Is busing really an option?

[Anonymous]

All this discussion about the RFP coming out for the boundary study and now the sound bites out there between Biden and Harris about busing policies in the 70s and 80s, do you really think busing is a practical solution to the MCPS achievement gap? I just don't see busing as a solution that will have us all living happily ever after. And as Biden said, it would be a "bankrupt policy." I am not as concerned about boundary changes, but I know others are. As long as students don't have to have ridiculously long commutes, I don't see it as much of an issue. But I also don't see the boundary changes (without busing) making much of an impact. A perfect example are some of the coveted W boundaries, which if changed, would not really change much of the racial landscape within the schools. We live in the Churchill district, and moving boundaries will not make much of an impact...we border other W districts, so there's that. What a waste of money.

[Anonymous]

In my understanding, busing brings kids out of boundary. If the boundaries are changed, it’s not busing.

Now, maybe you really mean: Does it make a difference to integrate schools racially and socioeconomically?

Yes, it can. But not because black and brown children are magically elevated by the mere presence of white and Asian peers. In our district, there’s been documented inequities in who has access to rigorous courses and other opportunities. MCPS has hidden this as an issue of high FARMs clusters being overloaded. Let’s break up the high FARMs clusters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my understanding, busing brings kids out of boundary. If the boundaries are changed, it’s not busing.

Now, maybe you really mean: Does it make a difference to integrate schools racially and socioeconomically?

Yes, it can. But not because black and brown children are magically elevated by the mere presence of white and Asian peers. In our district, there’s been documented inequities in who has access to rigorous courses and other opportunities. MCPS has hidden this as an issue of high FARMs clusters being overloaded. Let’s break up the high FARMs clusters.

DP - currently reading this book to see what it has to say. And agree -- I don't think MCPS is talking about busing. They are talking about tweaking boundaries.

https://www.amazon.com/Children-Dream-School-Integration-Works/dp/1541672704

[Anonymous]

Busing already happens in MoCo schools. I live in the DCC-- zoned to Einstein in Kensington. Kids are bused all over the DCC for High School.

Kids who live in town of Kensington (less than a mile to Einstein and Newport Mill MS) are bused to WJ and NBMS.

Until the past two years, kids were bused from Silver Spring over to Westland MS and they are still bused to BCC HS.

Busing is absolutely going on (and has been going on for years). Now they are looking at redrawing boundary lines again. I think it is a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Busing already happens in MoCo schools. I live in the DCC-- zoned to Einstein in Kensington. Kids are bused all over the DCC for High School.

Kids who live in town of Kensington (less than a mile to Einstein and Newport Mill MS) are bused to WJ and NBMS.

Until the past two years, kids were bused from Silver Spring over to Westland MS and they are still bused to BCC HS.

Busing is absolutely going on (and has been going on for years). Now they are looking at redrawing boundary lines again. I think it is a good thing.

That is a lot different than busing a kid from Whitman to Kennedy, for example. In order to move kids to schools that will make an impact in terms of diversity, the kids from Churchill and Whitman would need to travel ridiculous distances. That will NEVER happen. And those are the schools that need diversity more than ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All this discussion about the RFP coming out for the boundary study and now the sound bites out there between Biden and Harris about busing policies in the 70s and 80s, do you really think busing is a practical solution to the MCPS achievement gap? I just don't see busing as a solution that will have us all living happily ever after. And as Biden said, it would be a "bankrupt policy." I am not as concerned about boundary changes, but I know others are. As long as students don't have to have ridiculously long commutes, I don't see it as much of an issue. But I also don't see the boundary changes (without busing) making much of an impact. A perfect example are some of the coveted W boundaries, which if changed, would not really change much of the racial landscape within the schools. We live in the Churchill district, and moving boundaries will not make much of an impact...we border other W districts, so there's that. What a waste of money.

I think Churchill and Whitman are going to be the least likely to have boundary changes that result in any significant demographic shifts, just because of their geography. Other clusters have more options for redrawing lines that would make any sense. No one on the BOE was advocating for busing students long distances from their homes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All this discussion about the RFP coming out for the boundary study and now the sound bites out there between Biden and Harris about busing policies in the 70s and 80s, do you really think busing is a practical solution to the MCPS achievement gap? I just don't see busing as a solution that will have us all living happily ever after. And as Biden said, it would be a "bankrupt policy." I am not as concerned about boundary changes, but I know others are. As long as students don't have to have ridiculously long commutes, I don't see it as much of an issue. But I also don't see the boundary changes (without busing) making much of an impact. A perfect example are some of the coveted W boundaries, which if changed, would not really change much of the racial landscape within the schools. We live in the Churchill district, and moving boundaries will not make much of an impact...we border other W districts, so there's that. What a waste of money.

OP, when you say "busing," what do you mean? Could you give an example?

As you probably know, lots and lots and lots of MCPS students currently get school bus service to school. And lots and lots of MCPS students currently don't go to their geographically-nearest school. And the BoE currently takes demographics into account when establishing school boundaries (and has done so for decades). And MCPS is one school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All this discussion about the RFP coming out for the boundary study and now the sound bites out there between Biden and Harris about busing policies in the 70s and 80s, do you really think busing is a practical solution to the MCPS achievement gap? I just don't see busing as a solution that will have us all living happily ever after. And as Biden said, it would be a "bankrupt policy." I am not as concerned about boundary changes, but I know others are. As long as students don't have to have ridiculously long commutes, I don't see it as much of an issue. But I also don't see the boundary changes (without busing) making much of an impact. A perfect example are some of the coveted W boundaries, which if changed, would not really change much of the racial landscape within the schools. We live in the Churchill district, and moving boundaries will not make much of an impact...we border other W districts, so there's that. What a waste of money.

I think Churchill and Whitman are going to be the least likely to have boundary changes that result in any significant demographic shifts, just because of their geography. Other clusters have more options for redrawing lines that would make any sense. No one on the BOE was advocating for busing students long distances from their homes.

Correct. The only proposal on the table is to adjust school boundaries to address a variety of issues, including over/under utilization in adjoining attendance zones AND increasing integration.

Busing is not on the table, and has never been on the table.

[Anonymous]

Busing cannot work in high traffic areas, period. I don’t want kids with hour+ commutes clogging roads, it’s not to anyone’s benefit.

However, I am ALL in favor of more rent-controlled housing in expensive areas. I live in Bethesda and it’s turning into Wealth central. Decades ago, it was an unassuming suburb.
It is SO incredibly important to have a balanced population in every community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Correct. The only proposal on the table is to adjust school boundaries to address a variety of issues, including over/under utilization in adjoining attendance zones AND increasing integration.

Busing is not on the table, and has never been on the table.

Arguably we already have busing since the 1970s. Some of the people who oppose the boundary analysis, citing busing (and/or their property values), have kids who are bused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All this discussion about the RFP coming out for the boundary study and now the sound bites out there between Biden and Harris about busing policies in the 70s and 80s, do you really think busing is a practical solution to the MCPS achievement gap? I just don't see busing as a solution that will have us all living happily ever after. And as Biden said, it would be a "bankrupt policy." I am not as concerned about boundary changes, but I know others are. As long as students don't have to have ridiculously long commutes, I don't see it as much of an issue. But I also don't see the boundary changes (without busing) making much of an impact. A perfect example are some of the coveted W boundaries, which if changed, would not really change much of the racial landscape within the schools. We live in the Churchill district, and moving boundaries will not make much of an impact...we border other W districts, so there's that. What a waste of money.

I think Churchill and Whitman are going to be the least likely to have boundary changes that result in any significant demographic shifts, just because of their geography. Other clusters have more options for redrawing lines that would make any sense. No one on the BOE was advocating for busing students long distances from their homes.

Correct. The only proposal on the table is to adjust school boundaries to address a variety of issues, including over/under utilization in adjoining attendance zones AND increasing integration.

Busing is not on the table, and has never been on the table.

really?

2011 - https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/about/redistricting.aspx

Are you new to the county?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Busing already happens in MoCo schools. I live in the DCC-- zoned to Einstein in Kensington. Kids are bused all over the DCC for High School.

Kids who live in town of Kensington (less than a mile to Einstein and Newport Mill MS) are bused to WJ and NBMS.

Until the past two years, kids were bused from Silver Spring over to Westland MS and they are still bused to BCC HS.

Busing is absolutely going on (and has been going on for years). Now they are looking at redrawing boundary lines again. I think it is a good thing.

Historically, busing as an integration strategy means sending poor and/or minority kids outside of their assigned in-boundary school. So, I would argue what you describe is not busing. What you describe is a form of gerrymandering boundary lines to change the demographics of a school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All this discussion about the RFP coming out for the boundary study and now the sound bites out there between Biden and Harris about busing policies in the 70s and 80s, do you really think busing is a practical solution to the MCPS achievement gap? I just don't see busing as a solution that will have us all living happily ever after. And as Biden said, it would be a "bankrupt policy." I am not as concerned about boundary changes, but I know others are. As long as students don't have to have ridiculously long commutes, I don't see it as much of an issue. But I also don't see the boundary changes (without busing) making much of an impact. A perfect example are some of the coveted W boundaries, which if changed, would not really change much of the racial landscape within the schools. We live in the Churchill district, and moving boundaries will not make much of an impact...we border other W districts, so there's that. What a waste of money.

I think Churchill and Whitman are going to be the least likely to have boundary changes that result in any significant demographic shifts, just because of their geography. Other clusters have more options for redrawing lines that would make any sense. No one on the BOE was advocating for busing students long distances from their homes.

Correct. The only proposal on the table is to adjust school boundaries to address a variety of issues, including over/under utilization in adjoining attendance zones AND increasing integration.

Busing is not on the table, and has never been on the table.

really?

2011 - https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/about/redistricting.aspx

Are you new to the county?

The link you provided is gerrymandering

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Busing cannot work in high traffic areas, period. I don’t want kids with hour+ commutes clogging roads, it’s not to anyone’s benefit.

However, I am ALL in favor of more rent-controlled housing in expensive areas. I live in Bethesda and it’s turning into Wealth central. Decades ago, it was an unassuming suburb.
It is SO incredibly important to have a balanced population in every community.

According to some people in Darnestown, this is the current reality.

If you want housing in the Bethesda area to be less expensive, the easiest way is to rezone all of the areas where only single-family houses in yards are allowed, to also allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Historically, busing as an integration strategy means sending poor and/or minority kids outside of their assigned in-boundary school. So, I would argue what you describe is not busing. What you describe is a form of gerrymandering boundary lines to change the demographics of a school.

Semantics. First define busing as something MCPS doesn't do, and then say that MCPS doesn't have busing.

Similarly, I could define gerrymandering as something that only applies to voting districts and then say that MCPS doesn't have gerrymandering.