Moderate conservative immigrant family moving from Fairfax VA to Mountain View CA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think Marin schools are comparable to FCPS. They may be the "best" in the SF area, but that's not saying much.

It is amazing how convinced DCUM is of extreme DMV educational superiority, and yet kids from around the country seem to do just fine in college and beyond. You would think that college, med school, and law school admissions only come from kids who grew up in the DMV the way that some of you talk.

OP, I don't think you are remotely a fit for California, but understand that DCUM often sounds very provincial when it comes to discussion of education.

The vast majority of CA kids go in state, which is great.. they have a great selection of in state univ to choose from.

I speak from experience having gone through CA public school myself and had a child go there for early ES and have friends in CA with kids in public school up to HS. My friends/family went to great univ in CA, became doctors, engineers, etc.. Obviously, CA public school students can and do do well in life.

But public schools in general in CA are inferior to the DC area. I knew someone who moved from NJ to CA (Peninsula) and was appalled by the "great" public schools there.

DC area is the opposite of provincial when it comes to education. Coming over from CA to the DC area, I felt provincial in my understand and expectations of public school.

The vast majority of all kids from all states go to their local universities, so I do not think that is the apparent knock you think it is. And yes, DC people (at least on DCUM) sound extremely provincial when they talk about education. I'm sorry, but it is true. The absolute conviction they have that DC education is the best in the country is provincial. It just is. There is very little evidence to show that for all of this apparent educational superiority, DC-area kids do any better in life, but the way people talk on DCUM you'd think that kids were outside of the DMV are doomed to lives of menial labor.

You left California. Can't you see that colors your experience? As a thought exercise, what do you think many Silicon Valley residents think about education in DC? Do you think they consider it unabashedly superior the way DCUM does? Or do you think perhaps they consider DC schools to be moribund training grounds for stifling bureaucrats? Another example of perspective: we have an OP here who believes he can tell principals what to do in VA. That would not fly in CA. Is that truly educational superiority? Really?

What I am saying is that perspective matters here, and DCUM sounds provincial on education because of its absolutely unshakeable conviction of DMV education superiority even with no real evidence of lifetime superior outcomes or in the face of the fact that kids from across the country seem to do just fine.

Most DC area parents agree that MA and NJ have the best schools districts.

Most SV residents who have never experienced schools outside of CA don't think *anything* about DC because most people in CA who have never left there don't know anything outside of CA public school system. That was me, too. I experienced both CA and DC area public schools. Have you?

What OP thinks they can do in CA schools is besides the point, but OP is clueless regardless. And I wasn't knocking on in state univ at all. I went to a public univ in CA.

You speak for “most” DC area parents now? And have you ever even been to the Bay Area? Most people there didn’t start there; the Bay Area has massive amounts of inward migration, I think population-wise more than DC. I would actually say there probably more people who have experience elsewhere in the Bay Area than in DC. So yes, there are many people in the Bay Area who could hold educated opinions on DC area education, and guess what, they might not all agree with you.

You are kind of a case in point of how DCUM sounds provincial on education. Your individual experience doesn’t actually represent the world, as it turns out.

? LOL.. Have I ever been to the Bay Area?

Gosh, I only lived there for like 20 years, and lived in CA as a whole for 40 years, grew up there, went to K-12 public school, and public univ there.

OH, and my family and I are immigrants, so I know the immigrant community and mindset fairly well, too. OH, and I work in tech, for various large tech companies in the SV for 20 years, in teams with a lot of Indian immigrants.

LOL ... have I ever even been to the Bay Area.... That's so funny.

DC area is actually way more diverse than the Bay Area, btw.

[Anonymous]

OP 200K is not a high salary for someone in tech who is old enough to have elementary aged kids. It won’t go far at all. Everything is more expensive. Utilities, especially water and gas, restaurants, camps, activities etc.

The Bay Area is primarily moderate D to progressive liberals, there are a few Trumpies but they are old retirees always raging on Nextdoor,, and any real independents or republicans are liberal republicans. They want lower taxes but they don’t care if people are gay. There may be people within your immigrant community who hate homosexuals as you do because they were raised with that bigotry. However, they learn pretty quickly that that ugliness is not accepted here. You won’t find a school anywhere that doesn’t have a LGBT student club r a school that bans books with gay characters.

You may want to try to find a tech job in Texas. There are lots of tech companies that aren’t as attractive to engineers that can command top salaries. Rather than being on the bottom in an area that you can’t afford and that will not accept your homophobic views, you might find something in Texas where you are in the middle.

[Anonymous]

Late to the game here but I thought I’d mention: the pride flag is currently flying over all public schools and libraries in my county.

Sorry OP.

[Anonymous]

If OP thinks there aren’t rainbow flags and social justice/DEI curriculum in FCPS elementary, he clearly isn’t paying attention to his kids’ education, he just put them in a “good school” and walked away. Or his kids are too afraid of him embarrassing them with the teachers to tell him the truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That salary is nothing close to being enough to afford to live in the Bay Area. Liberal ideas are the least of your problems.

+1. I am from the Bay Area and actually like the politics there, and I would not move back for that salary. Everything is more expensive so your buying power is less. Cost and schools are two of the three reasons I live in Fairfax instead (the third is climate change / fires).

I can't speak to CA public schools because all my friends there put their kids in private school. The one I know using public is in Marin.

I also spent a lot of my adult life in the bay area. Personally, rents were higher but everything else was cheaper from daycare to food. Especially utilities since I never used heat or AC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sf poster here. To OP if you are SE Asian and want to find similar the South Bay seems to have more SE Asian but East Bay does have some Asian population. It won’t be uncommon for your kids to find mirrors at parochial schools around the Bay Area. There are not really magnet schools in Marin, SF has charter schools, a few magnets in high school, there is Lowell (similar in some ways to TJ but since Covid has become lottery instead of testing in). Many highly rated public schools in SV, like a lot of publics there are 2 tracks, one is the AP route, going on to extremely competitive 4 year schools. I think a lot of your worries about schools in the Bay Area are not entirely true, we have 2 nieces that teach in Fairfax county public schools that have views considered very extreme by a lot of my teacher friends here, like not offering algebra in middle school and not having gifted and talented programs. Hopefully you join a great company out here that grows and worst case scenario you network and can easily find a new postion if you need to.

OP here. I don't think your nieces' views are extreme. Schools should have gifted programs in my opinion, I guess the information posted by 02/06/2022 10:07 is particularly worrying. Also those stories about prop 13 from 02/05/2022 12:38, forced promotion of LGBTQ values by 02/06/2022 14:32 and overall public school ranking by 02/05/2022 21:55 all together say that I won't be considering public schools in the Bay area - sure there might be some "acceptable" ones but I don't want to risk trying to find a needle in the haystack.

Anonymous wrote:You should definitely look for jobs in FL. Here's a parent who, among many other things, asked for the removal of rainbow flags at her daughter's school:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2022/02/08/floridas-new-parental-rights-law-tests-limits-and-patience-in-pasco/

While their politics would be fitting for me, I have no clue about their quality of education. Anyway I don't have a job offer from FL at this point as I said before, my choices are either go somewhere to Bay area or decline the offer and stay here.

I wouldn't move. Here at least you know what's going on and how to navigate it. And you are more likely to save $$, giving you more options in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There are many families just like yours in MV. I haven't heard of any teacher obligating asking of pronouns, but some kids probably offer them. The population is very diverse. This $1k obligatory donation PP is talking about is completely untrue. I do not think they say the pledge of allegiance in the classrooms but I think that has been true for many years afaik (like since the 90s). There aren't rainbow flags in classrooms by policy, but it is possible individual teachers may have one (I have no idea why you would be so triggered by that, though, and I'm doubting the resiliency of you and your kids with that comment).

I don't want to reply to that "resiliency" comment, but what I do want to know is if I get a teacher putting the rainbow flag besides the American flag in the classroom, will I be able to report this to the principal and have the flag taken down? At least here in Fairfax, things are somewhat moderate and we are generally ok with the public school system.
Again I don't want to discuss about my family's values and beliefs, we are who we are. I just don't want to get my kids into an ultra-progressive public school system which is not consistent with our values.

PP who suggested you go to the eastern and inland areas of the BA again. I'm not interested in arguing with you about your politics. I am an expert on California's political climate though and have written many papers and books on the state and on Silicon Valley, in particular. I have lived in the Bay Area and in DC for over three decades.

Based on what you just stated, the places where you would want to live in California will be mostly in the inland, north, and far southeast areas of the state. (Santa Cruz, which you suggested is literally the opposite of the kind of community you seek.) The southern portions of San Jose/Gilroy will be more in your price range, but they aren't especially safe areas and the politics there aren't as conservative as you would like. To the extent they are conservative, at least some portion of that conservatism is anti-immigrant, which would not really help you.

Also, FYI - you say you consider yourself a moderate conservative, but in California most moderate conservatives embrace LGBT rights. By California standards, you are not moderate. You are conservative, full stop. I'm not saying this to insult you, but to help you understand how to find what you want.

FWIW - There are very few places in the Bay Area where even the conservatives would freak out about the presence of a rainbow flag in a classroom. (Frankly, I think that your views aren't even as accepted as you might believe in Fairfax.) I can't think of a single community in the Bay Area where a parent could demand something like that - e.g., take down a rainbow flag - without it turning into a major fight that you would most likely lose.

That said, I think you can find communities here where the liberal politics aren't as "in your face," where the schools are excellent, and where immigrants are welcome. For that, I repeat my recommendation to go through the tunnel to the Lamorinda area (Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, etc.). The other place you could go would be outside Sacramento, but that's way too long for commute. You'd also find a similar fit in the Bakersfield/San Joaquin Valley, but that commute is also brutal.

The easy way to do this is to get out a map and look at the counties and cities where Trump won. Those places are where you will most likely find people with views similar to yours, though they may also be anti-immigrant, which is just something you'll have to navigate.

OP here. Thank you for your reply. Yes I don't want to end up in an unsafe, anti-immigrant community. But at the same time, I don't want to end up in a school with the liberal politics "in my kids face" as you stated. And I consider the rainbow flag part of it, as well as BLM etc. I don't care about lgbt rights, I just don't want my kids brainwashed with these stuff.
Not sure about if such area exists there. But all I care is about schools. And I don't want to be part of a "culture war", I just want a quiet and safe life for me and my family.

A 1hr commute would be acceptable for me, as I will be only going to SV twice per week or so. I've been to Sacramento and it's a very nice city, although I'm not sure if it satisfies my standards..

If you are so sensitive to the mere sight of a rainbow flag that you would immediately run to the principal, you are indeed looking to be part of a culture war. Rainbow flags are all over this state, including in deep red, state of Jefferson areas that usually hate immigrants. You are in for a rough time.

I am positive you will find occasional classrooms in the Sacramento area with rainbow flags.

I'm talking about such flags in the classroom. So far haven't encountered such a situation in Fairfax, and haven't heard about such things from other parents here.

Sorry just saw Sacramento is 2hrs, so that's a bit too much.

Yes, I understand, and I'm telling you, you are too sensitive to flourish in California.

+1 I have to agree. I'm not progressive uber liberal, but if a rainbow flag in a school to show support for lgbtq is going to trigger you, I don't think liberal areas like SV is for you.

What if OP your kid turns out to be gay? Will you disown them?

I'm also an immigrant, conservative family, but my family would never disown a family member for being gay.

OP here. I never said that I will disown a gay or anything like that. But I consider having a rainbow flag or a BLM flag in the classroom not appropriate. Only the American flag should be in the classroom. If I had a teacher bringing liberal political symbols into the classroom, I would send my kid with a MAGA or an all lives matter T-shirt at school (never voted for Trump, after all I don't have voting rights in the US). I never got into such situations in Fairfax schools. If I am guaranteed to face this stuff in CA, I'd rather pass the offer.

Do us Californians a favor and just don’t come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There are many families just like yours in MV. I haven't heard of any teacher obligating asking of pronouns, but some kids probably offer them. The population is very diverse. This $1k obligatory donation PP is talking about is completely untrue. I do not think they say the pledge of allegiance in the classrooms but I think that has been true for many years afaik (like since the 90s). There aren't rainbow flags in classrooms by policy, but it is possible individual teachers may have one (I have no idea why you would be so triggered by that, though, and I'm doubting the resiliency of you and your kids with that comment).

I don't want to reply to that "resiliency" comment, but what I do want to know is if I get a teacher putting the rainbow flag besides the American flag in the classroom, will I be able to report this to the principal and have the flag taken down? At least here in Fairfax, things are somewhat moderate and we are generally ok with the public school system.
Again I don't want to discuss about my family's values and beliefs, we are who we are. I just don't want to get my kids into an ultra-progressive public school system which is not consistent with our values.

PP who suggested you go to the eastern and inland areas of the BA again. I'm not interested in arguing with you about your politics. I am an expert on California's political climate though and have written many papers and books on the state and on Silicon Valley, in particular. I have lived in the Bay Area and in DC for over three decades.

Based on what you just stated, the places where you would want to live in California will be mostly in the inland, north, and far southeast areas of the state. (Santa Cruz, which you suggested is literally the opposite of the kind of community you seek.) The southern portions of San Jose/Gilroy will be more in your price range, but they aren't especially safe areas and the politics there aren't as conservative as you would like. To the extent they are conservative, at least some portion of that conservatism is anti-immigrant, which would not really help you.

Also, FYI - you say you consider yourself a moderate conservative, but in California most moderate conservatives embrace LGBT rights. By California standards, you are not moderate. You are conservative, full stop. I'm not saying this to insult you, but to help you understand how to find what you want.

FWIW - There are very few places in the Bay Area where even the conservatives would freak out about the presence of a rainbow flag in a classroom. (Frankly, I think that your views aren't even as accepted as you might believe in Fairfax.) I can't think of a single community in the Bay Area where a parent could demand something like that - e.g., take down a rainbow flag - without it turning into a major fight that you would most likely lose.

That said, I think you can find communities here where the liberal politics aren't as "in your face," where the schools are excellent, and where immigrants are welcome. For that, I repeat my recommendation to go through the tunnel to the Lamorinda area (Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, etc.). The other place you could go would be outside Sacramento, but that's way too long for commute. You'd also find a similar fit in the Bakersfield/San Joaquin Valley, but that commute is also brutal.

The easy way to do this is to get out a map and look at the counties and cities where Trump won. Those places are where you will most likely find people with views similar to yours, though they may also be anti-immigrant, which is just something you'll have to navigate.

OP here. Thank you for your reply. Yes I don't want to end up in an unsafe, anti-immigrant community. But at the same time, I don't want to end up in a school with the liberal politics "in my kids face" as you stated. And I consider the rainbow flag part of it, as well as BLM etc. I don't care about lgbt rights, I just don't want my kids brainwashed with these stuff.
Not sure about if such area exists there. But all I care is about schools. And I don't want to be part of a "culture war", I just want a quiet and safe life for me and my family.

A 1hr commute would be acceptable for me, as I will be only going to SV twice per week or so. I've been to Sacramento and it's a very nice city, although I'm not sure if it satisfies my standards..

It’s fine. You don’t satisfy Sacramento’s standards

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There are many families just like yours in MV. I haven't heard of any teacher obligating asking of pronouns, but some kids probably offer them. The population is very diverse. This $1k obligatory donation PP is talking about is completely untrue. I do not think they say the pledge of allegiance in the classrooms but I think that has been true for many years afaik (like since the 90s). There aren't rainbow flags in classrooms by policy, but it is possible individual teachers may have one (I have no idea why you would be so triggered by that, though, and I'm doubting the resiliency of you and your kids with that comment).

I don't want to reply to that "resiliency" comment, but what I do want to know is if I get a teacher putting the rainbow flag besides the American flag in the classroom, will I be able to report this to the principal and have the flag taken down? At least here in Fairfax, things are somewhat moderate and we are generally ok with the public school system.
Again I don't want to discuss about my family's values and beliefs, we are who we are. I just don't want to get my kids into an ultra-progressive public school system which is not consistent with our values.

PP who suggested you go to the eastern and inland areas of the BA again. I'm not interested in arguing with you about your politics. I am an expert on California's political climate though and have written many papers and books on the state and on Silicon Valley, in particular. I have lived in the Bay Area and in DC for over three decades.

Based on what you just stated, the places where you would want to live in California will be mostly in the inland, north, and far southeast areas of the state. (Santa Cruz, which you suggested is literally the opposite of the kind of community you seek.) The southern portions of San Jose/Gilroy will be more in your price range, but they aren't especially safe areas and the politics there aren't as conservative as you would like. To the extent they are conservative, at least some portion of that conservatism is anti-immigrant, which would not really help you.

Also, FYI - you say you consider yourself a moderate conservative, but in California most moderate conservatives embrace LGBT rights. By California standards, you are not moderate. You are conservative, full stop. I'm not saying this to insult you, but to help you understand how to find what you want.

FWIW - There are very few places in the Bay Area where even the conservatives would freak out about the presence of a rainbow flag in a classroom. (Frankly, I think that your views aren't even as accepted as you might believe in Fairfax.) I can't think of a single community in the Bay Area where a parent could demand something like that - e.g., take down a rainbow flag - without it turning into a major fight that you would most likely lose.

That said, I think you can find communities here where the liberal politics aren't as "in your face," where the schools are excellent, and where immigrants are welcome. For that, I repeat my recommendation to go through the tunnel to the Lamorinda area (Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, etc.). The other place you could go would be outside Sacramento, but that's way too long for commute. You'd also find a similar fit in the Bakersfield/San Joaquin Valley, but that commute is also brutal.

The easy way to do this is to get out a map and look at the counties and cities where Trump won. Those places are where you will most likely find people with views similar to yours, though they may also be anti-immigrant, which is just something you'll have to navigate.

OP here. Thank you for your reply. Yes I don't want to end up in an unsafe, anti-immigrant community. But at the same time, I don't want to end up in a school with the liberal politics "in my kids face" as you stated. And I consider the rainbow flag part of it, as well as BLM etc. I don't care about lgbt rights, I just don't want my kids brainwashed with these stuff.
Not sure about if such area exists there. But all I care is about schools. And I don't want to be part of a "culture war", I just want a quiet and safe life for me and my family.

A 1hr commute would be acceptable for me, as I will be only going to SV twice per week or so. I've been to Sacramento and it's a very nice city, although I'm not sure if it satisfies my standards..

If you are so sensitive to the mere sight of a rainbow flag that you would immediately run to the principal, you are indeed looking to be part of a culture war. Rainbow flags are all over this state, including in deep red, state of Jefferson areas that usually hate immigrants. You are in for a rough time.

I am positive you will find occasional classrooms in the Sacramento area with rainbow flags.

I'm talking about such flags in the classroom. So far haven't encountered such a situation in Fairfax, and haven't heard about such things from other parents here.

Sorry just saw Sacramento is 2hrs, so that's a bit too much.

Yes, I understand, and I'm telling you, you are too sensitive to flourish in California.

+1 I have to agree. I'm not progressive uber liberal, but if a rainbow flag in a school to show support for lgbtq is going to trigger you, I don't think liberal areas like SV is for you.

What if OP your kid turns out to be gay? Will you disown them?

I'm also an immigrant, conservative family, but my family would never disown a family member for being gay.

OP here. I never said that I will disown a gay or anything like that. But I consider having a rainbow flag or a BLM flag in the classroom not appropriate. Only the American flag should be in the classroom. If I had a teacher bringing liberal political symbols into the classroom, I would send my kid with a MAGA or an all lives matter T-shirt at school (never voted for Trump, after all I don't have voting rights in the US). I never got into such situations in Fairfax schools. If I am guaranteed to face this stuff in CA, I'd rather pass the offer.

Do us Californians a favor and just don’t come.

We moved to DMV area a little more than a year ago from the Peninsula. My kids are at MoCo schools and I don't find the political school politics all that different. My child's middle school teacher here asked for the whole class to use their preferred pronouns whereas in our old elementary school near where you're considering living we had several same-sex families.

Overall, the Bay Area in general will be much more progressive than here and you'll be surrounded by that bubble. Conservatives usually keep it very quiet there. I'm sure your kids will get exposed to gender fluidity etc. in school in the Bay Area just by virtue of living in that culture, not necessarily because anyone will indoctrinate them. But I mean, how's that all that different than here? I see rainbow flags here in any DMV suburb as much as I saw them in the Bay Area. Your kids are already exposed to all these ideas you don't want them to be exposed to. No one will force them to identify as a liberal in the Bay Area, but they'll just be liberals anyway.

Also, just so you know, Danville/Orinda will be far from your work - terrible commute and also they are pretty white. Walnut Creek is more diverse, but again far. San Jose might be closer to what you're looking for, but honestly, since you're so worried about this, I think you'll feel like it's all over the place. The Bay Area is overall more liberal as a society.

For what it's worth, my reasons for moving out of the Bay Area were purely financial. It's way too expensive there and on your salary, even though it's a decent salary, you'll just feel like you're never making enough. There is an absurd level of wealth in the Bay Area, and there's a lot of it everywhere, so your small apartment will soon make you feel like you're poor, even though you'll know you're not poor, but still. It'll feel like it. Can you work virtually?? Maybe that's best of all worlds for you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There are many families just like yours in MV. I haven't heard of any teacher obligating asking of pronouns, but some kids probably offer them. The population is very diverse. This $1k obligatory donation PP is talking about is completely untrue. I do not think they say the pledge of allegiance in the classrooms but I think that has been true for many years afaik (like since the 90s). There aren't rainbow flags in classrooms by policy, but it is possible individual teachers may have one (I have no idea why you would be so triggered by that, though, and I'm doubting the resiliency of you and your kids with that comment).

I don't want to reply to that "resiliency" comment, but what I do want to know is if I get a teacher putting the rainbow flag besides the American flag in the classroom, will I be able to report this to the principal and have the flag taken down? At least here in Fairfax, things are somewhat moderate and we are generally ok with the public school system.
Again I don't want to discuss about my family's values and beliefs, we are who we are. I just don't want to get my kids into an ultra-progressive public school system which is not consistent with our values.

PP who suggested you go to the eastern and inland areas of the BA again. I'm not interested in arguing with you about your politics. I am an expert on California's political climate though and have written many papers and books on the state and on Silicon Valley, in particular. I have lived in the Bay Area and in DC for over three decades.

Based on what you just stated, the places where you would want to live in California will be mostly in the inland, north, and far southeast areas of the state. (Santa Cruz, which you suggested is literally the opposite of the kind of community you seek.) The southern portions of San Jose/Gilroy will be more in your price range, but they aren't especially safe areas and the politics there aren't as conservative as you would like. To the extent they are conservative, at least some portion of that conservatism is anti-immigrant, which would not really help you.

Also, FYI - you say you consider yourself a moderate conservative, but in California most moderate conservatives embrace LGBT rights. By California standards, you are not moderate. You are conservative, full stop. I'm not saying this to insult you, but to help you understand how to find what you want.

FWIW - There are very few places in the Bay Area where even the conservatives would freak out about the presence of a rainbow flag in a classroom. (Frankly, I think that your views aren't even as accepted as you might believe in Fairfax.) I can't think of a single community in the Bay Area where a parent could demand something like that - e.g., take down a rainbow flag - without it turning into a major fight that you would most likely lose.

That said, I think you can find communities here where the liberal politics aren't as "in your face," where the schools are excellent, and where immigrants are welcome. For that, I repeat my recommendation to go through the tunnel to the Lamorinda area (Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, etc.). The other place you could go would be outside Sacramento, but that's way too long for commute. You'd also find a similar fit in the Bakersfield/San Joaquin Valley, but that commute is also brutal.

The easy way to do this is to get out a map and look at the counties and cities where Trump won. Those places are where you will most likely find people with views similar to yours, though they may also be anti-immigrant, which is just something you'll have to navigate.

OP here. Thank you for your reply. Yes I don't want to end up in an unsafe, anti-immigrant community. But at the same time, I don't want to end up in a school with the liberal politics "in my kids face" as you stated. And I consider the rainbow flag part of it, as well as BLM etc. I don't care about lgbt rights, I just don't want my kids brainwashed with these stuff.
Not sure about if such area exists there. But all I care is about schools. And I don't want to be part of a "culture war", I just want a quiet and safe life for me and my family.

A 1hr commute would be acceptable for me, as I will be only going to SV twice per week or so. I've been to Sacramento and it's a very nice city, although I'm not sure if it satisfies my standards..

If you are so sensitive to the mere sight of a rainbow flag that you would immediately run to the principal, you are indeed looking to be part of a culture war. Rainbow flags are all over this state, including in deep red, state of Jefferson areas that usually hate immigrants. You are in for a rough time.

I am positive you will find occasional classrooms in the Sacramento area with rainbow flags.

I'm talking about such flags in the classroom. So far haven't encountered such a situation in Fairfax, and haven't heard about such things from other parents here.

Sorry just saw Sacramento is 2hrs, so that's a bit too much.

Yes, I understand, and I'm telling you, you are too sensitive to flourish in California.

+1 I have to agree. I'm not progressive uber liberal, but if a rainbow flag in a school to show support for lgbtq is going to trigger you, I don't think liberal areas like SV is for you.

What if OP your kid turns out to be gay? Will you disown them?

I'm also an immigrant, conservative family, but my family would never disown a family member for being gay.

OP here. I never said that I will disown a gay or anything like that. But I consider having a rainbow flag or a BLM flag in the classroom not appropriate. Only the American flag should be in the classroom. If I had a teacher bringing liberal political symbols into the classroom, I would send my kid with a MAGA or an all lives matter T-shirt at school (never voted for Trump, after all I don't have voting rights in the US). I never got into such situations in Fairfax schools. If I am guaranteed to face this stuff in CA, I'd rather pass the offer.

Do us Californians a favor and just don’t come.

We moved to DMV area a little more than a year ago from the Peninsula. My kids are at MoCo schools and I don't find the political school politics all that different. My child's middle school teacher here asked for the whole class to use their preferred pronouns whereas in our old elementary school near where you're considering living we had several same-sex families.

Overall, the Bay Area in general will be much more progressive than here and you'll be surrounded by that bubble. Conservatives usually keep it very quiet there. I'm sure your kids will get exposed to gender fluidity etc. in school in the Bay Area just by virtue of living in that culture, not necessarily because anyone will indoctrinate them. But I mean, how's that all that different than here? I see rainbow flags here in any DMV suburb as much as I saw them in the Bay Area. Your kids are already exposed to all these ideas you don't want them to be exposed to. No one will force them to identify as a liberal in the Bay Area, but they'll just be liberals anyway.

Also, just so you know, Danville/Orinda will be far from your work - terrible commute and also they are pretty white. Walnut Creek is more diverse, but again far. San Jose might be closer to what you're looking for, but honestly, since you're so worried about this, I think you'll feel like it's all over the place. The Bay Area is overall more liberal as a society.

For what it's worth, my reasons for moving out of the Bay Area were purely financial. It's way too expensive there and on your salary, even though it's a decent salary, you'll just feel like you're never making enough. There is an absurd level of wealth in the Bay Area, and there's a lot of it everywhere, so your small apartment will soon make you feel like you're poor, even though you'll know you're not poor, but still. It'll feel like it. Can you work virtually?? Maybe that's best of all worlds for you!

Used to be liberal, now it's woke, which is anti-liberal.

[Anonymous]

This thread is nine months old. OP are you still there and what did you decide?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There are many families just like yours in MV. I haven't heard of any teacher obligating asking of pronouns, but some kids probably offer them. The population is very diverse. This $1k obligatory donation PP is talking about is completely untrue. I do not think they say the pledge of allegiance in the classrooms but I think that has been true for many years afaik (like since the 90s). There aren't rainbow flags in classrooms by policy, but it is possible individual teachers may have one (I have no idea why you would be so triggered by that, though, and I'm doubting the resiliency of you and your kids with that comment).

I don't want to reply to that "resiliency" comment, but what I do want to know is if I get a teacher putting the rainbow flag besides the American flag in the classroom, will I be able to report this to the principal and have the flag taken down? At least here in Fairfax, things are somewhat moderate and we are generally ok with the public school system.
Again I don't want to discuss about my family's values and beliefs, we are who we are. I just don't want to get my kids into an ultra-progressive public school system which is not consistent with our values.

PP who suggested you go to the eastern and inland areas of the BA again. I'm not interested in arguing with you about your politics. I am an expert on California's political climate though and have written many papers and books on the state and on Silicon Valley, in particular. I have lived in the Bay Area and in DC for over three decades.

Based on what you just stated, the places where you would want to live in California will be mostly in the inland, north, and far southeast areas of the state. (Santa Cruz, which you suggested is literally the opposite of the kind of community you seek.) The southern portions of San Jose/Gilroy will be more in your price range, but they aren't especially safe areas and the politics there aren't as conservative as you would like. To the extent they are conservative, at least some portion of that conservatism is anti-immigrant, which would not really help you.

Also, FYI - you say you consider yourself a moderate conservative, but in California most moderate conservatives embrace LGBT rights. By California standards, you are not moderate. You are conservative, full stop. I'm not saying this to insult you, but to help you understand how to find what you want.

FWIW - There are very few places in the Bay Area where even the conservatives would freak out about the presence of a rainbow flag in a classroom. (Frankly, I think that your views aren't even as accepted as you might believe in Fairfax.) I can't think of a single community in the Bay Area where a parent could demand something like that - e.g., take down a rainbow flag - without it turning into a major fight that you would most likely lose.

That said, I think you can find communities here where the liberal politics aren't as "in your face," where the schools are excellent, and where immigrants are welcome. For that, I repeat my recommendation to go through the tunnel to the Lamorinda area (Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, etc.). The other place you could go would be outside Sacramento, but that's way too long for commute. You'd also find a similar fit in the Bakersfield/San Joaquin Valley, but that commute is also brutal.

The easy way to do this is to get out a map and look at the counties and cities where Trump won. Those places are where you will most likely find people with views similar to yours, though they may also be anti-immigrant, which is just something you'll have to navigate.

OP here. Thank you for your reply. Yes I don't want to end up in an unsafe, anti-immigrant community. But at the same time, I don't want to end up in a school with the liberal politics "in my kids face" as you stated. And I consider the rainbow flag part of it, as well as BLM etc. I don't care about lgbt rights, I just don't want my kids brainwashed with these stuff.
Not sure about if such area exists there. But all I care is about schools. And I don't want to be part of a "culture war", I just want a quiet and safe life for me and my family.

A 1hr commute would be acceptable for me, as I will be only going to SV twice per week or so. I've been to Sacramento and it's a very nice city, although I'm not sure if it satisfies my standards..

If you are so sensitive to the mere sight of a rainbow flag that you would immediately run to the principal, you are indeed looking to be part of a culture war. Rainbow flags are all over this state, including in deep red, state of Jefferson areas that usually hate immigrants. You are in for a rough time.

I am positive you will find occasional classrooms in the Sacramento area with rainbow flags.

I'm talking about such flags in the classroom. So far haven't encountered such a situation in Fairfax, and haven't heard about such things from other parents here.

Sorry just saw Sacramento is 2hrs, so that's a bit too much.

Yes, I understand, and I'm telling you, you are too sensitive to flourish in California.

+1 I have to agree. I'm not progressive uber liberal, but if a rainbow flag in a school to show support for lgbtq is going to trigger you, I don't think liberal areas like SV is for you.

What if OP your kid turns out to be gay? Will you disown them?

I'm also an immigrant, conservative family, but my family would never disown a family member for being gay.

OP here. I never said that I will disown a gay or anything like that. But I consider having a rainbow flag or a BLM flag in the classroom not appropriate. Only the American flag should be in the classroom. If I had a teacher bringing liberal political symbols into the classroom, I would send my kid with a MAGA or an all lives matter T-shirt at school (never voted for Trump, after all I don't have voting rights in the US). I never got into such situations in Fairfax schools. If I am guaranteed to face this stuff in CA, I'd rather pass the offer.

Do us Californians a favor and just don’t come.

We moved to DMV area a little more than a year ago from the Peninsula. My kids are at MoCo schools and I don't find the political school politics all that different. My child's middle school teacher here asked for the whole class to use their preferred pronouns whereas in our old elementary school near where you're considering living we had several same-sex families.

Overall, the Bay Area in general will be much more progressive than here and you'll be surrounded by that bubble. Conservatives usually keep it very quiet there. I'm sure your kids will get exposed to gender fluidity etc. in school in the Bay Area just by virtue of living in that culture, not necessarily because anyone will indoctrinate them. But I mean, how's that all that different than here? I see rainbow flags here in any DMV suburb as much as I saw them in the Bay Area. Your kids are already exposed to all these ideas you don't want them to be exposed to. No one will force them to identify as a liberal in the Bay Area, but they'll just be liberals anyway.

Also, just so you know, Danville/Orinda will be far from your work - terrible commute and also they are pretty white. Walnut Creek is more diverse, but again far. San Jose might be closer to what you're looking for, but honestly, since you're so worried about this, I think you'll feel like it's all over the place. The Bay Area is overall more liberal as a society.

For what it's worth, my reasons for moving out of the Bay Area were purely financial. It's way too expensive there and on your salary, even though it's a decent salary, you'll just feel like you're never making enough. There is an absurd level of wealth in the Bay Area, and there's a lot of it everywhere, so your small apartment will soon make you feel like you're poor, even though you'll know you're not poor, but still. It'll feel like it. Can you work virtually?? Maybe that's best of all worlds for you!

Used to be liberal, now it's woke, which is anti-liberal.

WTF is that even supposed to mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I get your point about the income. That's why I am trying to see if there's any possibility in living in a cheaper area which is "commutable" to SV twice per week, and possibly leaving room for a private school. What about Monterey county?

Regarding the privilege bingo thing - I'm not looking if that particular "privilege bingo" is part of a curriculum. I just brought it up as an example of something which was not acceptable in Fairfax, if (hypothetically) existed in SV if it would be acceptable. Based on other's comments it would, and for me this is a no-no.

Regarding pronouns - ok about "they" etc, but is it fine if a kid refuses to identify pronouns? Will that kid be still "welcome", or will it get "ostracized"?

Prepare to spend 4+ hours commuting.

To get to SV from Monterey you have to get through the Santa Cruz mountains.

One day, around 10am on a weekday, go onto google maps, and map from Monterey to SV. See how long google maps is telling you it would take.

A PP had it right.. if you want less liberal, you need to move way further out, which means it's not only cheaper, but the commute will be hell.

Also, CA is looking to slow down math progression which prevents students from taking Alg 1 until they reach HS, so if that's important to you, then be aware. They like to frame it as "harder Algebra 1" in 9th, but this leads to kids doubling math (Alg and Geometry) in order to reach Calc by 12th grade. And yep, it's all in the name of equity.

https://edsource.org/2021/california-math-guidance-sparks-new-curriculum-controversy-among-parents/655272


https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2021/11/california-math/

But this isn't true for private schools, is it? Maybe OP can look at private schools in wealthy areas and see if he can qualify for financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There are many families just like yours in MV. I haven't heard of any teacher obligating asking of pronouns, but some kids probably offer them. The population is very diverse. This $1k obligatory donation PP is talking about is completely untrue. I do not think they say the pledge of allegiance in the classrooms but I think that has been true for many years afaik (like since the 90s). There aren't rainbow flags in classrooms by policy, but it is possible individual teachers may have one (I have no idea why you would be so triggered by that, though, and I'm doubting the resiliency of you and your kids with that comment).

I don't want to reply to that "resiliency" comment, but what I do want to know is if I get a teacher putting the rainbow flag besides the American flag in the classroom, will I be able to report this to the principal and have the flag taken down? At least here in Fairfax, things are somewhat moderate and we are generally ok with the public school system.
Again I don't want to discuss about my family's values and beliefs, we are who we are. I just don't want to get my kids into an ultra-progressive public school system which is not consistent with our values.

PP who suggested you go to the eastern and inland areas of the BA again. I'm not interested in arguing with you about your politics. I am an expert on California's political climate though and have written many papers and books on the state and on Silicon Valley, in particular. I have lived in the Bay Area and in DC for over three decades.

Based on what you just stated, the places where you would want to live in California will be mostly in the inland, north, and far southeast areas of the state. (Santa Cruz, which you suggested is literally the opposite of the kind of community you seek.) The southern portions of San Jose/Gilroy will be more in your price range, but they aren't especially safe areas and the politics there aren't as conservative as you would like. To the extent they are conservative, at least some portion of that conservatism is anti-immigrant, which would not really help you.

Also, FYI - you say you consider yourself a moderate conservative, but in California most moderate conservatives embrace LGBT rights. By California standards, you are not moderate. You are conservative, full stop. I'm not saying this to insult you, but to help you understand how to find what you want.

FWIW - There are very few places in the Bay Area where even the conservatives would freak out about the presence of a rainbow flag in a classroom. (Frankly, I think that your views aren't even as accepted as you might believe in Fairfax.) I can't think of a single community in the Bay Area where a parent could demand something like that - e.g., take down a rainbow flag - without it turning into a major fight that you would most likely lose.

That said, I think you can find communities here where the liberal politics aren't as "in your face," where the schools are excellent, and where immigrants are welcome. For that, I repeat my recommendation to go through the tunnel to the Lamorinda area (Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, etc.). The other place you could go would be outside Sacramento, but that's way too long for commute. You'd also find a similar fit in the Bakersfield/San Joaquin Valley, but that commute is also brutal.

The easy way to do this is to get out a map and look at the counties and cities where Trump won. Those places are where you will most likely find people with views similar to yours, though they may also be anti-immigrant, which is just something you'll have to navigate.

OP here. Thank you for your reply. Yes I don't want to end up in an unsafe, anti-immigrant community. But at the same time, I don't want to end up in a school with the liberal politics "in my kids face" as you stated. And I consider the rainbow flag part of it, as well as BLM etc. I don't care about lgbt rights, I just don't want my kids brainwashed with these stuff.
Not sure about if such area exists there. But all I care is about schools. And I don't want to be part of a "culture war", I just want a quiet and safe life for me and my family.

A 1hr commute would be acceptable for me, as I will be only going to SV twice per week or so. I've been to Sacramento and it's a very nice city, although I'm not sure if it satisfies my standards..

If you are so sensitive to the mere sight of a rainbow flag that you would immediately run to the principal, you are indeed looking to be part of a culture war. Rainbow flags are all over this state, including in deep red, state of Jefferson areas that usually hate immigrants. You are in for a rough time.

I am positive you will find occasional classrooms in the Sacramento area with rainbow flags.

I'm talking about such flags in the classroom. So far haven't encountered such a situation in Fairfax, and haven't heard about such things from other parents here.

Sorry just saw Sacramento is 2hrs, so that's a bit too much.

Yes, I understand, and I'm telling you, you are too sensitive to flourish in California.

+1 I have to agree. I'm not progressive uber liberal, but if a rainbow flag in a school to show support for lgbtq is going to trigger you, I don't think liberal areas like SV is for you.

What if OP your kid turns out to be gay? Will you disown them?

I'm also an immigrant, conservative family, but my family would never disown a family member for being gay.

OP here. I never said that I will disown a gay or anything like that. But I consider having a rainbow flag or a BLM flag in the classroom not appropriate. Only the American flag should be in the classroom. If I had a teacher bringing liberal political symbols into the classroom, I would send my kid with a MAGA or an all lives matter T-shirt at school (never voted for Trump, after all I don't have voting rights in the US). I never got into such situations in Fairfax schools. If I am guaranteed to face this stuff in CA, I'd rather pass the offer.

Do us Californians a favor and just don’t come.

We moved to DMV area a little more than a year ago from the Peninsula. My kids are at MoCo schools and I don't find the political school politics all that different. My child's middle school teacher here asked for the whole class to use their preferred pronouns whereas in our old elementary school near where you're considering living we had several same-sex families.

Overall, the Bay Area in general will be much more progressive than here and you'll be surrounded by that bubble. Conservatives usually keep it very quiet there. I'm sure your kids will get exposed to gender fluidity etc. in school in the Bay Area just by virtue of living in that culture, not necessarily because anyone will indoctrinate them. But I mean, how's that all that different than here? I see rainbow flags here in any DMV suburb as much as I saw them in the Bay Area. Your kids are already exposed to all these ideas you don't want them to be exposed to. No one will force them to identify as a liberal in the Bay Area, but they'll just be liberals anyway.

Also, just so you know, Danville/Orinda will be far from your work - terrible commute and also they are pretty white. Walnut Creek is more diverse, but again far. San Jose might be closer to what you're looking for, but honestly, since you're so worried about this, I think you'll feel like it's all over the place. The Bay Area is overall more liberal as a society.

For what it's worth, my reasons for moving out of the Bay Area were purely financial. It's way too expensive there and on your salary, even though it's a decent salary, you'll just feel like you're never making enough. There is an absurd level of wealth in the Bay Area, and there's a lot of it everywhere, so your small apartment will soon make you feel like you're poor, even though you'll know you're not poor, but still. It'll feel like it. Can you work virtually?? Maybe that's best of all worlds for you!

Used to be liberal, now it's woke, which is anti-liberal.

WTF is that even supposed to mean?

Classical liberalism was all about the free exchange of ideas. Now, expressing a wrong idea gets you labelled with an epithet and excommunicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There are many families just like yours in MV. I haven't heard of any teacher obligating asking of pronouns, but some kids probably offer them. The population is very diverse. This $1k obligatory donation PP is talking about is completely untrue. I do not think they say the pledge of allegiance in the classrooms but I think that has been true for many years afaik (like since the 90s). There aren't rainbow flags in classrooms by policy, but it is possible individual teachers may have one (I have no idea why you would be so triggered by that, though, and I'm doubting the resiliency of you and your kids with that comment).

I don't want to reply to that "resiliency" comment, but what I do want to know is if I get a teacher putting the rainbow flag besides the American flag in the classroom, will I be able to report this to the principal and have the flag taken down? At least here in Fairfax, things are somewhat moderate and we are generally ok with the public school system.
Again I don't want to discuss about my family's values and beliefs, we are who we are. I just don't want to get my kids into an ultra-progressive public school system which is not consistent with our values.

PP who suggested you go to the eastern and inland areas of the BA again. I'm not interested in arguing with you about your politics. I am an expert on California's political climate though and have written many papers and books on the state and on Silicon Valley, in particular. I have lived in the Bay Area and in DC for over three decades.

Based on what you just stated, the places where you would want to live in California will be mostly in the inland, north, and far southeast areas of the state. (Santa Cruz, which you suggested is literally the opposite of the kind of community you seek.) The southern portions of San Jose/Gilroy will be more in your price range, but they aren't especially safe areas and the politics there aren't as conservative as you would like. To the extent they are conservative, at least some portion of that conservatism is anti-immigrant, which would not really help you.

Also, FYI - you say you consider yourself a moderate conservative, but in California most moderate conservatives embrace LGBT rights. By California standards, you are not moderate. You are conservative, full stop. I'm not saying this to insult you, but to help you understand how to find what you want.

FWIW - There are very few places in the Bay Area where even the conservatives would freak out about the presence of a rainbow flag in a classroom. (Frankly, I think that your views aren't even as accepted as you might believe in Fairfax.) I can't think of a single community in the Bay Area where a parent could demand something like that - e.g., take down a rainbow flag - without it turning into a major fight that you would most likely lose.

That said, I think you can find communities here where the liberal politics aren't as "in your face," where the schools are excellent, and where immigrants are welcome. For that, I repeat my recommendation to go through the tunnel to the Lamorinda area (Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, etc.). The other place you could go would be outside Sacramento, but that's way too long for commute. You'd also find a similar fit in the Bakersfield/San Joaquin Valley, but that commute is also brutal.

The easy way to do this is to get out a map and look at the counties and cities where Trump won. Those places are where you will most likely find people with views similar to yours, though they may also be anti-immigrant, which is just something you'll have to navigate.

OP here. Thank you for your reply. Yes I don't want to end up in an unsafe, anti-immigrant community. But at the same time, I don't want to end up in a school with the liberal politics "in my kids face" as you stated. And I consider the rainbow flag part of it, as well as BLM etc. I don't care about lgbt rights, I just don't want my kids brainwashed with these stuff.
Not sure about if such area exists there. But all I care is about schools. And I don't want to be part of a "culture war", I just want a quiet and safe life for me and my family.

A 1hr commute would be acceptable for me, as I will be only going to SV twice per week or so. I've been to Sacramento and it's a very nice city, although I'm not sure if it satisfies my standards..

If you are so sensitive to the mere sight of a rainbow flag that you would immediately run to the principal, you are indeed looking to be part of a culture war. Rainbow flags are all over this state, including in deep red, state of Jefferson areas that usually hate immigrants. You are in for a rough time.

I am positive you will find occasional classrooms in the Sacramento area with rainbow flags.

I'm talking about such flags in the classroom. So far haven't encountered such a situation in Fairfax, and haven't heard about such things from other parents here.

Sorry just saw Sacramento is 2hrs, so that's a bit too much.

Yes, I understand, and I'm telling you, you are too sensitive to flourish in California.

+1 I have to agree. I'm not progressive uber liberal, but if a rainbow flag in a school to show support for lgbtq is going to trigger you, I don't think liberal areas like SV is for you.

What if OP your kid turns out to be gay? Will you disown them?

I'm also an immigrant, conservative family, but my family would never disown a family member for being gay.

OP here. I never said that I will disown a gay or anything like that. But I consider having a rainbow flag or a BLM flag in the classroom not appropriate. Only the American flag should be in the classroom. If I had a teacher bringing liberal political symbols into the classroom, I would send my kid with a MAGA or an all lives matter T-shirt at school (never voted for Trump, after all I don't have voting rights in the US). I never got into such situations in Fairfax schools. If I am guaranteed to face this stuff in CA, I'd rather pass the offer.

Do us Californians a favor and just don’t come.

We moved to DMV area a little more than a year ago from the Peninsula. My kids are at MoCo schools and I don't find the political school politics all that different. My child's middle school teacher here asked for the whole class to use their preferred pronouns whereas in our old elementary school near where you're considering living we had several same-sex families.

Overall, the Bay Area in general will be much more progressive than here and you'll be surrounded by that bubble. Conservatives usually keep it very quiet there. I'm sure your kids will get exposed to gender fluidity etc. in school in the Bay Area just by virtue of living in that culture, not necessarily because anyone will indoctrinate them. But I mean, how's that all that different than here? I see rainbow flags here in any DMV suburb as much as I saw them in the Bay Area. Your kids are already exposed to all these ideas you don't want them to be exposed to. No one will force them to identify as a liberal in the Bay Area, but they'll just be liberals anyway.

Also, just so you know, Danville/Orinda will be far from your work - terrible commute and also they are pretty white. Walnut Creek is more diverse, but again far. San Jose might be closer to what you're looking for, but honestly, since you're so worried about this, I think you'll feel like it's all over the place. The Bay Area is overall more liberal as a society.

For what it's worth, my reasons for moving out of the Bay Area were purely financial. It's way too expensive there and on your salary, even though it's a decent salary, you'll just feel like you're never making enough. There is an absurd level of wealth in the Bay Area, and there's a lot of it everywhere, so your small apartment will soon make you feel like you're poor, even though you'll know you're not poor, but still. It'll feel like it. Can you work virtually?? Maybe that's best of all worlds for you!

Used to be liberal, now it's woke, which is anti-liberal.

WTF is that even supposed to mean?

Classical liberalism was all about the free exchange of ideas. Now, expressing a wrong idea gets you labelled with an epithet and excommunicated.

+1. Peninsula here. There is absolutely nothing liberal about a society that requires accepting the party line and offering only approbation and disapproval to those that don't. Those of us old enough to remember the world before 1989 know what we used to call it. FWIW OP, there are a lot more people in the Bay Area who agree with you than you might think. But beware, we're all too afraid to say anything.