Where do liberals live & send their kids to school in/near Cincinnati?
December 3, 2019 6:07 PM Subscribe
My liberal friends are about to move to Cincinnati and want to avoid their kids ending up in a totally conservative community there - where should they send their kids to school?
Asking for a friend:
"My family (me, spouse, kids 7 and 2) and I are moving to Cincinnati from New York for career purposes. We are artsy/liberal/lgbtq friendly types and currently live in an artsy/liberal/lgbtq friendly suburb of NYC. We love our current town and schools and would like to find something similar but from internet research most of the well-regarded schools seem to be in very conservative areas. Please tell me I'm wrong. Does there exist a neighborhood in Cincinnati or surroundings with good schools that is not dominated by 45-loving conservatives? For schools I am less concerned with test scores and more concerned with the quality and approach to education. Am willing to consider city proper or the suburbs but research tells me they are even more conservative.
So far research says Hyde Park or Oakley in the city or Blue Ash in the suburbs. Accurate? How are the schools really? How conservative is Blue Ash really?
If there aren't any public/free schools that match what we're looking for, can you suggest neighborhoods that meet what we are looking for and any specific (non-religious) private schools we should look into?
Thanks!"
Asking for a friend:
"My family (me, spouse, kids 7 and 2) and I are moving to Cincinnati from New York for career purposes. We are artsy/liberal/lgbtq friendly types and currently live in an artsy/liberal/lgbtq friendly suburb of NYC. We love our current town and schools and would like to find something similar but from internet research most of the well-regarded schools seem to be in very conservative areas. Please tell me I'm wrong. Does there exist a neighborhood in Cincinnati or surroundings with good schools that is not dominated by 45-loving conservatives? For schools I am less concerned with test scores and more concerned with the quality and approach to education. Am willing to consider city proper or the suburbs but research tells me they are even more conservative.
So far research says Hyde Park or Oakley in the city or Blue Ash in the suburbs. Accurate? How are the schools really? How conservative is Blue Ash really?
If there aren't any public/free schools that match what we're looking for, can you suggest neighborhoods that meet what we are looking for and any specific (non-religious) private schools we should look into?
Thanks!"
Cincinnatian here. Short answer to "where do liberals live and send their kids to school" here in Cincinnati is: it varies, and it varies. There are A LOT of choices.
A little background on the school systems here. Cincinnati Public Schools encompass all the city neighborhoods. If you're in a CPS district, your kids go to CPS schools for K-6, then they can test into Walnut Hills (CPS high school), audition for SCPA (School for the Creative and Performing Arts, CPS elementary, middle, and high school), or one of the neighborhood public high schools. There is also Clark Montessori, which is very difficult to get into if you're not coming from a Montessori elementary school (I can't remember how many of those there are).
There are also Catholic schools, of which there are TONS. Cincinnati is quite a Catholic city, though one can not be Catholic here and get along just fine, really, I promise. But many, many of the parents who live CPS districts just get around the whole public school thing by sending their kids to Catholic schools pre-K through 12. Just as an example, there are 13 (14?) Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. There are also Christian schools and Jewish schools, but not nearly as many. Two or three of each, I think.
There are two secular private schools in Cincinnati: Cincinnati Country Day (not to be confused with Summit Country Day, which is Catholic), and The Seven Hills School. Both serve children pre-K through high school. Seven Hills is the more liberal of the two, and is more racially and economically diverse. Full disclosure, my kids attended Seven Hills (grades 9-12 and 7-12 respectively).
Now, neighborhoods. In the city proper, the most artsy/liberal/lgbtq friendly neighborhoods are Northside, Clifton, and College Hill. After those would be Hyde Park, Oakley, Pleasant Ridge, and Walnut Hills. Suburbs are a little trickier, but a lot of them that were historically super conservative are getting better. Slowly. A couple more liberal suburbs are Mariemont (excellent schools, super charming, but maybe a teensy bit Stepford-like) and Wyoming (excellent schools, gorgeous houses; I have gay friends who moved there with their kids a couple years ago and they're very happy there). I personally would steer them away from Blue Ash, Anderson Township (where I happen to live and am actively looking to move from), Mason, West Chester, Indian Hill, and almost the entirety of the west side.
Holy crap, I've written a novel. Hope this helps, and if your friends would like to talk further, I'm more than happy to be available. Email is on my bio page! I LOVE Cincinnati. We moved here 20+ years ago and I cannot imagine living anywhere else, honestly. This city has SO MUCH to offer, has grown so much. I love to evangelize about it!
posted by cooker girl at 7:08 PM on December 3, 2019 [8 favorites]
A little background on the school systems here. Cincinnati Public Schools encompass all the city neighborhoods. If you're in a CPS district, your kids go to CPS schools for K-6, then they can test into Walnut Hills (CPS high school), audition for SCPA (School for the Creative and Performing Arts, CPS elementary, middle, and high school), or one of the neighborhood public high schools. There is also Clark Montessori, which is very difficult to get into if you're not coming from a Montessori elementary school (I can't remember how many of those there are).
There are also Catholic schools, of which there are TONS. Cincinnati is quite a Catholic city, though one can not be Catholic here and get along just fine, really, I promise. But many, many of the parents who live CPS districts just get around the whole public school thing by sending their kids to Catholic schools pre-K through 12. Just as an example, there are 13 (14?) Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. There are also Christian schools and Jewish schools, but not nearly as many. Two or three of each, I think.
There are two secular private schools in Cincinnati: Cincinnati Country Day (not to be confused with Summit Country Day, which is Catholic), and The Seven Hills School. Both serve children pre-K through high school. Seven Hills is the more liberal of the two, and is more racially and economically diverse. Full disclosure, my kids attended Seven Hills (grades 9-12 and 7-12 respectively).
Now, neighborhoods. In the city proper, the most artsy/liberal/lgbtq friendly neighborhoods are Northside, Clifton, and College Hill. After those would be Hyde Park, Oakley, Pleasant Ridge, and Walnut Hills. Suburbs are a little trickier, but a lot of them that were historically super conservative are getting better. Slowly. A couple more liberal suburbs are Mariemont (excellent schools, super charming, but maybe a teensy bit Stepford-like) and Wyoming (excellent schools, gorgeous houses; I have gay friends who moved there with their kids a couple years ago and they're very happy there). I personally would steer them away from Blue Ash, Anderson Township (where I happen to live and am actively looking to move from), Mason, West Chester, Indian Hill, and almost the entirety of the west side.
Holy crap, I've written a novel. Hope this helps, and if your friends would like to talk further, I'm more than happy to be available. Email is on my bio page! I LOVE Cincinnati. We moved here 20+ years ago and I cannot imagine living anywhere else, honestly. This city has SO MUCH to offer, has grown so much. I love to evangelize about it!
posted by cooker girl at 7:08 PM on December 3, 2019 [8 favorites]
We live in Northside. Love it here - not far from downtown or Clifton (home to Univ. Of Cincinnati, Cincinnati State and lots of hospitals.) Northside is in the City limits. Very LBQTQ friendly.
Our daughter attended a magnet school where half of her classes were taught in Spanish. If you choose a magnet school within the CPS system, you can live in any neighborhood within the city. We were happy with her education. My experience is that the principal makes a huge difference in how the school works.
I personally would not live in Anderson or West Chester. Too staid and too far from all the fun parts of the city. I also would not live in N. KY, although there are nice neighborhoods there.
I would consider where your job is located in choosing a neighborhood. Don't move to Price Hill and work in Mason, for instance.
There’s lots to like here. Good luck.
posted by daneflute at 12:01 AM on December 4, 2019 [2 favorites]
Our daughter attended a magnet school where half of her classes were taught in Spanish. If you choose a magnet school within the CPS system, you can live in any neighborhood within the city. We were happy with her education. My experience is that the principal makes a huge difference in how the school works.
I personally would not live in Anderson or West Chester. Too staid and too far from all the fun parts of the city. I also would not live in N. KY, although there are nice neighborhoods there.
I would consider where your job is located in choosing a neighborhood. Don't move to Price Hill and work in Mason, for instance.
There’s lots to like here. Good luck.
posted by daneflute at 12:01 AM on December 4, 2019 [2 favorites]
I grew up in the area and frequently visit. Honestly, it's really hard for me to imagine liberal arty New Yorkers being happy there (my brother is one and he loathes the place).
The regular public schools are underfunded and pretty awful, so the best options will be magnet schools and private schools. Non-Catholic private schools are pricy but not so bad as on the East Coast. Seven Hills is the more liberal private school in the area (and it's not that liberal).
The only neighborhoods that are liberal (or walkable) are downtown--Clifton and Northside. The suburbs are generally very conservative.
Blue Ash is very conservative. Hyde Park is "the rich people place" and fairly uptight about it, whereas nearby Oakley is a slightly more chill. Both are somewhat politically liberal and very conservative socially.
Are you queer? There is not a ton of community in Cincy, but what there is is based around Clifton and in Mainstrasse in Northern KY. In general, the city and its suburbs are a very safe place to be queer, but I don't routinely see other openly queer folks in any other areas.
Yes, it is a very conservative area. Be aware that liberal in Ohio/KY is not all that liberal by NYC standards.
And be prepared for everything outside downtown to be pretty much entirely white.
posted by mkuhnell at 5:43 PM on December 4, 2019
The regular public schools are underfunded and pretty awful, so the best options will be magnet schools and private schools. Non-Catholic private schools are pricy but not so bad as on the East Coast. Seven Hills is the more liberal private school in the area (and it's not that liberal).
The only neighborhoods that are liberal (or walkable) are downtown--Clifton and Northside. The suburbs are generally very conservative.
Blue Ash is very conservative. Hyde Park is "the rich people place" and fairly uptight about it, whereas nearby Oakley is a slightly more chill. Both are somewhat politically liberal and very conservative socially.
Are you queer? There is not a ton of community in Cincy, but what there is is based around Clifton and in Mainstrasse in Northern KY. In general, the city and its suburbs are a very safe place to be queer, but I don't routinely see other openly queer folks in any other areas.
Yes, it is a very conservative area. Be aware that liberal in Ohio/KY is not all that liberal by NYC standards.
And be prepared for everything outside downtown to be pretty much entirely white.
posted by mkuhnell at 5:43 PM on December 4, 2019
Seven Hills is the more liberal private school in the area (and it's not that liberal).
With respect, and to give the OP a complete understanding, yes, it is. For example, when there are mock elections held at Seven Hills, the liberal/progressive candidates win with a large majority. Many, if not most, of the teachers are openly liberal at the school and on social media. Perhaps things have changed since you lived here.
Are you queer? There is not a ton of community in Cincy, but what there is is based around Clifton and in Mainstrasse in Northern KY.
This is patently not the case. Northside is a bastion of queer-friendly and out queer, and the Northside 4th of July Parade is the best example of that that I can think of. My gay/queer friends would vehemently disagree that there isn't a ton of gay/queer community in Cincy.
And I definitely see liberal arty New Yorkers being happy here. Several of them are my friends, who have had the chance to move away once they've been here for a while and who have chosen to stay.
posted by cooker girl at 7:38 AM on December 5, 2019
With respect, and to give the OP a complete understanding, yes, it is. For example, when there are mock elections held at Seven Hills, the liberal/progressive candidates win with a large majority. Many, if not most, of the teachers are openly liberal at the school and on social media. Perhaps things have changed since you lived here.
Are you queer? There is not a ton of community in Cincy, but what there is is based around Clifton and in Mainstrasse in Northern KY.
This is patently not the case. Northside is a bastion of queer-friendly and out queer, and the Northside 4th of July Parade is the best example of that that I can think of. My gay/queer friends would vehemently disagree that there isn't a ton of gay/queer community in Cincy.
And I definitely see liberal arty New Yorkers being happy here. Several of them are my friends, who have had the chance to move away once they've been here for a while and who have chosen to stay.
posted by cooker girl at 7:38 AM on December 5, 2019
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posted by Miss T.Horn at 6:17 PM on December 3, 2019