NAACP, Local Advocates File Discrimination Complaint Against FCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"PP you are referring to. My parents never prepped me for anything. I aced every exam I took as a young child. I then became a diligent student as I got older. I don't think it is parental persistence; it is individual persistence."

"I grew up in another state. I was in MG (mentally gifted) and took all honors in junior high and all honors/AP classes in high school."

WHO CARES??? Can we stop talking about you and get back to the NAACP complaint?

Certain minority groups are very underrepresented in AAP and TJ. I do not think anyone is suggesting that we "dumb down" any tests or lower any standards.

If there is a gap here, why does the gap exist? Several posts here point to 1)intelligence 2) interest 3) ambition or "individual persistence"

So are we saying that these minority groups lack these things?? As one PP noted the correlation between mother's educational attainment and child's academic success - I am sure there is also a correlation between parents' income and child's academic success.

Sooooo, do we care? Or do we still insist that the poor kids are just not smart, interested or ambitious enough and too bad for them?

I'm so sick of these race games. I grew up poor. My parents could barely speak English. I worked hard and did well in school. I'm Asian though so I supposedly don't count as a minority even though there are more Hispanics and blacks than Asians.[/quote]

sigh....these "me, me, me", "I pulled myself up by own bootstraps" anecdotes are so lame and not helpful to the discussion.

It has nothing to do with me individually and everything to do with race and is relevant to the discussion.

Based on these boards, the main issue with AAP and TJ is that there are too many Asians (overrepresented in both AAP and TJ compared to their % of the total population) and not enough black/Hispanics in AAP/TJ. What everyone seems to want is less Asians in the program so that more other minorities can be in the program. My whole point is that Asians are a minority too.

And, FYI....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/asians-outnumber-hispanics-among-new-immigrants/2012/06/18/gJQA0POrmV_story.html

Article states that Asians represent 6% of the population while Hispanics represent 17%.

Yes. Asian immigrants now outnumber Hispanic immigrants. Trend is moving. Thought it might interest you.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps in other areas yes hispanics were discriminated, but in this area, it is only recent. There just weren't many hispanics here. I don't believe historically the discrimination was worse to Hispanics than to Asians. To blacks, I believe it was more. I'm not sure why you can't see the cultural differences though. Many people in Asia are still poor but they are very much into the stem arms race. There are still many low income asians here. Hispanic and African countries and hispanic and black communities here are just not as interested. Whites as a majority are not low income yet they do not view TJ in the same light as Asians do therefore they do not get accepted as high a rate as Asians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:24 What are you talking about in terms of historical context? Since when have hispanics ever been discriminated as a group other than most recently when they've come in great numbers as illegals? Asians were discriminated during WWII which by now is somewhat historical. Blacks have been discriminated for longer, however they've their freedoms earlier than women. What is FCPS supposed to do more of? They already have the title one schools with less students per teacher, young scholar classes, longer school days, summer school classes, free meals, spanish foreign immersion, ESOL, and special ed. The reason there are more Asians at TJ is because many Asians want this for their children. Plain and simple. Once blacks, hispanics, whites, and everyone else have the same educational goals and apply themselves they will be on the same level as the asians. Truthfully though these races do not think TJ is as important as the Asians do.

Wow. You are completely ignorant of American history if you think that discrimination of Hispanics is only recent. And I don't have time to give you a history lesson. All the "whites only" Jim Crow laws did not include Mexican Americans (citizens, mind you) as "white" . It won't take you long to uncover information if you are really interested.

I do agree that there are some cultural elements at play, but mostly I think it comes down to SES and heirarchy of needs - food, housing, clothing, before ensuring that your child is maximizing their academic potential.

11:07 here. There has been discrimination against all races including whites throughout American history. I don't think Fairfax County is discriminating against blacks and Hispanics though. They are trying their best to give them better opportunities and it appears to be having minimal effect. Learning starts from the home and the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess, but why does race now become an issue? Shouldn't they just figure out where the problems are with admission and fix it? Then admission would change relative to new criteria, not race. Honestly I never understood the aura of TJ. Is it just a status symbol for them or do people honestly think their local FCPS public high school with ridiculous numbers of AP classes offered these days isn't enough to then go on to a STEM career?

The schools with the high hispanic/black populations are IB schools -- so they don't even get access to AP courses to go on to a STEM career.

Wrong. Hayfield, Falls Church and West Potomac all have high black and/or Hispanic enrollments and are AP schools. And who says IB can't prepare students for a STEM career?

There are plenty of IB graduates who go on to excellent universities and pursue STEM careers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps in other areas yes hispanics were discriminated, but in this area, it is only recent. There just weren't many hispanics here. I don't believe historically the discrimination was worse to Hispanics than to Asians. To blacks, I believe it was more. I'm not sure why you can't see the cultural differences though. Many people in Asia are still poor but they are very much into the stem arms race. There are still many low income asians here. Hispanic and African countries and hispanic and black communities here are just not as interested. Whites as a majority are not low income yet they do not view TJ in the same light as Asians do therefore they do not get accepted as high a rate as Asians.

It's true. I was at library today -- all whites and Asians. On way home went by a basketball court - guess what? Mostly black. Just the way it is . Why try to place a duty on the school district to make certain groups interested in something they are not interested in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps in other areas yes hispanics were discriminated, but in this area, it is only recent. There just weren't many hispanics here. I don't believe historically the discrimination was worse to Hispanics than to Asians. To blacks, I believe it was more. I'm not sure why you can't see the cultural differences though. Many people in Asia are still poor but they are very much into the stem arms race. There are still many low income asians here. Hispanic and African countries and hispanic and black communities here are just not as interested. Whites as a majority are not low income yet they do not view TJ in the same light as Asians do therefore they do not get accepted as high a rate as Asians.

It's true. I was at library today -- all whites and Asians. On way home went by a basketball court - guess what? Mostly black. Just the way it is . Why try to place a duty on the school district to make certain groups interested in something they are not interested in?

Geesh. Where were the Hispanics? Landscaping and salsa dancing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps in other areas yes hispanics were discriminated, but in this area, it is only recent. There just weren't many hispanics here. I don't believe historically the discrimination was worse to Hispanics than to Asians. To blacks, I believe it was more. I'm not sure why you can't see the cultural differences though. Many people in Asia are still poor but they are very much into the stem arms race. There are still many low income asians here. Hispanic and African countries and hispanic and black communities here are just not as interested. Whites as a majority are not low income yet they do not view TJ in the same light as Asians do therefore they do not get accepted as high a rate as Asians.

It's true. I was at library today -- all whites and Asians. On way home went by a basketball court - guess what? Mostly black. Just the way it is . Why try to place a duty on the school district to make certain groups interested in something they are not interested in?

Geesh. Where were the Hispanics? Landscaping and salsa dancing?

Now that you mention it, did see some doing landscaping. Have seen them playing soccer on the weekends also.

[Anonymous]

Nearly all of the Asians I saw at the library were receiving some kind of tutoring. So you can see why they do so well academically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nearly all of the Asians I saw at the library were receiving some kind of tutoring. So you can see why they do so well academically.

Yes, I'm sure every Asian kid who gets into AAP, TJ, Harvard, MIT, etc. got there because they had some sort of unfair advantage. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

In case anyone is interested in reading the actual complaint. You might still disagree, but at least you'd know what you are disagreeing with exactly.

http://coalitionofthesilence.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/fairfax-complaint-7-231.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nearly all of the Asians I saw at the library were receiving some kind of tutoring. So you can see why they do so well academically.

Yes, I'm sure every Asian kid who gets into AAP, TJ, Harvard, MIT, etc. got there because they had some sort of unfair advantage. Ridiculous.

What's ridiculous. You ought to lose the chip on your shoulder. Going to the library and receiving tutoring is not tantamount having "some sort of unfair advantage." Rather, tt reflects their interest and desire to succeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nearly all of the Asians I saw at the library were receiving some kind of tutoring. So you can see why they do so well academically.

Yes, I'm sure every Asian kid who gets into AAP, TJ, Harvard, MIT, etc. got there because they had some sort of unfair advantage. Ridiculous.

What's ridiculous. You ought to lose the chip on your shoulder. Going to the library and receiving tutoring is not tantamount having "some sort of unfair advantage." Rather, tt reflects their interest and desire to succeed.

I assure I do not have a chip on my shoulder. The ones who have a chip who are not getting into AAP/TJ.

[Anonymous]

You are both taking the bait from a poster who appears to be posting sarcastically.... He didn't really see Asians in the library recieiving tutoring, get it?

[Anonymous]

It is not just the minorities (from another thread):

Fairfax County AAP program has lost sight of its purpose. It began as an immersion program for the "truly gifted” in order to offer them the advanced curriculum these children need. Through this process, there have been so many exceptions to the rule with inclusion for this, and inclusion for that, our “gifted” population is up to a whopping 20-25%! Really? No. Most of these children just need a different way of learning the same materials but instead are being given an “advanced academic” education and this is fueling the complaints and the faults being seen in high school.

It is not just the minorities being discriminated against here. The bottom line is the AAP program is providing “advanced academics” to children who do need to be provided a “different way of teaching”, but, do not need “advanced academics”. Fairfax County Public Schools are discriminating by providing a select group of children “advanced academics” just because they need a “different way of learning” and not giving the “smart” children, who can succeed in the standard classroom environment, “advanced academics”. These AAP children have many more doors open to them. They are automatically placed in advanced middle school classes and given the “AAP stamp” on their school records which follows them all the way through their education. Not to mention a “better”, “advanced”, education. This is discrimination and I believe quite possibly “tracking” depending on the way in which the student gained acceptance into the AAP center.

A solution here might be for FCPS to offer “alternative learning” schools where the curriculum is the same but taught differently and keep the AAP center for the truly “advanced top 5% learners” where admission would be based solely on their scholastic achievement and high IQ’s. I don’t know. But FCPS does need to correct this sooner than later. The program and process as it is today is discrimination – but not just for minorities.

[Anonymous]

FCPS: http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/pdfs/localplan/AttachmentHMSHonors_Final.pdf

How is the middle school Advanced Academic Level IV center
program different from middle school Honors classes?

The Level IV center program for students in grades 7 and
8 offers identified students a full-time, highly challenging
instructional program in all core subjects: social studies,
English, science, and/or mathematics. Honors classes
provide opportunities for students to develop academic
strengths through a more rigorous and challenging
program in one or more identified subject areas.