The Core Knowledge Blog

You’re sending little Tyler and Emily to public school?  How cutting edge!

The New York Times, its radar ever attuned to the lifestyles of privileged Manhattanites, reports that the economic downturn is prompting many families to consider actually subjecting their progeny to public school.   In a classic example of the kind of story that serves merely to remind most Americans why they can’t stand New Yorkers, the paper refuses to report it straight.  Instead, it’s a trend piece.  “In these financially fragile times,” says the Times, ”the new bragging rights begin with a P.S. The rush is on to live near the best.”

For some young families who bought during the housing boom, having it all meant an affordable brood-sized apartment in possession of a good public school zone. But other parents in pursuit of real estate never even thought about schools. They assumed they would send their children to private school, often because they too had followed that route.  That was before the economic crisis. Now, as many would-be private school parents scramble for a good public school, there is a despairing recognition that in this respect, geography is destiny: With odds of being accepted into a popular school in another zone slimmer than ever, they either live in a neighborhood with a decent elementary or they don’t.

Shocking, right?  What follows is a series of anecdotes of New Yorkers weighing their options–from moving to committing fraud–to get their children into the “right” school.  “I will certainly consider some alternative way to game the system by gaining a different address,” says one anonymous parent.  “This is my child, who is a really smart kid, and he’s not going to my crummy zoned school. That’s just not going to happen.”

The paper even discovers a couple who have decided to buy $1 million apartment solely because of its zoned school even though they don’t have children yet.  I know, I know. Millions of couples plan their home purchses around schools.  But this is different.  This couple are Manhattan lawyers!  Oh,  I forgot the best part.  This article about education ran in the Times’ Real Estate section. 

I live in Manhattan.  Please accept my apologies on behalf of my city and it’s paper of record.