Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Blue Valley School displaces little kids


You would think that by building a big shiny new school Blue Valley people who lived around it would be happy. Not in JOCO. We have the whole country....uh the whole world....convinced that Blue Valley Schools are among the best available anywhere but parents still can't be happy.


I've been following this new school boundary issue and it was resolved last night at the School Board meeting. Parents are upset that their kids will have to leave Cedar Hills Elementary and go to the new and yet un-named school. In addition, the kids will have to go 1.8 miles further to get to the new Southwest High school.......oh the unjustice of it all. One father citing safety commented that their child would have to drive an additional 650 miles to high school each year. I'm guessing they will be safe enough driving that Mercedes you bought her for her 16th birthday.


So let me get this right......parents from Cedar Hills Elementary feel wronged because their kids will have to go another new Blue Valley Elementary school that is just as beautiful and just as loaded with stuff and about the same distance away as the one they left. It is like some people have nothing better to do with their time.


Just for the record, I'm speaking with some experience on the issue so before you write me and tell me I don't understand or wait until it happens to your kid....blah, blah....it did already. Our neighbors threw a fit as well. The old school according to them was just so incredible, the principal so incredible, the school community so nurturing that they just couldn't stand the idea of being sent to the new school. It was so unfair. So they fought and fought for exceptions, for being being grandfathered in if they had an older sibling that went there......on an on and on. We were excited to go to the new school. The old one was pretty crowded....isn't that why they build new schools anyway?


Long story shorter......we love the new school. It is such a great place. It is such a great place and now it is the envy of those who didn't go. Sucks to be them.


I can't see myself bitching and moaning over which rich, has everything school my kid goes to these days. Can you imagine how this looks to some poor mom living over in KCMO at about 40th and Troost? Seriously. Her kids still might not have books. It is pathetic and sad.


Laura Butler commented that they were told 5 years ago the last boundary change was "pretty much permanent" and is upset they are moving it again. Uh, Laura....how many years are your kids in elementary school? Is it a right that all your kids should get to go to the same school? She admitted it was an emotional issue for her......really?


Other parents said......make the kids from Liberty View and Morse go to the new school....why their kids and not yours? You make no sense. Spoiled JOCO parents create spoiled JOCO kids who think nothing really applies to them.


The parents ask for so many exceptions that what they really want amounts to open enrollment...pick your school.


Why are Blue Valley Parents so lame when it comes to this stuff?



7 comments:

Kansas Sity Sinic said...

As a product of Blue Valley schools with their incessant building and constant border changing, I have an opinion on this.

I went to _______ Elementary until the fourth grade, when they built _______ Elementary closer to my home, so I transferred for fifth grade, leaving 80% of my childhood friends behind (my LAST year of elementary school how tragic!).

Then, after two years at ________ middle school, (with all of my old friends from my k-4 elementary years) they built a new middle school closer to my home to accompany said elementary--and I was supposed to go there for 8th grade--about 30 kids out of 300 were affected by this--once again leaving the majority of my friends behind.

Keep in mind, at the time, "playdates" were non-existent, there was no texting/twitting/flikring. AOL was barely in existence, so staying in contact with old friends wasn't as easy as it is with today's technology standards.

Thankfully, that didn't happen, and I got to stay at my middle school (due to my hard working JoCo 'rents).

My point is--although I think it is somewhat unavoidable, it can be hard for kids to constantly move around. Elementary school doesn't really count because you have a new BFF everyday--but it's harder for the older kiddos.

Well educated and outstanding BV grad,
KSS

JOCOeveryman said...

But seriously, once in 5 years? I'm not sure I'd call it tragic and judging by the quality of your "best of joco blog" I can see you weren't affected much except.....

Pretty thoughtful response by the Sinic!

Kansas Sity Sinic said...

That's two moves..(three if my parents didnt contest it) once to new elementary, and once to old elementary's middle school counterpart.

But yes, not that big of a deal. I clearly survived.

JOCOeveryman said...

You could have lived in O-Town like me and if you lived on West side of town...like me you never had to worry about a new school, or a new ball, or a new book, or a new adding machine er....

Glad you turned out okay.

Kansas Sity Sinic said...

JE--are you friends with Hap Hazard?

If so, I'm jealous.

Unknown said...

It is our bitching that makes JOCOians great.

Kansas Sity Sinic said...

TKC has a crush on you

http://www.tonyskansascity.com/2009/01/best-blogger-post-of-day-privilege-and.html