deird1: Angel singing, with text "ceci n'est pas un chanteur" (this is not a singer) (Angel (french singer))
[personal profile] deird1
I tried to discuss this with my best friend, but a performing arts background is not among her many virtues, so she doesn't really get it.

Hence, venting to those of you who care:

I am currently checking out secondary schools in my local area, because my son will need to go to one in 2027. We're looking at state and private schools (assuming those private schools are at least vaguely affordable), and going to as many school tours as we can.

This morning, I went to one that would be perfect at handling my autistic, socially-awkward, kind-of-a-flailing-mess kid. They have great support, great strategies in place for neurodivergent students, and a really nice school culture.

Their academic program is nothing to write home about, but is fine.

…and their performing arts program is nonexistent. No bands, no concerts, no drama classes. They can learn music as an elective subject, but that's it.

Guys. I don't think I can send my kidlets to a school that doesn't do lots of performing arts. I just… no. NO.

I want them to be able to play music with their friends, and do the school musical, and join a band. And apparently this is important enough to me that every other positive aspect of the school fades into the background.

I swear I'm not trying to be ridiculously shallow. But being a musical person was such a huge part of my life – and still is – and is pretty important to my kids, too. They're both musicians, and both trying to get better at their instruments, and the idea of sending them to a school that doesn't value that part of them just… hurts my soul.

Date: 2025-03-16 12:12 pm (UTC)
out_there: B-Day Present '05 (Default)
From: [personal profile] out_there
That depends on which state of Australia you're in. When I grew up in the ACT, the school districts/zones are enforced -- ie. if you're in the catchment for that public school, you can only go there unless you pay for private school. It was a pain when we were living in new suburbs as a kid because when a new school opened and the districts were divided, you had to change schools to go to the new one.

In Victoria, where I live now, you can go to a school in a different district but they don't *have* to take you. So there are still some suburbs with great schools that people will move into (to be guaranteed their kid will be accepted there) but there's a lot more choice.

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