I live in an urban neighborhood near Downtown Knoxville. My school-age children attend schools in other areas of town (they were already ensconced there when we moved to the ‘hood). But I really hope that my 9 month old, youngest child will be able to attend neighborhood schools.
But I’ll admit to some nervousness about it. And I talk to many, many people on a regular basis who say that they love the idea of moving into one of the wonderful neighborhoods ringing Downtown, such as North Hills, Parkridge, Old North Knoxville, Fourth and Gill, Island Home, etc. However, they say that they simply can’t imagine moving their kids out of, say, West Hills Elementary, over to Christenberry Elementary.
It’s a topic the Tennessean explores today in their ongoing series on Nashville schools: can Nashville - as a city - become all it has the potential to be when the city schools (as opposed to suburban ones) are so mediocre?
And I think Knoxville is going to have to face the same question. While Gay Street loft buyers get to send their kids to Sequoyah Elementary (now THAT’s some creative zoning!), those of us living in 4th and Gill don’t have that option. And the folks who might be drawn to the exciting redevelopment along North Central will also face serious school quality issues, should they consider raising a family in that neighborhood.
It’s a sensitive subject. I know that many of the families who have always lived in these neighborhoods have long, proud traditions with their neighborhood schools. Folks in my neighborhood, for example, are true-blue Fulton High School boosters. Suggestions that the schools in these neighborhoods need radical change can ruffle feathers.
But it’s a conversation we’re going to have to have if these wonderful and important neighborhoods are going to truly come back to life.
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This is the only drawback to where we live. If you ask parents in Island Home, most will tell you we are zoned for “Webb”. Our 16 yr old is already there, but I have friends who have lived in the neighborhood for over 25 years and they made that financial sacrifice way back in the day, simply because the public schools in our area are subpar. As they have shown in the past and continue to show today, the county will not improve schools on their own. All of the parents in any particular area have to demand change and raise their expectations in order to see real change. There is truly no other explanation for the disparity between South Doyle and Farragut - parents demanding better vs. parents settling for less. That’s hard work and after a while the futility becomes obvious. Then the parents who want better just give up, pull their children out, and send them to better schools at their own expense. And the result is that Knox Co. Schools stay subpar, except for the schools in the affluent areas with the hyper-involved parents. Same as it ever was.
ITA on this one. We are just embarking on school career here in Island Home area. It seems the schools here don’t mind being mediocre. Also, when you have to fight for EVERYTHING, you get tired, especially when it falls on deaf ears. We are truly considering the private option since the schools are lacking.