Why we need TJ ? Why not all high schools be equal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because it was intended to be a way to provide appropriate coursework and peer interaction in line with the state requirement for gifted education. Gifted education is not meant to serve all students, just like special education is not meant to serve all students. This doesn’t mean all schools shouldn’t have excellent lab and other opportunities. But it’s the answer to why TJ exists.

Please provide the proof for this assertion.

I believe you will find that Jefferson High was converted to TJHSST in the mid-1980s not to respond to any state mandate, but because (1) enrollment had dropped in part of the county at the time, leading the School Board to believe that one of Annandale, Jefferson, or Stuart HS should be closed or repurposed; and (2) the Board of Supervisors believed that a magnet high school with a STEM focus would be beneficial from a marketing perspective.

The needs of "gifted" students in FCPS were already being met at the time, as they could be met again without an exclusive (and exclusionary) magnet.

[Anonymous]

Better TJ than NJ:

https://www.nj.com/news/2020/09/ex-nj-official-accused-of-improperly-hiring-friends-had-tacit-approval-of-governors-office-corruption-watchdog.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All FCPS high schools are not equal. At all. Look at facilities, courses offered, clubs, activities, etc. Oh, and test scores and demographics.

Don't worry, school board coming for AAP centers next.

They’d better be coming for Langley next. Their demographic stats are as bad or worse than TJ and they are not even a magnet. And so many kids from Oakton and Chantilly go to TJ. If these numbers were drastically cut, we would need a Western County rezoning. Chantilly probably has 300 plus kids across all 4 grades at TJ, a population of 3000, trailers packed in everywhere and nowhere to move in the hallways. And is not on the list for an addition. You can’t send a bunch of kids back to Western County because there is nowhere to put them. Time for Langley and the new Oakton and Herndon additions to do their part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do we need MIT, Caltech, CMU ...? Their labs and professors should be available to all. Coincidently those schools have more Asians. It's time to "correct" that problem.

These are all private institutions.

They receive millions of taxpayer money and are subject to federal laws.

Or they could start with UVA, UCLA, UCB, all public schools. Open them to all and use a lottery to pick students.

+1. 3.8, 1350 SAT, you rank choice UVA, WM VT and lottery in. 1250, 3.5W for the next tier. Much more equitable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do we need MIT, Caltech, CMU ...? Their labs and professors should be available to all. Coincidently those schools have more Asians. It's time to "correct" that problem.

These are all private institutions.

They receive millions of taxpayer money and are subject to federal laws.

Or they could start with UVA, UCLA, UCB, all public schools. Open them to all and use a lottery to pick students.

+1. 3.8, 1350 SAT, you rank choice UVA, WM VT and lottery in. 1250, 3.5W for the next tier. Much more equitable.

Sounds great and would promote equity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do we need MIT, Caltech, CMU ...? Their labs and professors should be available to all. Coincidently those schools have more Asians. It's time to "correct" that problem.

These are all private institutions.

They receive millions of taxpayer money and are subject to federal laws.

Or they could start with UVA, UCLA, UCB, all public schools. Open them to all and use a lottery to pick students.

+1. 3.8, 1350 SAT, you rank choice UVA, WM VT and lottery in. 1250, 3.5W for the next tier. Much more equitable.

Why 1350 SAT? There shouldn't be any testing involved. The high-score kids are all prepped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All FCPS high schools are not equal. At all. Look at facilities, courses offered, clubs, activities, etc. Oh, and test scores and demographics.

Don't worry, school board coming for AAP centers next.

They’d better be coming for Langley next. Their demographic stats are as bad or worse than TJ and they are not even a magnet. And so many kids from Oakton and Chantilly go to TJ. If these numbers were drastically cut, we would need a Western County rezoning. Chantilly probably has 300 plus kids across all 4 grades at TJ, a population of 3000, trailers packed in everywhere and nowhere to move in the hallways. And is not on the list for an addition. You can’t send a bunch of kids back to Western County because there is nowhere to put them. Time for Langley and the new Oakton and Herndon additions to do their part.

Why not coming for Langley now? Why TJ has to go first?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All FCPS high schools are not equal. At all. Look at facilities, courses offered, clubs, activities, etc. Oh, and test scores and demographics.

Don't worry, school board coming for AAP centers next.

They’d better be coming for Langley next. Their demographic stats are as bad or worse than TJ and they are not even a magnet. And so many kids from Oakton and Chantilly go to TJ. If these numbers were drastically cut, we would need a Western County rezoning. Chantilly probably has 300 plus kids across all 4 grades at TJ, a population of 3000, trailers packed in everywhere and nowhere to move in the hallways. And is not on the list for an addition. You can’t send a bunch of kids back to Western County because there is nowhere to put them. Time for Langley and the new Oakton and Herndon additions to do their part.

It is closer to 160 than 300.

Herndon will get more space after its renovation is finished. Westfield is below capacity. Lake Braddock also has some space. Oakton probably will be near capacity even with an expansion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no need for TJ. Or AAP.

Isn't it just a way to segregate?

[Anonymous]

Well, one reason for all high schools not to be equal would be because the gifted would have to go to school with people like you, who write titles like yours:

"Why we need TJ ? Why not all high schools be equal"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do we need MIT, Caltech, CMU ...? Their labs and professors should be available to all. Coincidently those schools have more Asians. It's time to "correct" that problem.

These are all private institutions.

They receive millions of taxpayer money and are subject to federal laws.

Or they could start with UVA, UCLA, UCB, all public schools. Open them to all and use a lottery to pick students.

+1. 3.8, 1350 SAT, you rank choice UVA, WM VT and lottery in. 1250, 3.5W for the next tier. Much more equitable.

Sounds great and would promote equity.

It’s pretty much the way it’s done now anyway, so not much wo7ld change. There’s an element of luck with acceptance to all the top schools. They could fill their classes many times over with kids who could all do well in a highly academic environment.

[Anonymous]

I like the way Texas does it with UT- UT Austin is required to admit the first 75% of its freshman class based on nothing other than class rank in a Texas high school. The remaining 25% can be out of state or holistic. Texas A&M is top 10%. Students aren't punished for attending terrible schools and aren't rewarded for things outside of school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do we need MIT, Caltech, CMU ...? Their labs and professors should be available to all. Coincidently those schools have more Asians. It's time to "correct" that problem.

These are all private institutions.

They receive millions of taxpayer money and are subject to federal laws.

Or they could start with UVA, UCLA, UCB, all public schools. Open them to all and use a lottery to pick students.

+1. 3.8, 1350 SAT, you rank choice UVA, WM VT and lottery in. 1250, 3.5W for the next tier. Much more equitable.

PP. I was being sarcastic. Isn't SAT discriminative and not "equitable"?

[Anonymous]

I'm ok with TJ - I'm good with them switching to a lottery where people interested in STEM all have an equal opportunity to go. I would love it if they also created at least one other magnet schools for the arts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm ok with TJ - I'm good with them switching to a lottery where people interested in STEM all have an equal opportunity to go. I would love it if they also created at least one other magnet schools for the arts.

I think they do. There are 17 governor schools in VA, just not all in Fairfax county