Whatever we do, we need to try to deliver the best education for each kid. That means the kid, and the parents, need choices. However, I think the optimal choice would be a truly good neighborhood school in every neighborhood.
When my kids were growing up, we sent them to magnets for the simple reason that the neighborhood school had all the kids whose parents didn't bother looking for other options. The act of sending your child to a magnet, any magnet, means that your child will be at a school with other kids whose parents at least took the time to make a choice. More involved parents, means better prepared kids, means fewer trouble makers, means better education environment. Because most of the kids in our neighborhood went to magnets, the "neighborhood" school had to draw from a huge area in order to fill its open seats, so it wasn't really a neighborhood school after all. I thnk the school suffered because the parents in the neighborhood didn't feel a sense of commitment to that school. [EMAIL PROTECTED] said: > > > As one of the kids who was part of the Webster Magnet "experiment" I feel > that magnet schools have a place in school choice, but my concern is how > many > magnets there are now, and what we spend for transportation. > > Some kids need the special programs that magnet schools offer, but many > kids > who choose their neighborhood schools lose out because they chose to stay > close to home. that needs to change. > > just my thoughts > > Reenie Gitlin > Highland Park & the west side -- Bob Treumann, Saint Paul Please Note: Replies to this email address all go to the trash except where the subject line contains a recognized mailing list identifier, such as [TCMETRO] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
