Lost school lottery

[shell007]

The OP has no choice but to drive... And that isn't due to class crowding either.

What????

Of course it's because of over-crowding. If there was enough room for more kids there would not have to be a "lottery".

BUT

Since there is a "lottery", it's obvious that there IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM, which = crowding, hence the reason the child was placed in the other school via lottery.

 

[Silverplum]

Is this an anti-Bush site?

If you want to talk politics, xylene, you might want to discuss what the 8,000,000+ immigrants in the last five years have done to our schools. Can anyone here spell "overcrowding?"

 

[notsmartmark]

Why don't you adopt/Foster parent an open enrollment child, i.e., a 3rd/5th grade child, and skirt the lottery?

 

[oneson1118]

WOW!!!!!

It took me a while to figure out what OP meant, and I still do not understand the hostility. I asked a simple question, and even agreed that it might be petty. Accusing me of being a whiner for whatever reason I do not get. Silver, your argument about the overcrowding is moot, for the simple reason that I am not asking to be let in "also", but rather "instead" of the person who is driving 2 or 3 miles past 1 or 2 other schools to go to our school and making me do the reverse. As for the "drive a few minutes" comment, it takes about 10 to 15 mins to get thru the traffic at the school I will be bypassing just to get out of the neighborhood, after which it will take another 5 to 10 to get to the other school and wait in their traffic. I did research it, which you accuse me of not doing, and was told by the now very apologetic superintendent that it would be no problem. So where does that leave us, oh yeah, my son cannot go to school with his friends and I get to spend money that could have gone into his college fund for gas to go to a school I was trying to get away from. Alright now I am a whiner...

Anyways, thanks to those of you who took the question seriously, and didn't try to deride me for asking it.

Sincerely Oneson1118

 

[shell007]

WOW!!!!!

It took me a while to figure out what OP meant, and I still do not understand the hostility. I asked a simple question, and even agreed that it might be petty. Accusing me of being a whiner for whatever reason I do not get. Silver, your argument about the overcrowding is moot, for the simple reason that I am not asking to be let in "also", but rather "instead" of the person who is driving 2 or 3 miles past 1 or 2 other schools to go to our school and making me do the reverse. As for the "drive a few minutes" comment, it takes about 10 to 15 mins to get thru the traffic at the school I will be bypassing just to get out of the neighborhood, after which it will take another 5 to 10 to get to the other school and wait in their traffic. I did research it, which you accuse me of not doing, and was told by the now very apologetic superintendent that it would be no problem. So where does that leave us, oh yeah, my son cannot go to school with his friends and I get to spend money that could have gone into his college fund for gas to go to a school I was trying to get away from. Alright now I am a whiner...

Anyways, thanks to those of you who took the question seriously, and didn't try to deride me for asking it.

Sincerely Oneson1118

This point does make a good argument, however....imagine if the school district had to evaluate EVERY SINGLE CHILD and THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES.

Re-read my earlier post and you will see that this is NOT out of the realm of normal.

Does the school district NOT have buses?

 

[oneson1118]

Hi Shellandty,

I agree that that would be unrealistic if the school boundary wasn't so totally out of proportion to all other school boundaries, in fact they cut one school boundary (one that is next door so to speak) in thirds, and put the middle third in my school's area. As for buses, yes they do have them, and they only cost 400.00 a year as opposed to walking to school one block.
You guys, I appreciate that I am not special and undeserving of any preferential treatment, but, let me ask this question instead. If the boundaries seem to be drawn so as to let certain neighborhoods go to schools they would not otherwise be allowed to go to, then do I have a legitimate beef, and if I do what is my next step. I will accept that I do not, if that is the case legally speaking. I also am wondering if a lottery is the fairest way to determine who goes and who doesn't, especially if it means people who are closer to another school get to go to this one and I do not.

My last word on the subject...
Oneson1118

 

[notsmartmark]

The school board has the right & responsibility to set school boundaries. You would need to demonstrate that the boundaries were discriminatory.

But, you want to raise a complaint that the drawn boundaries deliberately excluded some poorer families, of which you are not one, and included nicer neighborhoods so that it is harder for your child to enroll? And your hope is that this complaint will cause the district redraw its boundaries so that your wealthier child will become more desirable than the others?

Or better yet, is it your hope that they will continue to exclude the less desirable neighborhoods and just eliminate the wealthier ones and fix your problem altogether?

It’s too bad your child will not be able to attend her neighborhood school. Your concern is valid. Present your concerns to the board; ask about adding portables; write to your local paper; but please don’t feign interest in a social cause for personal gain. This shouldn't be one of your child’s first school lessons.

“I also am wondering if a lottery is the fairest way to determine who goes and who doesn't, especially if it means people who are closer to another school get to go to this one and I do not.”
The “closest goes argument” has no legs. I cannot imagine a school who want to enter into this position. “Fairest” doesn’t raise a legal question, but it is a question you can raise with the school board.

 

[oneson1118]

Okay,okay,

I said it was my last word but, oh well. I do not "feign" any interest but self interest, that is most assuredly true, but, I fail to see how you decided that I wanted to exclude a "poorer" neighborhood to include my "wealthier" child. In fact in turns out, that the wealthiest neighborhood in the area petitoned the board last year, after they found out they were not in the school's boundary to get themselves put in it. They are in fact closer to 2 other schools. Granted, this is not about any sort of economic haves and have nots, ( I sold my home and now rent to be in this neighborhood as I could not afford to buy in this area), but again, I am just asking about the fairness of it. If being in an area that is at least in the neighborhood of a given school doesn't mean your child gets to go there, but instead it is up to mere chance, why draw a boundary at all. Some more information that came to light at the other school's open house was that the 2 schools that people are nearer to that we now have to go to, had to actually close a k class because there were not enough children. I appreciate your advice on what to do next Mark and will act upon it, I just do not understand how you jumped to some of your conclusions.

Maybe not my last word, Oneson1118
(By the way, I am a he, My name is Hilary, and Oneson1118 refers to another law related subject which brought me to this forum in the first place.)

 

[notsmartmark]

First, I apologize. I misread your statement about including certain neighborhoods as exclusion to poorer groups. But, it doesn't change the outcome.

There is not a science to the drawing of boundaries lines, and given that it is individuals making the decision there will always be an arbitrary nature to the act. Also, attempting to influence and petition the decision makers will be a component. The sheer act of trying to get one's position heard is part of the process, and it is exactly what you were hoping would occur. The neighborhoods that were included through luck or influence were either lucky or influential.

As long as not made based on illegal principals, reducing the access of a minority group, or are not made by illegal means, through bribes or extortion, the boundaries will stand.

The same can be applied to the remaining slots. You may not like the lottery system, but as long as the system is legal to conduct and is neither discriminatory nor corrupt, the school could cast lots, throw shoes, or hold a lottery.

Your goal is to influence the decision makers, at the district level on how the boundaries were drawn and at the school level on how the slots were allotted. I would now lose the feign, but I would keep the advice, "It’s too bad your child will not be able to attend her neighborhood school. Your concern is valid. Present your concerns to the board; ask about adding portables; write to your local paper," and add, start looking for another acceptable school that is open for enrollment.

Also remember that most, not all, "good" schools are good because of the number of educated, involved parents. You child will have a "good" school experience given the level of commitment you have already displayed. And be careful. Most parents will say their experiences and emotions do not impact their children and most children are very aware of and are impacted by their parents’ emotional status. This event, if you are not careful, could impact your child’s first impression of the educational system.