Louisville's Success at Maintaining an Integrated School System Profiled in The Atlantic
24 comments · 82% upvoted · source · other discussions
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garthbrocks
We have one of the worst school systems in the country. Most central office people and school board members send their children to private schools. If not, there are only 3 or 4 public schools they would attend. We have upwards of 100 administrators making over $100,000/yr when similar school system sizes have 20-30 (like Tampa Area).
Kids have to ride the school bus for hours each day and risk being in an accident (which happens with JCPS school buses once a week if not more). The Supreme Court has even ruled against our floundering system. However our board continues to ignore and find ways around the ruling.
There are a lot of poor kids that are unable to participate in after school events and clubs because they live so far from the school they can't make it back or can't get a ride home after the sport/event.
All of this so we can tout diversity and feel good about some article in the Atlantic. I personal believe this is the biggest issue in Louisville.
Check out: www.educationvoodoo.wordpress.com
notnew2lou
The article compares Louisville to Detroit. Louisville had industries moving into town in the 1970s and 1980s... UPS for example.. Also, to my knowledge, Ford has had a presence here for a while, even with massive layoffs.
Detroit had industries leaving in droves. Can you tie big companies moving to Louisville to the public educational system here?
Apples to oranges?
YoLoDrScientist
I feel like the biggest problem here is that the entire school system is totally fucked. Not just in KY but the entire USA. Seriously so glad I'm done with college. Look at places like Finland and Norway.
They teach kids how to think and apply knowledge. I'm pretty sure they don't have standardized testing. If a kid needs help they figure out what it takes to make them successful.
Our schools just teach kids how to regurgitate bullshit for tests. It doesn't matter your learning style or have any concern for what you need to succeed.
It's fucked. Nothing will fix it.
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garthbrocks
Exactly what a joke. It really gives Louisville a black eye. The ones propping this crap up send their kids to private schools and make everyone else pay for their good intentions.
shitflavoredlollipop
The ones propping this crap up send their kids to private schools and make everyone else pay for their good intentions
How does sending your child to a private school cause others to pay? I'm not being combative. I genuinely don't understand the point you are trying to make.
garthbrocks
My point is if they believe in diversity and their means of achieving it why don't they send their kids to public schools. If this social experiment is so grand why do they choose to remove their own children from it.
We are paying by having to live with the consequence of their actions that they voluntarily don't participate in. And unless you can afford a 10k or more a year private school or move to Oldham County. You have to suffer.
I also don't believe these people are evil or trying to punish anyone by their intentions. I just think they are wrong and that this Idea is bad for everyone. ESPECIALLY those they are trying to help most.
shitflavoredlollipop
Cool. I understand now. Thanks for clarifying.
DangerRanger79
I think the cost he refers to is children's time spent on a bus and lack of evolvement in extracurricular activities. While vocal advocates drop there kids off at KCD and Collegiate.
notnew2lou
seems like a thorough article.. except they forgot to talk about the $50,000,000.00+ USD that the district pays for busing costs. To my understanding, 10s millions could be saved by not bussing. Am I right or wrong?
ImonaDroid
Put that money in the schools directly. Wouldn't that make things better for all schools?
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ImonaDroid
None should be over an hour. That is a ridiculous amount of time for a kid to commute.
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thegooddoctor76
I'm guessing by your comment that you went to JCPS, eh?
YoLoDrScientist
I really, really enjoyed Middle and High school here in Louisville. Graduated from UofL with two degrees and have a nice job :)
I'm just being real about the American school system.
Having been to places like Denmark and Canada I've come to realize how much better things could be. I've even debating moving there when I have kids (ha) because it's just that much better. Doubt I will... but it's fun to entertain.
I have no personal problems with JCPS or any other public school system I've been apart of. Moved here like 8th grade and was a total ass... now I love everybody and always have a good time. I know for a fact that I'm a better person from my experiences in public Middle/High school in JCPS.
Love me some Louisville. And Bourbon. GO CARDS!!!!!!
Edit: not sure why I'm being down voted. I wasn't being sarcastic. Probably UK fans
[deleted]
I grew up in the country and was never off the bus by 4 PM. Usually closer to 4:30 and sometimes even 5:00. I don't see what the big deal is on that front.
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nullsignature 5 points · Mar 2015 · Jeffersontown
In the east end (think around Norton Commons) private schools seem to be quite popular, perhaps for these reasons. If I had a child I would consider private schooling even though I'm not religious. I'm tutoring a kid that spends 3 hours on a bus every day. So stupid.
miloblue12 3 points · Mar 2015
There is Catholic schools, and there are Private schools.
If they are Catholic schools, they are religious. If they are private, than they are just private schools with no affiliation with religion.
nullsignature 3 points · Mar 2015 · Jeffersontown
There are very very few private nonreligious schools. And they are not necessarily catholic if they are religious.
hemingways_flask 10 points · Mar 2015
So then how do you give those children an opportunity without forcing it? It's a fact that reverting to the neighborhood school system will essentially remove most of the diversity from classrooms. If there's a better way to promote diversity without bussing then I am all ears, but the reality is that there is no perfect solution that will make everyone happy.
I personally believe that having children raised and educated in a diverse classroom is worth the inconvenience of a longer bus ride. I was riding buses for over an hour every day that I went to a JCPS school and it's really not that bad, in the morning most kids sleep and then in the afternoon kids would make friends with other kids. It was a slight inconvenience, but I got to grow up with kids I would have never met had I not gone to schools that were out of my neighborhood and I'm definitely a more open minded person because of it.
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PROFANITY_IS_BAD 7 points · Mar 2015
It's definitely driving people out of Jefferson County. Look at the staggering growth of Oldham County.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Graph_of_Oldham_County_population..GIF
Obviously this isn't solely due to the schools but it's no coincidence that it has some of the best in the state.
notnew2lou 9 points · Mar 2015
Can confirm; had a boss several years ago that moved to OC just for schools. He said he'd rather commute to work than put his little girl on a bus for hours per day when she could be doing more productive things.
Draeth 2 points · Mar 2015
I don't know how much growth is in Shelby County but we moved there because the schools were just about as high as Oldham. It's a 30 min+ drive to work but I would rather have a long drive than my kid. 5 minutes closer to the city and she would probably be bused downtown.
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coleary11 3 points · Mar 2015
No one is pro-segregation. it's more just anti-busing-across-town. So you're telling me black kids can't learn if there isn't a white kid in the room? or vice versa. Race should be taken out of the equation entirely if you ask me, who gives a shit what race you are? Its racist to try and shuffle everyone around to make some arbitrary ratio of students.
Who do you think is more likely so participate in after school extracurriculars, a student who's school is potentially within walking/biking distance? or a student whos school is at the other end of town? Same goes for parent involvement. Focus on improving the schools and programs. This isn't/shouldn't be a race issue
[deleted] 6 points · Mar 2015
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[deleted] 5 points · Mar 2015
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[deleted] 6 points · Mar 2015
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[deleted] 2 points · Mar 2015
I'm not saying you're wrong, but, just because the school looks successful on paper doesn't mean that the black students (or "non-white" students) are successful. It's called the "achievement gap," and black kids still do not do as well on tests or in school as white kids. Let's say your school is 40% white and most of those kids score Proficient/Distinguished on tests, 35% is African American and about half of them are P/D the others are Apprentice/Novice. You have 15% Latino, who fall into the Apprentice/Proficient range, and 10% "other" race which does about the same as the Latino kids.
So. On paper, more than 50% of the students are Proficient and/or Distinguished. However, most of the black kids are still ranked as Apprentice or Novice. Once you actually look at the numbers, you see the failure of the system. The thing is, there isn't a really good answer. There is no quick fix. De-segregation is wonderful, but it's not a cure for the achievement gap, nor does it solve problems of inequality.