What if....



The St. Louis Public Schools took the empty Pruitt Igoe site and built a school campus that was the best in the entire region? Not only facilities that blow all others away but teachers and staff that are the best that can be found?



Parents from the region would be competing to have their son or daughter attend because it offers the best.



Would this be a good economic development approach for the city?

That sort of thing could never be possible without major outside support. Maybe it trent's idea of a merger with the inner-ring suburbs came true, such a facility could be built.

I don't think they would need the whole site, but it is an interesting idea. I think money is the biggest hurdle to anything like that.

MattnSTL wrote:I don't think they would need the whole site, but it is an interesting idea. I think money is the biggest hurdle to anything like that.

Money would definitely be the biggest hurdle. And PR.

When the school district is closing multiple schools because they can't afford to keep them open, developing and opening a new school (no matter how good of an idea it would be) is sure to draw all kinds of critisism.

Sadly, I think it would be impossible. Sure it would be nice if such a campus were in place as it would be the top school in a bleak district, but how would anyone get the support? If people complain because schools are being closed and that the district is not doing enough to keep kids with others from there neighborhoods, how would this go over? besides, isn't this already another version of the magnet schools?

I am sick of people blaming the problems in St. Louis schools on lack of money. The city spends over $9500.00 per pupil, more than many of the best districts in the county. I know the Lutherans spend less than $4000.00 per elementary student and I am sure the Catholics are in the same ballpark. The problem with the schools are directly related to the student body, parents and administrators. Students, because many of them are not serious about education. Parents who will not enforce discipline and negate the importance of education. Administrators because their interests are often inconsistent with the efficient use of schools funds to improve performance. (example was last year when Slays group came in to try and cut the fat out of the system many people were more concerned with job entitlement than district budget constraints.) Private and magnet schools in the city thrive because most that go there are serious about education.

What I don't get is, why don't we open up additional magnet schools - make them a more readily available option. I'm sure there isn't a parent out there who would have a problem with his/her child attending Metro High School - why not create more Metros?

southcitygent wrote:I am sick of people blaming the problems in St. Louis schools on lack of money. The city spends over $9500.00 per pupil, more than many of the best districts in the county. I know the Lutherans spend less than $4000.00 per elementary student and I am sure the Catholics are in the same ballpark. The problem with the schools are directly related to the student body, parents and administrators. Students, because many of them are not serious about education. Parents who will not enforce discipline and negate the importance of education. Administrators because their interests are often inconsistent with the efficient use of schools funds to improve performance. (example was last year when Slays group came in to try and cut the fat out of the system many people were more concerned with job entitlement than district budget constraints.) Private and magnet schools in the city thrive because most that go there are serious about education.

I'm not blaming any of the problems on lack of money. Mis-use of money maybe....



And don't forget the School Board (not the administrators). How embarassing for the city.

We're never going to get anywhere in the realm of good public city schools as long as the citizens of the city allow the status quo. We need to improve the current schools, before we start pushing for a new school campus. Also, didn't Vashon just open up a new school a few years ago, if not last year?



The problem isn't the schools themselves. And I don't think that the schools will ever improve to the point where people will want to send their kids to a public school as long as the city is on it's own. If it merged with (or part of) the county it would receive the necessary parental support for improvement.