Reply to MoCo is diverse, for sure, but MCPS schools are not

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Reply to "MoCo is diverse, for sure, but MCPS schools are not"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]"I guess it depends on what you think the main purpose of MCPS is -- maintaining property values, or educating children. "

:) nice point.

Just finished reading Savage Inequalities yesterday - right as OP posted this. The book is pretty old (released I think in the early 90s) but it's amazing how little has changed. The only benefit the poor schools in MoCo have over the defacto segregated schools the book spotlights is that MoCo funding levels are equitable across the county (w/ even a bit more poured into needy schools) so that it is not a slam dunk that the wealthy schools will have low class counts & great buildings while the poor schools have high kid counts & crappy buildings. And teacher pay is I think the same throughout the county. So on the plus side, MoCo already does do a number of things to help make the funding inequalities so stark; the problem is though that in addition you also need to dilute a bit the concentration levels of needy kids so that they are not overwhelming any given school. [b]MoCo is not at all prepared to do that.[/b] [/quote]

I don't know if MoCo is not prepared to do that, but through ongoing policy choices, it continually chooses not to do that.[/quote]

So what is the solution?  Forced busing?  Open all schools to lottery so that all kids might be bused 2-3 hours each day to school?  Force developers to build low-income housing projects in wealthy neighborhoods, or prohibit further development of expensive housing in W districts?  I'm wondering what *specifically* MoCo and MCPS should do beyond what it's doing?[/quote]

For starters, designate X% of new housing in wealthy areas as affordable housing.

Change zoning to allow for multi-family housing in wealthy areas, and designate X% of that housing as affordable housing.

Allow for accessory apartments in wealthy areas.

Those are off the top of my head.  I'm sure there are more ways to do it (and without busing, not that I am opposed to busing).

RE busing:  It already happens throughout the county.  The nearest high school to us is 1.2 miles away - but our home HS is 5.5 miles away.  My kids are bused to their high school, even though they could walk to the one that is closer.  Why?  Socioeconomic gerrymandering.  That is busing. [/quote]

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