Any updates on the DOE Investigation on discrimination case for magnet middle schools MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there one or more posters who support MCPS's very murky selection criteria?

Do they somehow believe that their children wil benefit from it?

And, not to put too fine a point on it, are they prejudiced against Asians?

Keep it up and I'm going to believe that everyone who pipes up against the investigation is racist.

One of the leader’s children is only 1/2 Asian. His parents registered him as Ssian and not multiracial. It would be interesting to see if that would have made a difference in his admission.

It would not, assuming his home address was still someplace with a "high achieving" cohort and assuming he was not one of the best within that high achieving cohort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually hope the CO keeps track of the people filing this frivolous nonsense and reduce their eligibility for consideration going forward.

Are you stupid, or are you a monster? Transparency is always good and for the benefit of everyone.

OP,

You were very courageous to file a complaint. On behalf of all MCPS families, thank you. Whether we know it or not, we are all affected by discrimination, if it turns out there is discrimination.

Thank you for draining off tax dollars that would be used to educate children so they can defend against a frivolous investigation

Can you elaborate? I thought the lawsuit was being conducted through the federal Office of Civil Rights? How would money from that agency be going to MCPS in the first place?

DP. MCPS is spending money to respond to the investigation (which is not a lawsuit).

That is MCPS’ choice. MCPS was asked to release information and parents had requested to meet with MCPS before any complaints were filed with the Office of Civil Rights.

MCPS decided that it wants to keep admission data a secret and that is what led to the complaints.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there one or more posters who support MCPS's very murky selection criteria?

Do they somehow believe that their children wil benefit from it?

And, not to put too fine a point on it, are they prejudiced against Asians?

Keep it up and I'm going to believe that everyone who pipes up against the investigation is racist.

The selection criteria for magnet admissions are clearly laid out by MCPS and not even slightly murky.

The real issue is with changes like universal screening there are now five times as many applicants as in the past and it's much harder to game the system now.

Why do you keep repeating this? If it were that simple they wouldn't have had to use the cohort criteria. They would just rank all the applicants and take the top 100 which they did not do. Why didn't they do this? Was there a racial reason for doing this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there one or more posters who support MCPS's very murky selection criteria?

Do they somehow believe that their children wil benefit from it?

And, not to put too fine a point on it, are they prejudiced against Asians?

Keep it up and I'm going to believe that everyone who pipes up against the investigation is racist.

The selection criteria for magnet admissions are clearly laid out by MCPS and not even slightly murky.

The real issue is with changes like universal screening there are now five times as many applicants as in the past and it's much harder to game the system now.

Why do you keep repeating this? If it were that simple they wouldn't have had to use the cohort criteria. They would just rank all the applicants and take the top 100 which they did not do. Why

didn't they do this? Was there a racial reason for doing this?

MCPS decided to serve cohorts at their base school. Many students of all races from many schools were granted entry to their home school cohorts. This is what they will find.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The only thing I have read on here about which child is "worthy" is based on test scores and grades, irrespective of parental income. No one says, "Only children of rich parents who can afford tutors should be allowed in". There are parents who aren't that well off but will scrape money together to send their kids to after school tutoring; spend a lot of time at libraries, and what not. If they score well enough, they get in.

Life is unfair. I grew up poor, with uneducated parents from a different country and who couldn't speak English. That doesn't mean that I should have had the bar lowered for me. Although, it would've been great if they had lowered the high bar for me in PE because, as a short person, I could never get over the darn thing. The taller kids from other poor families could get over the hurdle, though. I tell my short kids the same thing.. life is unfair. Some people have to work harder than others in some things, while in other things, other people have to work harder than you.

"Life is unfair" is not a good basis for public policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there one or more posters who support MCPS's very murky selection criteria?

Do they somehow believe that their children wil benefit from it?

And, not to put too fine a point on it, are they prejudiced against Asians?

Keep it up and I'm going to believe that everyone who pipes up against the investigation is racist.

The selection criteria for magnet admissions are clearly laid out by MCPS and not even slightly murky.

The real issue is with changes like universal screening there are now five times as many applicants as in the past and it's much harder to game the system now.

Why do you keep repeating this? If it were that simple they wouldn't have had to use the cohort criteria. They would just rank all the applicants and take the top 100 which they did not do. Why didn't they do this? Was there a racial reason for doing this?

Because not all schools are equal.

Cohort matters.

That is why people pay a hundreds of thousands of dollars premium on property to curate a public school experience for their children through SES segregation.

They know that a cohort or lack of a cohort can have a positive or negative impact on their children’s education respectively.

We all know this and the only context where cohort is downplayed on this forum are these magnet threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually hope the CO keeps track of the people filing this frivolous nonsense and reduce their eligibility for consideration going forward.

Are you stupid, or are you a monster? Transparency is always good and for the benefit of everyone.

OP,

You were very courageous to file a complaint. On behalf of all MCPS families, thank you. Whether we know it or not, we are all affected by discrimination, if it turns out there is discrimination.

Thank you for draining off tax dollars that would be used to educate children so they can defend against a frivolous investigation

Can you elaborate? I thought the lawsuit was being conducted through the federal Office of Civil Rights? How would money from that agency be going to MCPS in the first place?

DP. MCPS is spending money to respond to the investigation (which is not a lawsuit).

That is MCPS’ choice. MCPS was asked to release information and parents had requested to meet with MCPS before any complaints were filed with the Office of Civil Rights.

MCPS decided that it wants to keep admission data a secret and that is what led to the complaints.

Sure, it's MCPS's choice. Just as it would be your choice, if someone were investigating you, to hire a lawyer or not. But for you to not hire a lawyer would be a highly imprudent choice.

[Anonymous]

To answer OP's question, no you will not be likely to suffer any negative consequences.

1. Retaliation is illegal. MCPS is already in hot water and it would be insane to push things any further. Some central office staff may hate the parents who reported the discrimination but their lawyers will be breathing down their necks going forward. If anything, you are more likely to receive slightly favorable consideration or at least not be overlooked because of fear of getting into a retaliation class action suit.

2. Teachers do not like the central office and even if someone in the central office were to somehow signal to a school that you reported them to the feds, you will only be more popular with the teachers. Teachers don't have the same type of protections that parents do and have more to lose with their pensions on the line. Retaliation is quite common by the central office against teachers because they know they have little recourse unlike parents. Teachers are cheering you on!

3. MCPS is a bully. Like all bullies, if you stand up to them they stand down. MCPS banks on Asian American parents being meek and staying quiet, good for you for proving them wrong!

Thank you for standing up for yourself, your child and others. Discrimination against any minority kids to favor lower performing white kids harms everyone and only propagates racial discriminatory institutions. White kids would be far better served being required to compete on their own merits and not having a group in the central office watching out to make sure they stay on top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To answer OP's question, no you will not be likely to suffer any negative consequences.

1. Retaliation is illegal. MCPS is already in hot water and it would be insane to push things any further. Some central office staff may hate the parents who reported the discrimination but their lawyers will be breathing down their necks going forward. If anything, you are more likely to receive slightly favorable consideration or at least not be overlooked because of fear of getting into a retaliation class action suit.

2. Teachers do not like the central office and even if someone in the central office were to somehow signal to a school that you reported them to the feds, you will only be more popular with the teachers. Teachers don't have the same type of protections that parents do and have more to lose with their pensions on the line. Retaliation is quite common by the central office against teachers because they know they have little recourse unlike parents. Teachers are cheering you on!

3. MCPS is a bully. Like all bullies, if you stand up to them they stand down. MCPS banks on Asian American parents being meek and staying quiet, good for you for proving them wrong!

Thank you for standing up for yourself, your child and others. Discrimination against any minority kids to favor lower performing white kids harms everyone and only propagates racial discriminatory institutions. White kids would be far better served being required to compete on their own merits and not having a group in the central office watching out to make sure they stay on top.

Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually hope the CO keeps track of the people filing this frivolous nonsense and reduce their eligibility for consideration going forward.

Are you stupid, or are you a monster? Transparency is always good and for the benefit of everyone.

OP,

You were very courageous to file a complaint. On behalf of all MCPS families, thank you. Whether we know it or not, we are all affected by discrimination, if it turns out there is discrimination.

Talk for yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We received a letter stating the MLK and Clemente will also be a part of this investigation now and be consolidated under the same case for Takoma and Eastern. We had filed a complaint and hence received this letter. Does anyone have any updates news information on this matter. Also on second thoughts my child is still in MCPS and I am now scared that they may use this against us in future. Any advice or experiences for this - please let us know. Thank you

In case MCPS use this against your children in the future, you can contact Pacific Legal Foundation. They have attorneys and provide free legal services. A group of MOCO parents are already in communication with Pacific Legal Foundation.

Their website:https://pacificlegal.org/case/christa-mcauliffe-pto-v-de-blasio/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We received a letter stating the MLK and Clemente will also be a part of this investigation now and be consolidated under the same case for Takoma and Eastern. We had filed a complaint and hence received this letter. Does anyone have any updates news information on this matter. Also on second thoughts my child is still in MCPS and I am now scared that they may use this against us in future. Any advice or experiences for this - please let us know. Thank you

In case MCPS use this against your children in the future, you can contact Pacific Legal Foundation. They have attorneys and provide free legal services. A group of MOCO parents are already in communication with Pacific Legal Foundation.

Their website:https://pacificlegal.org/case/christa-mcauliffe-pto-v-de-blasio/

Not sure about that group. John Yoo is a trustee. He wrote the memos justifying torture for the Bush administration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there one or more posters who support MCPS's very murky selection criteria?

Do they somehow believe that their children wil benefit from it?

And, not to put too fine a point on it, are they prejudiced against Asians?

Keep it up and I'm going to believe that everyone who pipes up against the investigation is racist.

The selection criteria for magnet admissions are clearly laid out by MCPS and not even slightly murky.

The real issue is with changes like universal screening there are now five times as many applicants as in the past and it's much harder to game the system now.

Why do you keep repeating this? If it were that simple they wouldn't have had to use the cohort criteria. They would just rank all the applicants and take the top 100 which they did not do. Why didn't they do this? Was there a racial reason for doing this?

Because not all schools are equal.

Cohort matters.

That is why people pay a hundreds of thousands of dollars premium on property to curate a public school experience for their children through SES segregation.

They know that a cohort or lack of a cohort can have a positive or negative impact on their children’s education respectively.

We all know this and the only context where cohort is downplayed on this forum are these magnet threads.

Exactly, everyone who posts acts on cohort for their decision making, and then wants to pretend it's insignificant when MCPS does the same.

People sort themselves when they fear their kid will not be the top student. It's better to be a mediocre student at top school, because when the student's not self-motivated the surrounding students become all important (at least that's the fearful parent logic). But this is exactly why the cohort model makes sense. The students who rise to the very top in each setting are the ones to watch, and the ones who might find a magnet transformative. The next 30 best kids may be very good at a high SES school, but they're already punching above their weight, because of their cohort--which was bought and paid for by their parents.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't worry so much about retaliation as having my child become the Whitman cluster equivalent of #BeckyWithTheBadGrades.

We know there were ZERO sending middle schools with no kids accepted to the magnets, but that the bar was higher for clusters with a large number of "high achieving" kids, in order to select outliers from each sending school.


I would not want my kid publicly identified as a "above average but not exceptional" kid in a court case. I mean, my kid actually IS above average but not exceptional, but there's something particularly cruel about making that the basis of a legal complaint.

[Anonymous]

I also wanted to thank the brave parents who wrote the petition.