is definitely somewhere to get used to. Not so much because of the LDS people ignoring you or your kids, but rather the politics(Seminary on school property). When you say the LDS kids go out and do stuff in class and the non LDS are left to themselves. I believe what you may be referring to is Seminary. This is actually considered a class. So when they choose to take seminary your child would be in another class (jr high and high school). Obviously, there are some things your child will not be involved in such as church meetings, that doesn't mean he wouldn't be invited once or twice. There are plenty of non LDS everywhere in Utah. Northern is definitely more diverse. Saying that, my non LDS friend moved to Lehi and her LDS neighbors were the nicest people (of course they wanted to convert her but they were nice and helpful). Her kids had no problems at school or in the neighborhood. Just know that not every LDS will not speak to you once you say no to their religion, know that it is their calling to tell you about their religion and being so, must tell you (they are not trying to be rude if we all had that obedience). Sunday's their kids probably will not be allowed to play out , but that is not everyone. Keep your mind open and you will find people who are truly nice and will decide to like you for you not for the religion you belong to. Also, know it can be overwhelming at first. Hang tough and it will be an enjoyable place to live. PS not LDS and I intent on staying here. Good luck

[SElaine]

Hello!
I am non-LDS with two sons and had several homes in Utah. The best place I ever lived was in West Valley City. I know that it sounds crazy, because West Valley gets a bad rap. The west side of West Valley is NEW and beautiful. I would suggest looking at the area of 5600 West and 3100 South. There is a neighborhood called Stonegate with homes about 3 years old. If you are looking to build, Ivory will be building right across the street in a neighborhood called Highbury. Both neighborhoods are within a short walking distance to Centennial park and West Valley Family Fitness Center. The park has two playgrounds, soccer park, basketball courts, outdoor swimming pool and waterslide, and jogging path. The Fitness Center offers a lot of things for kids including pre-school, swimming lessons, an indoor play area that is great for winter days, sports programs, etc. They also have an after school and off-track program. The elementary school is also right there along with a fire and police substation. It's also close to the freeway and tons of new shopping. (And.... 10 minutes from the airport) My boys had a ton of friends. It was the best place we have ever lived.

[coolcats]

Originally Posted by SElaine

Hello!
I am non-LDS with two sons and had several homes in Utah. The best place I ever lived was in West Valley City. I know that it sounds crazy, because West Valley gets a bad rap. The west side of West Valley is NEW and beautiful.

I can second that. I live farther west -- about 70th west. It's all brand new. My neighborhood is adjacent to a bunch of horse properties, but that's disappearing fast -- they are building like crazy. Sort of too bad, but inevitable I guess.

[av8torx]

Hi, Thanks for the info! Does anyone know how it would be raising a kid in the Sugar House or Ave area? The only issue I have with that area is that its expensive and the homes are so small. Thanks

[Elder_Shawn]

Originally Posted by av8torx

Hi, Thanks for the info! Does anyone know how it would be raising a kid in the Sugar House or Ave area? The only issue I have with that area is that its expensive and the homes are so small. Thanks

I live in the East Millcreek Area which is more to the east of Sugarhouse. We really don't have that many kids in the neighborhood. We lived next to two gated communities that house lots of old rich people...so that might be part of the reason. The cost of the smaller homes (~1400 sq ft) here is the same as a 3000+ sq ft new home on the west side. I work near the University of Utah so it would be semi crazy to live all the way out there...so we chose to live in the well established part of SLC. We love the mature trees and the view! Our neighbors are mostly working professionals (white collar) so you get professors and others who came from various parts of the united states to make it diverse.

[michelleleigh]

My brothers best friend growing up in New Mexico was from a Morman family. They were really nice people and never pushed LDS on us.Infact the boyscout troop that he belonged to was pretty much all LDS. He had no problems, and infact he was helped in reciving a religon badge(we were luthran, I ahve a feeling at the time our luthran church would not have been so kin and understanding as the LDS was) I went to high school with a lot of LDS and had no problems either, the only one who was mean was just a jerk to everyone. I dont know if this helps any, but bascially if people are good and kind people they will accept you for who you are and not your religon. good luck and god bless

[Euitha]

I'm a 15 year old... Not LDS. Almost every single one of my friends is Mormon... No one comments aobut me not going to semminary; no one cares. It's not like they are a cult. All my friends will answer questions about their religion, and I'll answer ones about mine (Catholic) but no one really cares what relgion you are.

[gnubler]

Originally Posted by Euitha

I'm a 15 year old... Not LDS. Almost every single one of my friends is Mormon... No one comments aobut me not going to semminary; no one cares. It's not like they are a cult. All my friends will answer questions about their religion, and I'll answer ones about mine (Catholic) but no one really cares what relgion you are.

I'm glad to hear that, as I had quite the opposite experience growing up in Sandy as a non-Mormon. When I was young it wasn't really as issue, other than all my Mormon friends not being allowed to play on Sundays (which was fine because I got the entire community swimming pool to myself). Around age 13 or so all my "friends" perpetually asked me to join their Young Women's group, come to church with them, etc etc. Within a year or so, I was virtually excluded from all of their invitations and activities; I'm assuming because they were all church related and I wasn't interested in that. When I was 14, a girl who I had been best friends with since 1st grade suddenly started talking to me again and invited me to her sleepover party with a bunch of other girls. Turns out it was another Mormon thing and I felt totally out of place. When she learned I was not interested in going to her Young Women's group the following Wednesday, she never contacted me again. Seeing her at school every day and getting the cold shoulder was like running into an ex or someone you were once close with. Awkward.

I think Mormons are actually good people - very polite and friendly - and generally practice a healthy, positive lifestyle. Just take a walk around the temple and see how many hellos and smiles you get - it's uncanny. But the whole exclusion thing just isn't cool and I think they should be more open with their children about accepting everyone regardless of religious boundaries.

I grew up there in the 80s. I'm guessing it's getting a bit more diluted and tolerant now.

[DP525]

av8torx,

We live in Daybreak in South Jordan, west of Sandy. While I think the south end of the valley is highly LDS, Daybreak is pretty diluted. Maybe 50/50. And this despite the fact that a new Mormon Temple is being constructed here. There is a Catholic private school being built just outside of Daybreak and will open this fall. We know several people who are sending children there. You will find most people that have experience with the LDS / non-LDS issues will have varying experiences. Being non-LDS and generally non-religious, we have not had any problems with our neighbors. Our kids play with the LDS and other non-LDS kids equally. I think if you are a good family with wholesome values that is more important to the LDS than what your religion is. As long as your lifestyle is in harmony with their values there will be no problems. You wouldn't want your kids playing a neighbor's house where drugs, partying, etc. were going on, would you?

I also think the schools in Salt Lake County are getting sufficiently diluted where the religious cliquishness of the past is not as bad. My oldest child will enter junior high in three years. I hope I am correct.