American Dream

School districts in Portland suburbs that have followed the density fad are learning that it is very expensive. Land for new schools is hard to find, and more expensive when you find it. Packing students into small areas means there is no room for things like gym -- one school offers gym glass to its students just once per week.

"We've learned, along with everyone else, what density means," says one local school board chairwoman. "It can't mean dense schools. There are certain limits to adequate play space for kids."

But why should schools be exempt from the density problems facing families and businesses? Maybe if schools shouldn't be dense, neither should anything else.