[gfmucci]

The book "Leisureville" portrays The Villages and other age-restricted retirement communities as "ghettos."

I offer a better example of the term "ghetto":* large public schools.* Large public schools are a great example of an "age restricted ghetto"* - especially our mega-schools, the ones that have 2,000 or 3,000 students - in school districts that value "economies of scale" above a good education and social integration.*

First, in these schools the students are forced to go there.* Most have no choice.* Second, they are all segregated (by age) and herded around like Alcatraz prisoners.* Their primary influences are from among their peers, often in the form of "the laws of the jungle" or in this case, "the laws of the gangs."* There is little influence from older/wiser generations.* And we wonder why we have a whole generation of declining achievement and questionable attitudes?

In contrast, "age-restricted communities" do not fit that definition by any stretch of the imagination, despite whatever Blechman might be smoking.* Residents choose to locate in these communities, often after months or years of analysis.* They have earned the right to make these choices.* They no longer have the young, easily impressionable minds that require the politically correct and beloved "diversity" training that some feel essential for our youth.* Most of us have had 50 to 60 years of diversity training and experience.* And finally, and this is the biggie, we are not children that require adult supervision (although some of us have childlike mood swings - that's a good thing for any age person!)* School aged children would benefit by and require much more adult supervision than they are receiving - the harvest of what we've sown is bearing this out.*

Gen X'ers need to stay out of our face with regard to our lifestyle choices and not blame those over 55 for not remaining in their diverse communities bringing up the kids they are now responsible to raise.*

Maybe the soon to retire "boomers" who have shaped public school policies for the past 20 years will enable others to put quality education above economies of scale.