Moving to Detroit from Sweden; any advice?

[KOMPOST]

You are totally wrong. I never said that enrolling them in a suburban school will eliminate their problems. I have personally known people that have moved from overseas and enrolled in suburban schools and had an incredibly difficult time, but the schools in Detroit present problems all of their own, which are an addition to the problems that any new person might experience. Detroit Public Schools present problems for Detroiters. Your comment is ignorant and misinformed, and my attempt at trying to tell this person the truth for the sake of their children should not be seen as "ethnocentric."

Yep, and your experience and that of people you have "personally known" will be the experience of all.
So let it be done.

[Jason]

I think this is debatable.

According to Schooldigger [[which compares test score performance), Chrysler Elementary [[which folks are repeatedly singling out as a top performing Detroit school) is very average relative to all schools statewide.

If Chrysler is only average statewide, it's probably considerably below-average compared to typical suburban districts.

It's also a relatively high poverty school with essentially no racial diversity. Given the poverty, one could argue it's extremely successful in comparison to similar schools [[high poverty African American).

But it's difficult to argue that Chrysler students perform as well as or better than the suburban schools.

Source-http://www.schooldigger.com/go/MI/sc...75/school.aspx

They're using the MEAP english and math scores added together to rank them.

Chrysler is 184.4

Conant is 188.6
Eastover is 190.1
Lone Pine isn't rated the same way as the others
Way is 197.5

Chrysler doesn't have many students so from year to year the stats won't be as stable. You can see on the ranking that they dropped 399 ranks, which looking means that last year they were about 191, and looking at other school sites which have older stats, that's the more typical scoring.

So to me it looks like Chrysler Elementary fits in with Bloomfield Hill's elementary schools. The difference between the rating is a handful of students. Or if Chrysler really is just an average school it doesn't speak well about the quality of Boomfield Hills, if for all its greatness it's only 5% better.

And yeah, you can pick out the very best Elementary Schools in the region and Chrysler isn't one of them, but it's not a bad school, and it's definitely not as bad as people would like to make out with their "BUT DPS!!!!" talk.

[donpablo]

here is my guess;

85% of negative replies to this thread [[saying not to move to Detroit) are by people who don't even live here and 100% of those who say you shouldn't send your kids to Detroit Public Schools, don't have any kids in DPS

Keep generalizing ignorant ones...

[mikeinmotown]

If you not dealing drugs or buying prostitutes Detroit is a pretty safe place. Most crime is cars getting broken into. I live in Lafayett Park and love it. I am away from the downtown enough that its quite and close enough to downtown to walk to work. I suggest you rent a place before you buy. There are plenty of grocery stores in a 5 mile area. Don't let other people tell you there is no place to shop. It's just not true. Welcome and if you need a tour guide let me know.

[mikeinmotown]

here is my guess;

85% of negative replies to this thread [[saying not to move to Detroit) are by people who don't even live here and 100% of those who say you shouldn't send your kids to Detroit Public Schools, don't have any kids in DPS

Keep generalizing ignorant ones...

You are 100% correct. Ignorant.

[ndavies]

Ignorance is sticking your head in the sand and discounting other peoples experiences. Ignorance is believing just because it didn't happen to you, it didn't happen. Ignorance is believing People with a bad opinion of Detroit don't live in the city.

Ignorance is denying you are far more likely to be a victim of violent crime in Detroit than anywhere else in the state. Ignorance is denying your child is far less likely to graduate from DPS than any other schools system in Michigan. Ignorance is denying Detroit tax rates aren't higher than any other jurisdiction in the state. Ignorance is denying the cops are least likely to show up if you call them and you live in the city of Detroit. Ignorance is denying you'll have to wait 30 minutes on average for a bus to show up.

Ignorance is trying to fool a foreigner into believing Detroit is a functional city.

[313WX]

Ignorance is sticking your head in the sand and discounting other people experiences. Ignorance is believing just because it didn't happen to you it didn't happen. Ignorance is believing People with a bad opinion of Detroit don't live in the city.

Ignorance is denying you are far more likely to be a victim of violent crime in Detroit than anywhere else in the state. Ignorance is denying your child is far less likely to graduate from DPS than any other schools system in Detroit. Ignorance is denying Detroit tax rates aren't higher than any other jurisdiction in the state. Ignorance is denying the cops are least likely to show up if you call them and you live in the city of Detroit. Ignorance is denying you'll have to wait 30 minutes on average for a bus to show up.

Ignorance is trying to fool a foreigner into believing Detroit is a functional city.

HA!!! Well said.

[Zackdog]

[QUOTE=donpablo;285459]here is my guess;

85% of negative replies to this thread [[saying not to move to Detroit) are by people who don't even live here and 100% of those who say you shouldn't send your kids to Detroit Public Schools, don't have any kids in DPS

And you would recommend that he move to the city and send his kids to DPS? Seriously? Why?

[Bham1982]

They're using the MEAP english and math scores added together to rank them.

And, using this metric, Chrysler is ranked average statewide.

Chrysler doesn't have many students so from year to year the stats won't be as stable.

I agree, and this neither helps nor hurts Chrysler. It only affects year-over-year variability.

So to me it looks like Chrysler Elementary fits in with Bloomfield Hill's elementary schools.

There is no basis for this claim. Based on test scores, Chrysler is an average school, and falls well short of high achieving suburban school districts.

You may be correct that Chrysler once had higher scores, but that's pretty much irrevelent. Lots of DPS schools once had higher scores. DPS, generally speaking, used to be better than the suburban districts.

[epiphany]

Ignorance is sticking your head in the sand and discounting other peoples experiences. Ignorance is believing just because it didn't happen to you, it didn't happen. Ignorance is believing People with a bad opinion of Detroit don't live in the city.

Ignorance is denying you are far more likely to be a victim of violent crime in Detroit than anywhere else in the state. Ignorance is denying your child is far less likely to graduate from DPS than any other schools system in Michigan. Ignorance is denying Detroit tax rates aren't higher than any other jurisdiction in the state. Ignorance is denying the cops are least likely to show up if you call them and you live in the city of Detroit. Ignorance is denying you'll have to wait 30 minutes on average for a bus to show up.

Ignorance is trying to fool a foreigner into believing Detroit is a functional city.

Thank you. I speak from experience, and my experience is not all that uncommon.

[GoGrixdale]

Ignorance is thinking that airing our dirty laundry like this will ever help us attract people to michigan. DYes is one of the most crawled boards on the internet for the keyword Detroit.

It's sad we can't even stop the tribal drum beating enough to court another ,needed, engineer here. [[Presumably he's good if someone else is going to foot the bill)

We've got something for everyone here. Rich, poor, black, white and everything in between. You like art, got it. You like night clubs, in spades here. You like swanky malls, got that too. Hell, you like practicing para-military missions against the government, hey we're your place.

Everyone should be proud of where they call home. But when your pride has to come at the expense of another's, thats intolerance ​not ignorance.

I'm still not giving up on you though. The bullshit has burnt this thread but...

"From the ashes"

[davewindsor]

Ignorance is sticking your head in the sand and discounting other peoples experiences. Ignorance is believing just because it didn't happen to you, it didn't happen. Ignorance is believing People with a bad opinion of Detroit don't live in the city.

Ignorance is denying you are far more likely to be a victim of violent crime in Detroit than anywhere else in the state. Ignorance is denying your child is far less likely to graduate from DPS than any other schools system in Michigan. Ignorance is denying Detroit tax rates aren't higher than any other jurisdiction in the state. Ignorance is denying the cops are least likely to show up if you call them and you live in the city of Detroit. Ignorance is denying you'll have to wait 30 minutes on average for a bus to show up.

Ignorance is trying to fool a foreigner into believing Detroit is a functional city.

Wow, look at all that passion. If we could only turn people like you into doing something productive for the city, one could just imagine how great this city could become again.

[ndavies]

Wow, look at all that passion. If we could only turn people like you into doing something productive for the city, one could just imagine how great this city could become again.

Did you ever think that maybe I started out as an optimist like you? My personal experiences with the city have turned me into a realist.

[shasha]

That Woodward bus is being cut in December. Your husband will have to get off at the State Fair and catch a DDOT bus downtown starting in December.

But, I second living somewhere along the Woodward corridor [[outside fo Detroit.) Ferndale and even Royal Oak has some reasonable rent prices depending on where you look and they do have an abundance of coffee shops, restaurants, and are generally walkable compared to Detroit.

Fortunately, this is not 100% correct. SMART buses will continue their runs downtown & back during PEAK hours. however, you are correct about off peak hours.

[donpablo]

[QUOTE=Zackdog;285475]

here is my guess;

85% of negative replies to this thread [[saying not to move to Detroit) are by people who don't even live here and 100% of those who say you shouldn't send your kids to Detroit Public Schools, don't have any kids in DPS

And you would recommend that he move to the city and send his kids to DPS? Seriously? Why?

Because I live here and send my kids to DPS. My daughter who goes to CassTech received a college scholarship to Western Michigan in her 8th grade year and she only has attended dps schools[[Burton International) My son goes to Davis Aerospace [[DPS) and has the possibility to earn his solo flying lisence before he graduates. My house cost $14,000 [[includes fixing up) and is paid for. i have lived in detroit since 1991 and have never been robbed or broken into[[a little common sense goes a long way)

[donpablo]

Ignorance is sticking your head in the sand and discounting other peoples experiences. Ignorance is believing just because it didn't happen to you, it didn't happen. Ignorance is believing People with a bad opinion of Detroit don't live in the city.

Ignorance is denying you are far more likely to be a victim of violent crime in Detroit than anywhere else in the state. Ignorance is denying your child is far less likely to graduate from DPS than any other schools system in Michigan. Ignorance is denying Detroit tax rates aren't higher than any other jurisdiction in the state. Ignorance is denying the cops are least likely to show up if you call them and you live in the city of Detroit. Ignorance is denying you'll have to wait 30 minutes on average for a bus to show up.

Ignorance is trying to fool a foreigner into believing Detroit is a functional city.

ig·no·rance/ˈignərəns/

Noun:

Lack of knowledge or information: "he acted in ignorance of basic procedures".

BTW- my taxes on my house are $1300

[mwilbert]

Ignorance is denying your child is far less likely to graduate from DPS than any other schools system in Michigan.

I'm pretty sure that isn't ignorance. My child would have roughly the same chance of graduating from any school in Michigan, about 100%. The issue isn't graduation, the issue is finding a school where she would learn something before she graduated; where she would be picking up values from peers I approve of; where her time wouldn't be wasted by a ton of busy work or excessively long bus rides; and where she doesn't have to get up at 5:30AM to get to school on time.

Which is why she is now attending school at home.

[313WX]

[QUOTE=donpablo;285570]

Because I live here and send my kids to DPS. My daughter who goes to CassTech received a college scholarship to Western Michigan in her 8th grade year and she only has attended dps schools[[Burton International) My son goes to Davis Aerospace [[DPS) and has the possibility to earn his solo flying lisence before he graduates.

For your information, when most people reference DPS and how bad it is, they're not discussing Davis Aerospace, Cash Tech or Burton. Those are the top of the top.

However, they don't represent MAJORITY of DPS, which is a fact.

So in summary, context is what you're missing.

[313WX]

Fortunately, this is not 100% correct. SMART buses will continue their runs downtown & back during PEAK hours. however, you are correct about off peak hours.

He might as well be.

Given how long the routes are, and how packed they will likely be now, we're talking maybe two or three SMART bus runs total during peak hours.

[mwilbert]

For your information, when most people reference DPS and how bad it is, they're not discussing Davis Aerospace, Cash Tech or Burton. Those are the top of the top.

No doubt this is true, but since there seem to be a lot of people who think the DPS is completely unusable, it is still relevant to hear from an apparently satisfied user, no?

[donpablo]

[QUOTE=313WX;285577]

For your information, when most people reference DPS and how bad it is, they're not discussing Davis Aerospace, Cash Tech or Burton. Those are the top of the top.

However, they don't represent MAJORITY of DPS, which is a fact.

So in summary, context is what you're missing.

This guy wants to send his kids to a public school in Detroit and my point is it is possible to send your kids to DPS and get a good education. Im sure you understood that. It seems people are ignorant to this fact.

I also forgot to mention that my daughter was excepted to University Liggett in Grosse Point and she received a partial scholarship. Unfortunately we still couldnt afford the $8,000 a year[[after scholarship)
All that with a DPS education

[313WX]

[QUOTE=donpablo;285584]

This guy wants to send his kids to a public school in Detroit and my point is it is possible to send your kids to DPS and get a good education. Im sure you understood that. It seems people are ignorant to this fact.

I also forgot to mention that my daughter was excepted to University Liggett in Grosse Point and she received a partial scholarship. Unfortunately we still couldnt afford the $8,000 a year[[after scholarship)
All that with a DPS education

That's the case in any school district in any major city.

However, what if someone just wants to send their child to a neighborhood school, a school where their don't have to commute long distances to?

Even in Detroit's "good" neighborhoods, the schools are crap.

[donpablo]

[quote=313wx;285585]

that's the case in any school district in any major city.

However, what if someone just wants to send their child to a neighborhood school, a school where their don't have to commute long distances to?

Even in detroit's "good" neighborhoods, the schools are crap.

I'm not even going to reply to that. I'm sorry you can't handle being called ignorant. What are we in, debate class?
WTF?!?

[DetBill]

There is so much misinformation about living in Detroit on this thread its really quite amusing to those of us who live in good neighborhoods,, Ofcourse there are many awful places to live in the city, you would have to be blind not to notice , but like anyone moving to any city, you do your research and tour. So many of these comments are from people who dont live in the city , or when they did, lived unfortunately in an area that wasnt good or turned bad,, There are several who are great,, Once again we recommend our neighborhood, Lafayette Park, the people moving in , are as good as the people moving out,, The locale is wonderful for city amenties the suburbs do not offer, You can walk everywhere or if you drive , very close [[ Entertainement, The arts, Pro Sports, Greektown, Casinos, Excellent theater, Opera, The river front, Canada minutes away,50 good restaurants, The DIA, Eastern Market and on and on , If you want suburban mall shopping your 20 minutes from any east , west or north mall, When I lived in Huntington Woods for three years, I was 20 minutes away with traffic from malls , its no big deal , Our area is quite safe,, like any city dweller in any city , you have to be wise but this is not rocket science. Many people who do not like DPS choose private schools, They say the price of real estate is less so they can afford the school costs, but that is up to the individual. I have had a place downtown since 1988, a and have only lived away for three years once in the suburbs and believe me, and any one who has lived here for a long time, The downtown is at its best in the time I have been here by a long shot,, I do not get mugged when I run in the mornings down Rivard all along the river front , When I walk around the city every day downtown I do not get gunned down , I do get asked for money but Im used to that in Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago and Windsor which I all visit very often for many reasons so for that matter its par for the course. If you need impressions on the city, ask people who live there for a long time, most will be very honest and we do not feel trapped to live here by any means. Every time I have a party there are many people from the suburbs who attend who keep telling me they had no idea our area existed and how much they liked it.. I keep scratching my head, and keep scratching. I would investigate anything and not take peoples work who dont even live there. Royal Oak and Ferndale are great places as are Birmingham and Dearborn and Grosse Pointe but they all have their own strengths and for my own preferences, none of them offer the feel and the social amenities that a large urban city does, nor do I see the diversity I see in our area. IT all boils down to how you want to live and what excites you and makes you happy, Maybe these other areas offer what you want, but for gosh sakes, I wish some of you would stop trashing Detroit as if its all a garbage dump, you really dont know what you are talking about. You dont even live in our area. Come down to our neck of the woods if you dont believe us.

[iheartthed]

Ignorance is trying to fool a foreigner into believing Detroit is a functional city.

After this thread he's nuts to still even be considering living in southeast Michigan at all.