TJ admissions decision - repercussions for Class of 2026

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Who would have though that trying to break the cycle of low income Black and Hispanic underachievement would be derided as racist.

That attempts to reduce opportunity hoarding by rich people would be called unjust.

If only Fairfax County had similar demographics to PG County, we'd be having an entirely different conversation. Imagine FCPS consisting of 60% African-Americans but 70% Asians at TJ. Then the injustice of privilege would be 100x more obvious and maybe the TJ lawsuit supporters could wrap their minds around the concept of a zero-sum game.

Injustice?

Yes? Are you genuinely bringing that into question? If we had a population of 60% poor Black kids who all lived outside of Langley, Mclean, Chantilly, etc, it would be more than obvious that there is a systemic problem preventing them from succeeding academically to get into TJ. It would be clear that the core of the effort isn't to have less Asians, but to improve achievement for the kids living in poverty, with broken families, in low-income areas, all of which systemically contribute to lower academic achievement.

All of that is true even now, except it isn't magnified because our economic diversity is spread out amongst races so everyone only focuses on Asians going from 70% to 50%. This should have nothing to do with race.

The solution there is to help them succeed, not to enhance racist policies to lower their standard of entry at the expense of a different racial group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, they'll just use what they have without the proxy discrimination of the 1.5% and experience factors.

Why would FCPS do that given their stated goals? Lotteries are legal.

The lottery was already shot down. The school board knows they can't use it. That would cause a riot in the streets.

Where in the order does the judge say that a lottery is illegal?

I think lottery is the most likely outcome at this point.

I am seriously curious what would happen if FCPS came out and said "it's either the fall 2020 process or a lottery among the 2500 qualified applicants with no weighting whatsoever".

If I were the Coalition4TJ, I would seriously consider dropping the suit. Their kids have a FAR better chance of getting in under the currently enjoined process than a lottery. And lotteries are expressly legal.

Yea, blackmailing parents is such a good way for elected officials to behave.

It's not blackmail. Just realistic options.

Uh, blackmail works because the options are realistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP with a senior. Yes, all of this drama and division has had an impact on the school experience for students.

How so?

My kid didn't take prep classes so I have no idea what the PP is talking about with releasing names of kids.

For my kid, the school he loved was attacked by the superintendent and school board members as having a toxic culture in need of change. The principal told all families to "check their privilege." The school board engaged in lots of meetings and changes without ever asking TJ kids or families their opinion. They expressed a lot of disdain for the kids at the school.

Then, nuts took over the PTSA and turned a very supportive organization into some sort of political hatchet.

And, the school continues to be the focus of right wing media and mainstream publications like the NY Times.

It has taken its toll on what was previously a wonderful school experience for him.

[Anonymous]

When will the court rule about stay order??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or shut down TJ.

This is what should happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS still have our decisions during the last 2 cycles despite litigation. This class won’t be affected. The next will.

non compliance will subject Brabrand and the school board members to imprisonment for contempt of court until they comply. They may be stupid but not that stupid.

That … won’t happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or shut down TJ.

This is what should happen.

I personally believe that it needs to be intentionally rethought. The LCPS AOS model seems to be one to at least consider. There is an Virginia Govenors school that focuses on the arts that is very similar to AOS. They also could expand via the FCPS online campus.

There is clearly far more qualified, interested students than there is space. The goal of public schools is to educate - full stop.

FCPS should use this crisis to completely rethink how TJ delivers education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP with a senior. Yes, all of this drama and division has had an impact on the school experience for students.

How so?

My kid didn't take prep classes so I have no idea what the PP is talking about with releasing names of kids.

For my kid, the school he loved was attacked by the superintendent and school board members as having a toxic culture in need of change. The principal told all families to "check their privilege." The school board engaged in lots of meetings and changes without ever asking TJ kids or families their opinion. They expressed a lot of disdain for the kids at the school.

Then, nuts took over the PTSA and turned a very supportive organization into some sort of political hatchet.

And, the school continues to be the focus of right wing media and mainstream publications like the NY Times.

It has taken its toll on what was previously a wonderful school experience for him.

+1. Like everything with FCPS lately, TJ has become more about a political statement than focusing on its mission for the kids that are there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP with a senior. Yes, all of this drama and division has had an impact on the school experience for students.

How so?

NP

There has been talk of sending the list of kids in the classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024 that prepped at Curie to various admissions offices. I don’t think anyone has done it yet, but I know there is the real fear that it will happen.

I'm the person who posts the most about Curie and its problematic effects on TJ on this board, and I promise you that sending those lists to college admissions offices would have absolutely zero impact. This is not something to worry about at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, they'll just use what they have without the proxy discrimination of the 1.5% and experience factors.

Why would FCPS do that given their stated goals? Lotteries are legal.

The lottery was already shot down. The school board knows they can't use it. That would cause a riot in the streets.

Where in the order does the judge say that a lottery is illegal?

I think lottery is the most likely outcome at this point.

I am seriously curious what would happen if FCPS came out and said "it's either the fall 2020 process or a lottery among the 2500 qualified applicants with no weighting whatsoever".

If I were the Coalition4TJ, I would seriously consider dropping the suit. Their kids have a FAR better chance of getting in under the currently enjoined process than a lottery. And lotteries are expressly legal.

Yea, blackmailing parents is such a good way for elected officials to behave.

It's not about blackmail. It's about getting students their decisions in a timely manner and getting TJ their lists of students so that they can create schedules and make hiring decisions without extreme last-minute stress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP with a senior. Yes, all of this drama and division has had an impact on the school experience for students.

How so?

My kid didn't take prep classes so I have no idea what the PP is talking about with releasing names of kids.

For my kid, the school he loved was attacked by the superintendent and school board members as having a toxic culture in need of change. The principal told all families to "check their privilege." The school board engaged in lots of meetings and changes without ever asking TJ kids or families their opinion. They expressed a lot of disdain for the kids at the school.

Then, nuts took over the PTSA and turned a very supportive organization into some sort of political hatchet.

And, the school continues to be the focus of right wing media and mainstream publications like the NY Times.

It has taken its toll on what was previously a wonderful school experience for him.

I greatly appreciate your input on this. It's really helpful.

I will say - it's been my experience that the students at TJ, while they love many things about the school, generally agree that the culture of comparison and hyper-competitiveness is really problematic, and the word that they use the most is indeed "toxic". What they don't seem to understand is that much of the competitiveness comes from too many of them trying to travel the same path to get to the same goal (elite college admissions through optimization of STEM profile) when there are several paths available to get there. That issue is NOT a function of race, but is instead a function of a TJ admissions process that for too many years incentivized parents to follow a very narrow and extremely STEM-centered path to get to TJ.

Yes, TJ is a highly STEM-focused school, but when the focus of the admissions process is so narrow (let's be honest, if you wanted to get in the best path was exceptional exam scores and a litany of STEM ECs) what you unfortunately get is a ton of students who give up some of their passions during a very formative time (middle school) in order to optimize their TJ application. That reality has the twin effects of homogenizing the TJ population (again, not by race, but by willingness to streamline in middle school) and of kneecapping the passions of hundreds of 10, 11, and 12 year old children.

I don't see where either population (TJ or middle school kids in NoVa) are helped by that process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When will the court rule about stay order??

FCPS only filed their motion to appeal yesterday. Going to take a couple of weeks at least - not clear if they've filed for a stay yet.

They have significantly upped their game as far as pro bono representation as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP with a senior. Yes, all of this drama and division has had an impact on the school experience for students.

How so?

My kid didn't take prep classes so I have no idea what the PP is talking about with releasing names of kids.

For my kid, the school he loved was attacked by the superintendent and school board members as having a toxic culture in need of change. The principal told all families to "check their privilege." The school board engaged in lots of meetings and changes without ever asking TJ kids or families their opinion. They expressed a lot of disdain for the kids at the school.

Then, nuts took over the PTSA and turned a very supportive organization into some sort of political hatchet.

And, the school continues to be the focus of right wing media and mainstream publications like the NY Times.

It has taken its toll on what was previously a wonderful school experience for him.

I greatly appreciate your input on this. It's really helpful.

I will say - it's been my experience that the students at TJ, while they love many things about the school, generally agree that the culture of comparison and hyper-competitiveness is really problematic, and the word that they use the most is indeed "toxic". What they don't seem to understand is that much of the competitiveness comes from too many of them trying to travel the same path to get to the same goal (elite college admissions through optimization of STEM profile) when there are several paths available to get there. That issue is NOT a function of race, but is instead a function of a TJ admissions process that for too many years incentivized parents to follow a very narrow and extremely STEM-centered path to get to TJ.

Yes, TJ is a highly STEM-focused school, but when the focus of the admissions process is so narrow (let's be honest, if you wanted to get in the best path was exceptional exam scores and a litany of STEM ECs) what you unfortunately get is a ton of students who give up some of their passions during a very formative time (middle school) in order to optimize their TJ application. That reality has the twin effects of homogenizing the TJ population (again, not by race, but by willingness to streamline in middle school) and of kneecapping the passions of hundreds of 10, 11, and 12 year old children.

I don't see where either population (TJ or middle school kids in NoVa) are helped by that process.

Many if not most of the TJ students have parents who work in STEM. Why do you think they don't have a passion for STEM? There may be a few students who have been forced into TJ but you will find that by the time they are freshmen, it is a genuine interest. These are not the type of kids who want to be actors or athletes.

[Anonymous]

Who did FCPS retain for the appeal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When will the court rule about stay order??

FCPS only filed their motion to appeal yesterday. Going to take a couple of weeks at least - not clear if they've filed for a stay yet.

They have significantly upped their game as far as pro bono representation as well.

That's the big one. Former solicitor generals don't take cases pro bono unless they expect them to be very high profile