NAACP, Local Advocates File Discrimination Complaint Against FCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:However, it is absolutely true that the kids make the school. There is nothing extra-ordinary about TJ teachers; they are just like their peers in other public schools.

+1

It's the strength and power of the peer groups. As peers, they challenge one another and they all grow.

Which is denied to other kids in Fairfax. And you cannot deny there are very, very bright kids in the other schools. Maybe they missed the cutoff by points or missed admission for some other reason. Those kids simply don't have the same academic experience as that available to the kids at TJ. Environment and teaching plays a big part. It is not just the kids. You and I will not agree on this point.

Teaching does not play a big part. It plays a relatively small part. This has been noted over and over again by anyone who knows anything about TJ, and that includes the teachers themselves. they will tell you that what distinguishes this school from others with smart kids is that these kids are extremely motivated - personally - to excell academically. The choice of the word "environment" simply is redundant of this fact since these kids create the environment. They will be having discussions of the finer points of scientific learning out in the hallways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Teaching does not play a big part. It plays a relatively small part. This has been noted over and over again by anyone who knows anything about TJ, and that includes the teachers themselves. they will tell you that what distinguishes this school from others with smart kids is that these kids are extremely motivated - personally - to excell academically. The choice of the word "environment" simply is redundant of this fact since these kids create the environment. They will be having discussions of the finer points of scientific learning out in the hallways.

"Anyone who knows anything about TJ"? Grabbing the barf bag now.

Your post exemplifies why the NAACP filed the complaint. They are tired of having their kids shut out while a few others dine on educational caviar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Teaching does not play a big part. It plays a relatively small part. This has been noted over and over again by anyone who knows anything about TJ, and that includes the teachers themselves. they will tell you that what distinguishes this school from others with smart kids is that these kids are extremely motivated - personally - to excell academically. The choice of the word "environment" simply is redundant of this fact since these kids create the environment. They will be having discussions of the finer points of scientific learning out in the hallways.

"Anyone who knows anything about TJ"? Grabbing the barf bag now.

Your post exemplifies why the NAACP filed the complaint. They are tired of having their kids shut out while a few others dine on educational caviar.

they dine on educational caviar because they are smarter and work harder. The NAACP complaint lacks merit and will be dismissed in its entirely as failing to state a claim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Teaching does not play a big part. It plays a relatively small part. This has been noted over and over again by anyone who knows anything about TJ, and that includes the teachers themselves. they will tell you that what distinguishes this school from others with smart kids is that these kids are extremely motivated - personally - to excell academically. The choice of the word "environment" simply is redundant of this fact since these kids create the environment. They will be having discussions of the finer points of scientific learning out in the hallways.

"Anyone who knows anything about TJ"? Grabbing the barf bag now.

Your post exemplifies why the NAACP filed the complaint. They are tired of having their kids shut out while a few others dine on educational caviar.

Are you suggesting TJ needs to admit more students? That obviously would not work since the facility cannot accommodate that many students. But here is something that could work. Turn every high school into a TJ. Set a high standard for student performance, except more from the kids, create and promote a culture of academic excellence in every school...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

they dine on educational caviar because they are smarter and work harder. The NAACP complaint lacks merit and will be dismissed in its entirely as failing to state a claim.

It was filed with the Department of Education, not a court. It won't be "dismissed" for "failing to state a claim." Either the DOE will pursue it, or it won't. And, of course, Fairfax can shut TJ down whenever the School Board decides that having another community school available is more important than catering to the needs of a group of students and parents that has become increasingly arrogant. "We came for the sports" has been replaced by "we're better than you, so go away."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

they dine on educational caviar because they are smarter and work harder. The NAACP complaint lacks merit and will be dismissed in its entirely as failing to state a claim.

It was filed with the Department of Education, not a court. It won't be "dismissed" for "failing to state a claim." Either the DOE will pursue it, or it won't. And, of course, Fairfax can shut TJ down whenever the School Board decides that having another community school available is more important than catering to the needs of a group of students and parents that has become increasingly arrogant. "We came for the sports" has been replaced by "we're better than you, so go away."

yes, yes - you get. It has no impact on anything whatsoever except as a publicity stunt. And FCPS isn't going to shut down its crown jewel and so you're kids need to make other arrangements. There are many paths to success, but few are going to get in via the TJ route - get used to it. Unless you have extraordinary achievement in the STEM field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
yes, yes - you get. It has no impact on anything whatsoever except as a publicity stunt. And FCPS isn't going to shut down its crown jewel and so you're kids need to make other arrangements. There are many paths to success, but few are going to get in via the TJ route - get used to it. Unless you have extraordinary achievement in the STEM field.

I didn't say the DOE might not decide to take this up. I do think we may yet approach the point where Fairfax decides its "crown jewel" is more of a "thorn in its side." There was an FCPS before there was a TJ, and there may be one without a TJ in the future. It will not continue to exist simply because it has some vocal supporters, nor will it be closed simply because some people wish the student body more closely resembled the student population as a whole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
yes, yes - you get. It has no impact on anything whatsoever except as a publicity stunt. And FCPS isn't going to shut down its crown jewel and so you're kids need to make other arrangements. There are many paths to success, but few are going to get in via the TJ route - get used to it. Unless you have extraordinary achievement in the STEM field.

I didn't say the DOE might not decide to take this up. I do think we may yet approach the point where Fairfax decides its "crown jewel" is more of a "thorn in its side." There was an FCPS before there was a TJ, and there may be one without a TJ in the future. It will not continue to exist simply because it has some vocal supporters, nor will it be closed simply because some people wish the student body more closely resembled the student population as a whole.

So long as there is a nation-wide push for academic excellence, TJ-like environments will continue to persist. If that cannot be tolerated by some, then perhaps we should work towards out-sourcing quality education to India or China?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
So long as there is a nation-wide push for academic excellence, TJ-like environments will continue to persist. If that cannot be tolerated by some, then perhaps we should work towards out-sourcing quality education to India or China?

If there were a nation-wide push for academic excellence, one might expect to see more said about how TJ-like environments could be expanded to many other schools, or how the presence of a school like TJ leads to academic achievement at more junior levels.

On the other hand, so long as we are comfortable with having one STEM-focused school that serves about 4% of a large county's student population, but gets good write-ups in national publications and is a calling card for the local Chamber of Commerce, we'll have TJ (and a growing number of disaffected groups like the NAACP begging for more seats at a relatively small table).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
So long as there is a nation-wide push for academic excellence, TJ-like environments will continue to persist. If that cannot be tolerated by some, then perhaps we should work towards out-sourcing quality education to India or China?

If there were a nation-wide push for academic excellence, one might expect to see more said about how TJ-like environments could be expanded to many other schools, or how the presence of a school like TJ leads to academic achievement at more junior levels.

On the other hand, so long as we are comfortable with having one STEM-focused school that serves about 4% of a large county's student population, but gets good write-ups in national publications and is a calling card for the local Chamber of Commerce, we'll have TJ (and a growing number of disaffected groups like the NAACP begging for more seats at a relatively small table).

They can beg all they want. But to get in you have to pass a test and then write some persuasive essays. Apparently that's the barrier - a thing called merit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
So long as there is a nation-wide push for academic excellence, TJ-like environments will continue to persist. If that cannot be tolerated by some, then perhaps we should work towards out-sourcing quality education to India or China?

If there were a nation-wide push for academic excellence, one might expect to see more said about how TJ-like environments could be expanded to many other schools, or how the presence of a school like TJ leads to academic achievement at more junior levels.

On the other hand, so long as we are comfortable with having one STEM-focused school that serves about 4% of a large county's student population, but gets good write-ups in national publications and is a calling card for the local Chamber of Commerce, we'll have TJ (and a growing number of disaffected groups like the NAACP begging for more seats at a relatively small table).

They can beg all they want. But to get in you have to pass a test and then write some persuasive essays. Apparently that's the barrier - a thing called merit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
So long as there is a nation-wide push for academic excellence, TJ-like environments will continue to persist. If that cannot be tolerated by some, then perhaps we should work towards out-sourcing quality education to India or China?

If there were a nation-wide push for academic excellence, one might expect to see more said about how TJ-like environments could be expanded to many other schools, or how the presence of a school like TJ leads to academic achievement at more junior levels.

On the other hand, so long as we are comfortable with having one STEM-focused school that serves about 4% of a large county's student population, but gets good write-ups in national publications and is a calling card for the local Chamber of Commerce, we'll have TJ (and a growing number of disaffected groups like the NAACP begging for more seats at a relatively small table).

I don't think anyone should be comfortable with having only one TJ at the county. Quite contrary, as I mentioned before, we should strive to transform every county school into an academically enriching and challenging environment. The logic of pushing for the elimination of a model school because it is the only one in the county, and it only serves ~1500 students (compared with other high schools that have a slightly larger student population) escapes me.

[Anonymous]

TJ is a magnet school. It has not served locally as a model school in any respects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TJ is a magnet school. It has not served locally as a model school in any respects.

In essence, TJ is an academically challenging educational environment for high school students. The school is in high demand, but it simply cannot accommodate all the interested and qualified students. How we label the school is irrelevant. If we like it, if we want our kids to have access to such an environment, then we should work toward having more of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In essence, TJ is an academically challenging educational environment for high school students. The school is in high demand, but it simply cannot accommodate all the interested and qualified students. How we label the school is irrelevant. If we like it, if we want our kids to have access to such an environment, then we should work toward having more of it.

Well, yes and no. TJ was rolled out in the 80s as if it would, in fact, be a model for other schools. Instead, it has simply been a magnet, where the scarcity of available slots arguably generates much of the current demand for the school.

It would be interesting if, in fact, the TJ curriculum were made more widely available. We would see how many students - including those on whose behalf the NAACP is now advocating - are actually prepared to make the effort.