BUTTER IN THE BURBS

I can't believe it's not butter. Yes, but can you believe it is butter? Or that it will get better? Truth or artifice. Is life really better on Long Island? We have been here a year. One of the reasons for moving to Long Island is that it is well know to have wonderful schools. Well, after one year here, I am underwhelmed. With the taxes I am paying out here, I could have considered private school and stayed in the city! Nepotism and favoritism seems to embody the spirit of my small town. But, should I judge a whole school (or town) on one bad year of schooling? My son did fine but my daughter suffered. Her school was unprepared to deal with her special needs, ADHD and dyslexia. Like many schools, they felt they could teach her as long as she could just make her pesky ADHD and dyslexia go away. If she fits in, they will teach. Not every teacher felt this way, but enough to make the school year just tons of fun with all those happy CSE meetings, behavior plans and phone calls from school.

Now a new school year has started and my son has been placed in the class where I am told he has the "mean teacher." My daughter is starting the new year very behind in her work, yet she was given a study hall! Visions of "The Breakfast Club" dance in my head, or was that detention?

I am going to keep a blog about the progress of my children throughout the school year. My little 2nd grader with the "mean teacher" and the 7th grader with the "special needs." So here we go! Let's hope the complaints don't begin on Day One. But, if you are thinking of moving out to Long Island for the schools, keep posted for my experience and the answer to the greatest of questions: Are the beaches really that good?