Some thoughts on Boston's proposed school assignment changes

As a current BPS parent and former employee, I am simultaneously hopeful and pessimistic. My realism is based on six years of working for the district and seeing how the value of quality schools can vary in terms of rhetoric and practice depending on who's doing the talking and implementing.

On Monday, the district released its five proposals at the Frederick School on Columbia Road. I don't need to regurgitate basics because nearly everyone (Herald, Globe, WBUR, Reporter, Patch) has covered the basics of what they entail.

 From my assessment, there are your usual extreme folks who simply "can't get right" like Bokeem Woodbine in the movie Life. And there are those who can assess and analyze and rationally evaluate the proposals based on their merits and flaws.

There are those who are ready to act and possibly leave the city if necessary. There are those who have already identified key things that are missing. Common themes and calls for action include a common-sense model, a focus on quality over proximity, the true value of projected transportation cost savings, and grandfathering.

I, like many others, already see the writing on the wall that the district is leaning more towards the 6-, 9-, and 11-zone proposals; having almost unilaterally ruled the other two options from the table less than hour after releasing the proposals. I agree that the no-zone system would essentially have the city revert back to it pre-busing routine where schools reflect their neighborhoods. To hell with equity and diversity. In case you are s-l-o, that was a joke. But it's also telling that so many of Boston's white residents don't have their children in the schools; as reflected by their making up only 14% of the BPS student population. There are always subtle calls to draw back more middle class families - of all races - back to the city. What irks me is the fact that so many families felt that leaving the city or going to private/parochial route was the only option originally.

As the community meetings commence and the rest f this drama unfolds, we'll be sure to hear a lot more facts and opinions. But the truth has to rise to the top.