By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers   Published Apr 10, 2005 at 5:40 AM

{image1}The Milwaukee Public School system claims to be progressive in many ways, especially when it comes to creating reforms to address constantly changing needs, yet many parents opt to send their kids to choice, voucher, private or suburban schools. Why is this? Do you have faith in Milwaukee Public Schools? Would you send your kid to one?

E-mail us at soundoff@staff.onmilwaukee.com and if picked, we'll post your response next Sunday. Only submissions that include your full name and where you live will be considered.

Last week's question: Is Wisconsin a good place to raise kids?

Michelle Schofield
Brown Deer

Generally, I think Wisconsin is a great place to raise kids. However, I can think of one improvement that could be made. The community would benefit from an indoor playground built at one of our many public parks. With six months of winter I am sure there are many parents who would love to see a place for young kids to run out some energy that does not include chicken nuggets and french fries.

Joe Cifaldi
Milwaukee

I would advise any serious parent that if you are concerned about your children then you should also be concerned about them when they reach adulthood. Get your family out of this area of the country, find a place that is growing economically. Our parents or grandparents came to this area because of the growing economy and if we want to be considered as responsible as them, we should do as they did.

J.D. Tomba
Milwaukee

Wisconsin is a good place to raise kids, but there are better out there. It's not the most diverse place in the country, and the northern suburban Chicago public schools are the model that area public schools can only hope to be. That being said, if you want your kids to live the rest of their lives in the place they grew up, it is fine.

Alice Justin
Milwaukee

Wisconsin is an easy place to raise kids. Affordable housing, decent schools, fair cost of living. It makes it easier to focus on being a parent, and not the incidentals surrounding it ... Most of us live here to be near family. This is important to a parent's quality of daily life. More family around means more free childcare which means Mom and/or Dad get to go out more often which makes them better parents in the end.