TJ - which middle schools had students accepted in 2017

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have any teachers come out and told kids they don't want them to study from old tests and that constitute cheating?

From my time in a professional college, we (white, asian, blacks, basically everybody) have studied old tests as a way to pinpoint what we need to work on. It wasn't a big deal as everybody has access to old tests.

One TJ teacher in a STEM subject has told me that he has done this, and also warned his classes that they should not be memorizing questions and repeating them to outside businesses that collect test questions. He did this going back a number of years, so this is not something new.

It is not cheating when teachers hand out tests to the whole class specifically to study from. Getting test questions that have not been released from other students or from outside businesses behind the teacher's back is cheating.

[Anonymous]

Are there really businesses that sell TJ test questions? If so, that's insane!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there really businesses that sell TJ test questions? If so, that's insane!

They do. Because parents like the one on this board defending the practice will pay for them.

And understand that TJ is VERY VERY clear that getting test questions (prior year or current year) or providing test questions (ditto) is an integrity violation, unless the teacher okays it. This is not a grey area. It comes under the heading of "obtaining an unfair advantage/ aiding and abetting dishonesty" as TJ interprets it. It is defined as cheating by TJ. Again, unless the teacher or department sign off. Which is where, "ask the teacher if you have any doubt" comes in. I tell my kid to email the teacher about honor code questions, so the response is in writing and there can be no misunderstanding.

And if the parents are somehow confused on this point (they shouldn't be) their kids are not. Because they have been told repeatedly. But, many parents punish anything below an A, and push the kids to accelerate beyond what they are ready for. So kids feel like they have no choice. And parents insist their kids do this because that's what they did in India, or they don't care if it's cheating because it shouldn't be in their opinion, or Ivy League at any cost or the lazy white kids should be willing to cheat too. And if their kid is caught, they fight the kid getting a zero or getting any punishment-- like the nutty "downward spiral" mom upthread.

Which why the increasing numbers of Asian kids at TJ. upset people. Not because people care is the kids are black, brown, blue or purple. But because it makes a high pressure situation toxic. There are kids blatantly, openly, standing in the hall cheating and kids really pissed off that a subset of their peers cheat-- especially since many of the classes are curved. My kid has had lab reports stolen and kids in his class slow walk lab equipment that everyone needs to share so that some kids can't finish in time. It's creates anxiety, anger, and resentment. If TJ wants to still be viable in 5 years, they have to get serious about addressing it. Otherwise, it's only a matter of time it reaches a tipping point and a TJ diploma is worth nothing, because colleges know TJ kids are cheaters. And TJ kids come into college communities and continue this and cause problems.

It's time to start expelling kids. Parents will get the message really fast and cut it out. And I do think it is largely parent driven, not kid driven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there really businesses that sell TJ test questions? If so, that's insane!

They do. Because parents like the one on this board defending the practice will pay for them.

And understand that TJ is VERY VERY clear that getting test questions (prior year or current year) or providing test questions (ditto) is an integrity violation, unless the teacher okays it. This is not a grey area. It comes under the heading of "obtaining an unfair advantage/ aiding and abetting dishonesty" as TJ interprets it. It is defined as cheating by TJ. Again, unless the teacher or department sign off. Which is where, "ask the teacher if you have any doubt" comes in. I tell my kid to email the teacher about honor code questions, so the response is in writing and there can be no misunderstanding.

And if the parents are somehow confused on this point (they shouldn't be) their kids are not. Because they have been told repeatedly. But, many parents punish anything below an A, and push the kids to accelerate beyond what they are ready for. So kids feel like they have no choice. And parents insist their kids do this because that's what they did in India, or they don't care if it's cheating because it shouldn't be in their opinion, or Ivy League at any cost or the lazy white kids should be willing to cheat too. And if their kid is caught, they fight the kid getting a zero or getting any punishment-- like the nutty "downward spiral" mom upthread.

Which why the increasing numbers of Asian kids at TJ. upset people. Not because people care is the kids are black, brown, blue or purple. But because it makes a high pressure situation toxic. There are kids blatantly, openly, standing in the hall cheating and kids really pissed off that a subset of their peers cheat-- especially since many of the classes are curved. My kid has had lab reports stolen and kids in his class slow walk lab equipment that everyone needs to share so that some kids can't finish in time. It's creates anxiety, anger, and resentment. If TJ wants to still be viable in 5 years, they have to get serious about addressing it. Otherwise, it's only a matter of time it reaches a tipping point and a TJ diploma is worth nothing, because colleges know TJ kids are cheaters. And TJ kids come into college communities and continue this and cause problems.

It's time to start expelling kids. Parents will get the message really fast and cut it out. And I do think it is largely parent driven, not kid driven.

Wow, are you serious? Is it such a competiive environment? I have been told that kids are very supportive of each other. Has your son talked to his lab teachers about not having the equipment to finish his work?

[Anonymous]

It makes me so sad and angry to read that so much cheating is going on at TJ. I have a rising 9th grader going to TJ. We need to do something about it. Complaining about it on this board is not going to help. Go to school board meetings and demand a change.

[Anonymous]

Contact the partnership fund and get more lab equipment. There should not be shortages - and the funding for equipment is there through donated funds.

School board can't stop cheating just as it can't stop drug problems or gangs or assaults at other schools. Cheating goes on everywhere but it's just about the only discipline issue at TJ. Not necessarily the same at other schools where cheating is happening but other issues are more pressing to address.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there really businesses that sell TJ test questions? If so, that's insane!

They do. Because parents like the one on this board defending the practice will pay for them.

And understand that TJ is VERY VERY clear that getting test questions (prior year or current year) or providing test questions (ditto) is an integrity violation, unless the teacher okays it. This is not a grey area. It comes under the heading of "obtaining an unfair advantage/ aiding and abetting dishonesty" as TJ interprets it. It is defined as cheating by TJ. Again, unless the teacher or department sign off. Which is where, "ask the teacher if you have any doubt" comes in. I tell my kid to email the teacher about honor code questions, so the response is in writing and there can be no misunderstanding.

And if the parents are somehow confused on this point (they shouldn't be) their kids are not. Because they have been told repeatedly. But, many parents punish anything below an A, and push the kids to accelerate beyond what they are ready for. So kids feel like they have no choice. And parents insist their kids do this because that's what they did in India, or they don't care if it's cheating because it shouldn't be in their opinion, or Ivy League at any cost or the lazy white kids should be willing to cheat too. And if their kid is caught, they fight the kid getting a zero or getting any punishment-- like the nutty "downward spiral" mom upthread.

Which why the increasing numbers of Asian kids at TJ. upset people. Not because people care is the kids are black, brown, blue or purple. But because it makes a high pressure situation toxic. There are kids blatantly, openly, standing in the hall cheating and kids really pissed off that a subset of their peers cheat-- especially since many of the classes are curved. My kid has had lab reports stolen and kids in his class slow walk lab equipment that everyone needs to share so that some kids can't finish in time. It's creates anxiety, anger, and resentment. If TJ wants to still be viable in 5 years, they have to get serious about addressing it. Otherwise, it's only a matter of time it reaches a tipping point and a TJ diploma is worth nothing, because colleges know TJ kids are cheaters. And TJ kids come into college communities and continue this and cause problems.

It's time to start expelling kids. Parents will get the message really fast and cut it out. And I do think it is largely parent driven, not kid driven.

Wow, are you serious? Is it such a competiive environment? I have been told that kids are very supportive of each other. Has your son talked to his lab teachers about not having the equipment to finish his work?

Yes. Kids are generally supportive of each other. And yes. Some kids are cutthroat in a way that shocks me. And talking to other parents, other kids have the exact same complaints as my kid. And like any school, some teachers are more responsive and on top of things than others. This year, he has a teacher who just doesn't give AF, and it's a problem. And not one with a great solution. Because it's high school, so they rightly expect him to advocate with the teacher, counselor and assistant principal, in that order, before a parent gets involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It makes me so sad and angry to read that so much cheating is going on at TJ. I have a rising 9th grader going to TJ. We need to do something about it. Complaining about it on this board is not going to help. Go to school board meetings and demand a change.

I'm with you 100%, but you will find that many parents at TJ are not. Practically speaking, we are in a holding pattern until we get the new principal.

[Anonymous]

It is just so obvious from these posts that the solution is to convert TJ back into a regular school and de-escalate the AAP and magnet-driven culture at TJ. TJ itself is like a lab experiment designed to reveal how cut-throat and competitive parents and students can be. We've seen the results and now we can write up the conclusions and move on to trying something less corrosive that attracts fewer obsessive types and produces fewer cheaters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is just so obvious from these posts that the solution is to convert TJ back into a regular school and de-escalate the AAP and magnet-driven culture at TJ. TJ itself is like a lab experiment designed to reveal how cut-throat and competitive parents and students can be. We've seen the results and now we can write up the conclusions and move on to trying something less corrosive that attracts fewer obsessive types and produces fewer cheaters.

+1 But then you will hear all kinds of hollering from the parents who say their child is SOOO ahead of other students that they can't possibly be educated anywhere else. Guess what? Take a bus (even an FCPS bus) to GMU and get some special programs there for those who are finished with calculus as a freshman in HS. This sort of situation (as it continues to snowball at TJ) is not a good use of public funding. Put the administrative ego aside and make a different program that is less toxic.

[Anonymous]

No - the solution is to have more collaboration between TJ and other schools, which will now start happening because the construction and labs are completed. Anyone with Middle School or High School students should check out the summer programs in STEM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No - the solution is to have more collaboration between TJ and other schools, which will now start happening because the construction and labs are completed. Anyone with Middle School or High School students should check out the summer programs in STEM.

The academic summer school at TJ is for TJ students only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No - the solution is to have more collaboration between TJ and other schools, which will now start happening because the construction and labs are completed. Anyone with Middle School or High School students should check out the summer programs in STEM.

The academic summer school at TJ is for TJ students only.

There are STEM summer programs for non TJ students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Contact the partnership fund and get more lab equipment. There should not be shortages - and the funding for equipment is there through donated funds.

School board can't stop cheating just as it can't stop drug problems or gangs or assaults at other schools. Cheating goes on everywhere but it's just about the only discipline issue at TJ. Not necessarily the same at other schools where cheating is happening but other issues are more pressing to address.

Yes, TJ has no other discipline issues like other schools because TJ kids are so special. I guess you missed the thread about the TJ student who sexually harnessed MULTIPLE students at TJ. Oh, I'm sure you'll reply that this was one bad Apple and that all the other TJ kids are just wonderful, except for being habitual cheaters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No - the solution is to have more collaboration between TJ and other schools, which will now start happening because the construction and labs are completed. Anyone with Middle School or High School students should check out the summer programs in STEM.

The academic summer school at TJ is for TJ students only.

There are STEM summer programs for non TJ students.

Middle schoolers only. I'm not aware of any programs to open TJ labs to other high school students over the summer.