patrick.net

Liberals wanted schools desegregated.
After the mission was accomplished the schools weren't good enough for their kids.

You'd think Liberals would be up in arms about education inequality, but they are mute silent about that. Because they don't want those intercity Cretins competing with their kids scholarships and accolades. Besides if you educate the poor very well.
Liberals would be obsolete.

They wouldn't have any Bullshit to sell. They make careers feigning concern, while they do every thing in their power to keep the inner city Youth, inner city.

I didn't mean for this to be a liberal versus conservative topic.

Well you did ask about their demographic.

Education is a Liberal issue, they obsess with it. There aren't any upscale conservative gated communities known for their "best schools".

edvard2 says

I didn't mean for this to be a liberal versus conservative topic.

Too late, the moment that you decided to discuss something on this forum (particularly about education) there are bound to be politically motivated attack posts, and soon...

edvard2 says

Do parents obsess too much over schools?

I feel that the short answer is yes. People attribute too much of a child's "success" to the school; while studies have shown that parent involvement is the single greatest factor in a child's success at school.

That said, there are very good reason to get into a "good" school, but those reasons are often over inflated by parents.

edvard2 says

Now granted I don't have nor plan on having kids.

So, you will probably never understand the way people feel about their children, and the overwhelming biological drive to give them the best opportunity you can.

I think that there is a chemical change in the brains of people who become parents, not unlike puberty, where the focus of thinking is altered to bias for the survival of their child. I don't know if there are any studies that prove this though.

Anyway that change can dominate all behavior, leading to irrational (or perhaps not entirely rational) choices.

I think this is far less of a political issue and far more related to status-seeking. The throngs of dull, unimaginative people who desperately need to out-compete their neighbors by spending (borrowed) money are also using school selection as another outlet to satisfy their materialistic needs.

Tenouncetrout says

Education is a Liberal issue

That's actually really sad. Isn't education a bi-partisan issue?

Conservatives don't want their kids to get a good education?

tatupu70 says

Conservatives don't want their kids to get a good education?

Sure the do, they just don't want the government to provide all children in the US with a good education. They think that their children will still get a good education in the absence of public schools(and by conservatives I mean tea baggers).

Tenouncetrout says

Well you did ask about their demographic.

Education is a Liberal issue, they obsess with it. There aren't any upscale conservative gated communities known for their "best schools".

I disagree. I grew up in a heavily conservative area and for the most part the area schools were decent. I went to school with some very poor children as well as some kids from wealthy households. Its sort of silly to assume conservatives don't want their kids to go to good schools.

leoj707 says

That said, there are very good reason to get into a "good" school, but those reasons are often over inflated by parents.

I agree. A good school isn't a guarantee that you'll have successful children anymore than buying the safest car assuming it will keep you safe from accidents. I have known many, many people who went to the "best" schools or even expensive private schools that turned out rotten. Likewise there are people who went to awful schools that went on to highly lucrative, successful careers.

edvard2 says

I agree. A good school isn't a guarantee that you'll have successful children anymore than buying the safest car assuming it will keep you safe from accidents. I have known many, many people who went to the "best" schools or even expensive private schools that turned out rotten.

Of course not. But wouldn't you want to give your kids the best chance? Statistically, your kids have a better chance at success if they go to a better district.

I think it may be different in the Bay Area--maybe people there are over the top. I'm not talking about that area specifically, but I look at school districts when I move. I'd like to be in a 9 or 10 on great schools...

tatupu70 says

Conservatives don't want their kids to get a good education?

edvard2 says

I disagree. I grew up in a heavily conservative area and for the most part the area schools were decent. I went to school with some very poor children as well as some kids from wealthy households. Its sort of silly to assume conservatives don't want their kids to go to good schools.

You just explained to tatupu70 how conservatives get a good education in spite of not living in the fortress. Conservative kids are motivated to get good grades to spare them the wrath of a disappointed conservative parent, in ALL demographics.

Tenouncetrout says

You just explained to tatupu70 how conservatives get a good education in spite of not living in the fortress. Conservative kids are motivated to get good grades to spare them the wrath of a disappointed conservative parent, in ALL demographics.

I'm afraid I really don't understand your point. None of that makes any sense. Kids have absolutely no idea what conservative and liberal ideals are nor do they care. I can assure you that kids- no matter how their parents vote- are not going to be thrilled about showing their parents a bad report card. I'm also not advocating "Conservative" schools... whatever that's supposed to mean. We got taught math, science, chemistry, history, art, and had some PE and extra-curricular classes. In other words, probably the same as everywhere else.

My point was that I don't feel there was this huge amount of emphasis on schools- as in the "Best" schools or whatnot amongst parents when I was growing up. I've noticed a big difference out here. This isn't a conservative or liberal issue. Its an issue of whether all that emphasis parents around here place on education is really all that beneficial because its not just the schools. Its the teachers, parents, and most importantly- the kid.