TJ - which middle schools had students accepted in 2017

[Anonymous]

I will say - the administration's focus on cheating and responses to it has improved greatly under the new leadership. It's still not adequate - nothing will be until they can use restorative justice for a first offense and send kids back to their base school for a second one - but it's a lot better.

Glazer was far more concerned with the school's reputation than with cheating - witness the fact that he implemented a 3.0 cutoff to remain at the school but never seriously advocated for major consequences for cheaters. Just one of the many ways he abjectly destroyed TJ's vibrant culture during his tenure as he rebuilt the school (quite literally) in his image).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will say - the administration's focus on cheating and responses to it has improved greatly under the new leadership. It's still not adequate - nothing will be until they can use restorative justice for a first offense and send kids back to their base school for a second one - but it's a lot better.

Glazer was far more concerned with the school's reputation than with cheating - witness the fact that he implemented a 3.0 cutoff to remain at the school but never seriously advocated for major consequences for cheaters. Just one of the many ways he abjectly destroyed TJ's vibrant culture during his tenure as he rebuilt the school (quite literally) in his image).

I have been completely underwhelmed at the TJ administration's response to cheating this school year. We have seen the same students get away with what they have always gotten away with. However, with DL, + no mandatory use of cameras + ongoing culture among many students that anything is fair game as long as you don't get caught, it probably is just too large of a hurdle to overcome until kids are back in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

This is shocking, but I can see how a kid who feels pressured or feels that s/he is in over his head might give in to temptation in order to get a better grade.

These statements above are as true today as they were in 2017.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will say - the administration's focus on cheating and responses to it has improved greatly under the new leadership. It's still not adequate - nothing will be until they can use restorative justice for a first offense and send kids back to their base school for a second one - but it's a lot better.

Glazer was far more concerned with the school's reputation than with cheating - witness the fact that he implemented a 3.0 cutoff to remain at the school but never seriously advocated for major consequences for cheaters. Just one of the many ways he abjectly destroyed TJ's vibrant culture during his tenure as he rebuilt the school (quite literally) in his image).

I have been completely underwhelmed at the TJ administration's response to cheating this school year. We have seen the same students get away with what they have always gotten away with. However, with DL, + no mandatory use of cameras + ongoing culture among many students that anything is fair game as long as you don't get caught, it probably is just too large of a hurdle to overcome until kids are back in the classroom.

This year is a total loss as far as that is concerned. The kids are going to get out of the year what they get, bottom line, but it's not reasonable to place virtual cheating behaviors on the teachers' plates in addition to everything else they're dealing with right now. It sucks because it creates imbalances in the college admissions process, but that's always the case at TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will say - the administration's focus on cheating and responses to it has improved greatly under the new leadership. It's still not adequate - nothing will be until they can use restorative justice for a first offense and send kids back to their base school for a second one - but it's a lot better.

Glazer was far more concerned with the school's reputation than with cheating - witness the fact that he implemented a 3.0 cutoff to remain at the school but never seriously advocated for major consequences for cheaters. Just one of the many ways he abjectly destroyed TJ's vibrant culture during his tenure as he rebuilt the school (quite literally) in his image).

I have been completely underwhelmed at the TJ administration's response to cheating this school year. We have seen the same students get away with what they have always gotten away with. However, with DL, + no mandatory use of cameras + ongoing culture among many students that anything is fair game as long as you don't get caught, it probably is just too large of a hurdle to overcome until kids are back in the classroom.

This year is a total loss as far as that is concerned. The kids are going to get out of the year what they get, bottom line, but it's not reasonable to place virtual cheating behaviors on the teachers' plates in addition to everything else they're dealing with right now. It sucks because it creates imbalances in the college admissions process, but that's always the case at TJ.

Agreed. Teachers that tried to enforce ethics at the beginning of the year were quickly overwhelmed with parent complaints. The administration did not have effective tools or policies to help the teachers address cheating because of county-wide policies (i.e. no cameras) and the reality of DL. Teachers also cannot give zeros for assignments, so the "potential cost" of getting caught cheating is much lower in the unlikely event that a child is caught.

It will be interesting to see what happens next year and what the policies will be with DL. I truly hope they remove the DL option for TJ and require any TJ student to attend in person or at least take quizzes/exams in person. Having another year of free for all cheating is not healthy for anyone.

[Anonymous]

The emails and posts I have seen sure sounds like DL will not be an option for individual schools in FCPS. I suspect that they are planning for a county wide DL option, you can take DL but you will be assigned to a Teacher and a class based on availability and you will not be considered a part of your base school. You will end up with kids from other schools and your Teacher is not likely to be someone who had taught at your base school.