Cy-Ridge

[Trae]

Dangerous school:

The suburban, middle-class Cypress Ridge High School is the first Houston-area campus to be deemed "persistently dangerous," an emotionally charged label that it earned, in part, for reporting a high number of drug violations.

Much to the chagrin of Cypress-Fairbanks district leaders, the high school is one of just five Texas schools to make this year's list. Fewer than 40 U.S. schools were deemed dangerous last year.

More: Cy-Ridge Article Link

[mrfootball]

Sad, you can take people out of the 'hood' and into the suburbs, put them in nice new facilities with good teachers, give them a quality education...unfortunately, you can't take the 'hood' out of them. They bring it with them.

It's a shame.

[Trae]

They are actually a lot of stabbings and some shootings around Morton Ranch High School in Katy. They just managed to keep them underraps for a while now. They are just now surfacing. A lot like Alief 20 years ago...

Might happen to parts of Cypress, too.

[mrfootball]

Gee, I hope not Trae.

[Trae]

Me too mr.football

[mrfootball]

They are actually a lot of stabbings and some shootings around Morton Ranch High School in Katy. They just managed to keep them underraps for a while now. They are just now surfacing. A lot like Alief 20 years ago...

BTW, How would you know what Alief was like 20 years ago, Trae?

[Trae]

I used to live there first of all. And we all know how it was. The school I was going to go, too (Albright Middle School) was nicknamed Alwhite Middle School. They have these class pictures on the wall (I have been inside), and you can see from year to year how it became less majority white. And with each year, Alief crime kept going up. My Spanish teacher used to live there 20 years ago, but left about 15 years ago when someone tried to grab her purse at the grocery store. She said she would never teach there, and in 20 years parts of Katy would be like Alief.

[mrfootball]

I don't recall Alief ever being anything but a largely minority community. It used to be a Middle Class minority community. I'm not certain what it is now. I know not to go there.

I agree that parts of Katy/Sugarland are already like Alief. Houston's a big dangerous town, made even more dangerous by the influx of 200,000 of New Orleans' nastiest.

I will say that in my 33 years, I've observed several things. One of which is, the fewer the apartments and rental housing present, the better. Areas with fewer minority populations typically have lower crime rates. Higher income areas are usually more stable. Nice built-out school zones help retain values, restricting the entry of new low income housing.

Yes it seems quite simple. If you choose to live in an area that has most or all of these components, the chances of what you described happening to parts of Katy and Cy-Ridge are minimized. The area where Cy-Ridge is located was never really a nice area despite the presence of high-end communities like 'Lakes on Eldridge, etc. The elementary schools around the high-end neighborhoods are great, when their kids get older they send them to private school or other CFISD schools. It has all the usual characteristics of other 'close-in' suburbs, you take the good with the bad.

[4thGenHoustonian]

I will say that in my 33 years, I've observed several things. One of which is, the fewer the apartments and rental housing present, the better. Areas with fewer minority populations typically have lower crime rates. Higher income areas are usually more stable. Nice built-out school zones help retain values.

And that is why we just moved from the Copperfield area to Katy. In the 6 years we lived off of West Road, they built 4 or so apartment complexes between our house and 290. When they started building the Portrait Homes (condo type attached homes from the 90's, no less) across from our neighborhood, we got out. That's not to say that Katy will fare much better but at least we're surrounded by houses. We tried.

[RedScare]

Sad, you can take people out of the 'hood' and into the suburbs, put them in nice new facilities with good teachers, give them a quality education...unfortunately, you can't take the 'hood' out of them. They bring it with them.

It's a shame.

Quote from the article...

Nearly 80 percent of the 41 instances that Cypress Ridge reported in the last three years were drug violations, Durham said. In 70 percent of the cases, a student reported the infraction either through Crime Stoppers or to an adult on campus, she said.

Among the remaining nine incidents was one case of arson and possession of illegal weapons, including knives and brass knuckles.

In a majority of the drug cases, students were caught with a few Xanax or Adderall pills, Durham said. Those medications are used to treat anxiety and attention deficit disorder, respectively, but some students abuse them without a prescription. Students who have a medical reason for taking those drugs are supposed to leave them with the school nurse, and those who don't face disciplinary action, Durham said.

That's strange. I've spent 19 years in the criminal justice system, handled thousands of drug cases...and I don't recall ever seeing a kid from the "hood" busted for Xanax or Adderall. Not one. Seen a bunch of kids from the 'burbs with that stuff...but never a kid from the "hood".

Oh well. Learn something new every day.

[mrfootball]

Once again, Red trolling around commenting about a place and a topic he knows nothing about.

Cy-Ridge is known as 'the bad apple' around these parts. It was considered 'dangerous' before this report came out, and not because some of the kids abused prescription drugs. As 'dangerous' as it is, I doubt its any more dangerous than any HISD school.

[nmainguy]

I will say that in my 33 years, I've observed several things. One of which is, the fewer the apartments and rental housing present, the better. Areas with fewer minority populations typically have lower crime rates. Higher income areas are usually more stable. Nice built-out school zones help retain values, restricting the entry of new low income housing.

Yes it seems quite simple. If you choose to live in an area that has most or all of these components, the chances of what you described happening...are minimized.

Like Columbine?

[RedScare]

Cy-Ridge is known as 'the bad apple' around these parts.

I'm sure it is, mrfootball, I'm sure it is.

[mrfootball]

Like Columbine?

Because you know...Columbine happens every week...in every city and every town..

[4thGenHoustonian]

Once again, Red trolling around commenting about a place and a topic he knows nothing about.

Cy-Ridge is known as 'the bad apple' around these parts. It was considered 'dangerous' before this report came out, and not because some of the kids abused prescription drugs.

I believe Cy-Ridge has a lot of pupils that feed from the part of the Cy-Fair district that is inside the Beltway (around Tanner). That area is full of blight. We looked at the Lakes on Eldridge subdivision when we were moving but the makeup of the elementary school alarmed me, not the racial makeup but the fact that a full 50% of the kids were economically disadvantaged and almost that many were not proficient in English. Would my kid receive the best education he could in that situation? Probably not.

And the excuse that their rating came from no tolerance to prescription drugs? Ridiculous. I heard about the drug problems in that school the first year it opened.

[CE_ugh]

Wow a suburban school has a high rate of drug offenses. Didn't see that one coming.

[PureAuteur]

I could care less. Cy-Fair "LSD" should have redrawn its boundaries or reduced its size substantially before building that school. That district is way too big. People in Fairfield/Bridgeland/Rock Creek should not be in the same school district as people who live one street from being zoned to Eisenhower H.S. in Aldine. Cy-Fair has done a good job managing its size to this date, but wait 10 more years. The district will have to split itself up. Either form new districts or give some areas to other districts.

MrFootball- You really seem to have a thing against people of low socio-economic status. Just remember God loves those people just as much as your friends in Bridgeland. And the areas in Cy-Ridge's school zone are not "middle class suburbs", but more like rural/industrial zones.

I went to school with the kids in that area back in the late 80s/early 90s when I was attending Dean Intermediate on Fairbanks N. Houston Rd and Bane Elementary adjacent to it. It was about 50% lily white kids and 50% economically disadvantaged. I lived in Woodland Trails West which was like a master-planned community of its time. My neighborhood was like 98% white at the time, and it was on good pine tree filled land. They didn't have very many schools back then, so I was zoned to Bane/Dean on the other side of 290. There were plenty of problems that you'd normally associate with low income people, but it never really bothered me that much. The whites need to learn that the more you run from crime and poverty, the more of it you're going to create, because it's always going to follow right behind the flight.

[mrfootball]

Thank you Reverend.

[Trae]

I could care less. Cy-Fair "LSD" should have redrawn its boundaries or reduced its size substantially before building that school. That district is way too big. People in Fairfield/Bridgeland/Rock Creek should not be in the same school district as people who live one street from being zoned to Eisenhower H.S. in Aldine. Cy-Fair has done a good job managing its size to this date, but wait 10 more years. The district will have to split itself up. Either form new districts or give some areas to other districts.

MrFootball- You really seem to have a thing against people of low socio-economic status. Just remember God loves those people just as much as your friends in Bridgeland. And the areas in Cy-Ridge's school zone are not "middle class suburbs", but more like rural/industrial zones.

I went to school with the kids in that area back in the late 80s/early 90s when I was attending Dean Intermediate on Fairbanks N. Houston Rd and Bane Elementary adjacent to it. It was about 50% lily white kids and 50% economically disadvantaged. I lived in Woodland Trails West which was like a master-planned community of its time. My neighborhood was like 98% white at the time, and it was on good pine tree filled land. They didn't have very many schools back then, so I was zoned to Bane/Dean on the other side of 290. There were plenty of problems that you'd normally associate with low income people, but it never really bothered me that much. The whites need to learn that the more you run from crime and poverty, the more of it you're going to create, because it's always going to follow right behind the flight.

He's right.

[mrfootball]

The whites need to learn that the more you run from crime and poverty, the more of it you're going to create, because it's always going to follow right behind the flight.

In all of your infinite wisdom, you seem to lack the perspective of a parent or a homeowner.

[VicMan]

I could care less. Cy-Fair "LSD" should have redrawn its boundaries or reduced its size substantially before building that school. That district is way too big. People in Fairfield/Bridgeland/Rock Creek should not be in the same school district as people who live one street from being zoned to Eisenhower H.S. in Aldine. Cy-Fair has done a good job managing its size to this date, but wait 10 more years. The district will have to split itself up. Either form new districts or give some areas to other districts.

MrFootball- You really seem to have a thing against people of low socio-economic status. Just remember God loves those people just as much as your friends in Bridgeland. And the areas in Cy-Ridge's school zone are not "middle class suburbs", but more like rural/industrial zones.

I went to school with the kids in that area back in the late 80s/early 90s when I was attending Dean Intermediate on Fairbanks N. Houston Rd and Bane Elementary adjacent to it. It was about 50% lily white kids and 50% economically disadvantaged. I lived in Woodland Trails West which was like a master-planned community of its time. My neighborhood was like 98% white at the time, and it was on good pine tree filled land. They didn't have very many schools back then, so I was zoned to Bane/Dean on the other side of 290. There were plenty of problems that you'd normally associate with low income people, but it never really bothered me that much. The whites need to learn that the more you run from crime and poverty, the more of it you're going to create, because it's always going to follow right behind the flight.

The only time a district has split from another in recent history is when Stafford MSD separated from Fort Bend ISD and Houston ISD in the late 1970's. So far, the trend is to merge districts, not split them apart.

I think what Cy-Fair ISD should do is...

A. Give the City of Houston portions to Houston ISD (Keep in mind that I don't hate Houston ISD - I am currently a senior at an HISD high school!)

B. Establish magnet schools

[KAHLA FAN 101]

Sad, you can take people out of the 'hood' and into the suburbs, put them in nice new facilities with good teachers, give them a quality education...unfortunately, you can't take the 'hood' out of them. They bring it with them.

It's a shame.

I think you are right but it's just some who never been in the hood and just doing bad. Most of those of those aren't from the hood there just regular kids. Being a follower and not a leader.

[Nawfside119]

Once again, Red trolling around commenting about a place and a topic he knows nothing about.

Cy-Ridge is known as 'the bad apple' around these parts. It was considered 'dangerous' before this report came out, and not because some of the kids abused prescription drugs. As 'dangerous' as it is, I doubt its any more dangerous than any HISD school.

You may say he is "trolling" but dude speaks the truth...

And to be honest I dont really see why that school would be considered dangerous. My cousin that used to live down the street from me recently graduated from cy-ridge and said how much better a school it was than our old school, Smiley. I guess to every man his own...

[ChampionsAdam]

THE SCHOOLS! THE SCHOOLS! Where are the parents? Blame the schools? No, blame the parents. Too busy with other interests I imagine and don't want to deal with their kids. Agreed the schools in town need some help and they should start now.

[houstonsemipro]

I agree. It's not the schools. When the last time you heard schools make students do bad things? It's want you bring into the school starting with the PARENTS!

[PureAuteur]

That's one of the top 3 or 4 reasons why our society and crime rate is so out of control in this decade. The concept of parenting has gone down the drain. And I don't buy the excuse that they have to work 2 jobs to make ends meet either. If you couldn't handle the job of parenting, you should have thought of that before you had kids. If you had kids just because you felt like it was natural to pro-create then you are nothing more than an animal.

[ChampionsAdam]

When I was in school both of my parents were holding down careers. When we came home from school we knew we had to finish our homework before our parents came home. In the summer months before I started working summer jobs we had to do chores around the house while our parents were working. We respected our parents. It must simply be easier to buy the kid a car and then let them run loose or to expect the school system to do the job of the parent. I wonder if the parents who complain about the schools have ever attended parent and teacher conferences or are involved in their childs school life? My parents took time out of their work schedule to attend parent/child events that were happening during the school day. They took late/early lunches or went into work early so that they could be involved in their childrens life....and on the rare occassion that neither could be there I had a grandparent that attended. My parents were never too busy to not be a part of my life and continue to do the same with their grandchildren. I was in school in the 1980's, it seems today people put the responsibility and accountablity on the shoulders of the schools and parents have little involvement in the lives of their children or their children's education.

[RedScare]

That's one of the top 3 or 4 reasons why our society and crime rate is so out of control in this decade. The concept of parenting has gone down the drain. And I don't buy the excuse that they have to work 2 jobs to make ends meet either. If you couldn't handle the job of parenting, you should have thought of that before you had kids. If you had kids just because you felt like it was natural to pro-create then you are nothing more than an animal.

That would be a great argument if only it were true. Crime has dropped drastically since the mid 90s. Murder is down 40%, Robbery is down 45%. Surveys show drug use dropping, though not as much. Just yesterday, a study was released showing teen sex and pregnancy rates dropping. Living in the United States has not been this safe since the early 60s.

Perhaps what is out of control is public perceptions, not society. For instance, your last sentence suggesting that only animals feel it is natural to procreate. Isn't the concept of a heterosexual family with children considered by many to be a STABLE environment? Isn't that the bedrock principle of the American Judeo-Christian norm?

[bachanon]

it isn't just the parents. schools are too large. teachers and principles cannot punish students for bad behavior. the kids rule the school in most situations. these large high schools are a practice in managed chaos. you pay to send a kid to private school, and in some cases, you're paying a premium so that you're kid can be in an easier to manage environment and be disciplined in ways that a public school cannot.

federal funding (which i think is less than 8% of public school funding) should be eliminated so that public schools can be independant from federal regulations. each community should be able to run its district in a manner suitable to its own preferences.

if a kid disrupts a classroom repeatedly, he/she should be expelled or face serious discipline, including corporal punishment. make it a privilege to be in the classroom. a privilege that has to be earned and maintained, not a right. if schools would come down hard on disruptions and students who don't want to learn, the ball would be put back in the parents court. you would then see parents get more involved. send the troublemakers home. fail them when they fail and don't push them through.

school districts should take the rudy giuliani approach. enforce the small things/minor offenses rigorously, then the bigger offenses will decrease. as mayor of nyc, giuliani started cracking down on misdemeanors in nyc. the public perception was one of heightened police presence and better law enforcement all round. the result was a decrease in more serious crimes. i believe this would work in public school.

funding for schools should not be tied to school attendance. in my experience, the schools help the kids get around attendance requirements which ultimately harms the kid. for instance, we were late to school one day because i overslept. z, my kid, was still having trouble getting up on his own. i went in to the attendance office to take responsibility for his tardiness. the attendance office smiled at me and said, "he wasn't feeling well this morning?" i reiterated that i overslept. she repeated, "he isn't excused unless he was ill." she looked at z and said, " guess you weren't feeling well this morning were you?" of course, z agreed with her and she admitted him to school. the attendance office and the student, without my input, gave themselves a full day, dishonestly. now, don't get me wrong, he didn't need a tardy slip or the absence. it was the ease at which the school skirted the truth and encouraged dishonesty that gives me alarm. these are the types of things that cause students to disrespect their school's requirements, their teachers and their school administrations.

to place the blame solely on parents is oversimplification.

[PureAuteur]

I guess I am trying to over simplify, but I can't deny this growing sense of parental aloofness in society.

Maybe the problem, as I see it, is overpopulation.

Back to the topic, I wouldn't send my kids to Cy-Ridge, but that's only because, for aesthetic reasons, I wouldn't want to live in the school's boundary area. It would need more trees, more zoning, and more of a community feel.