TJ Parents and Alumni - Time to Get On Board

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The TJ Alumni Action Group (TJAAG) endorses the merit lottery system. There are many alumni who are on board

There are ~1000 members of the TJAAG. More than 400 students graduate from TJ every year. TJ has been in existence since 1985. TJAAG does not make up the majority of TJ alumni. They did a very good job at making their voices heard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real question: If the "teach to the test" theory 'works' in China - who says it is supposed to work here - where is that written?

TJ is trying to get away from students who only know how to memorize and take tests. Why is that so "wrong" in Asian parents' eyes? Surely you know how to teach your children something else than "teach to the test"?

Are you also against any private coaching for entry into competitive sports, performance arts, and other coveted spots?

Brabrand used the word ethical in his Town Hall. FCPS has been too hyper focused on TJ as The STEM Resource for decades. There was NO reason to remove Bio 1 as an 8th grade course option except for IBET. Private coaching in competitive sports and performance arts? What are you talking about? Figure skating choreography? Ballet YAGP variations? Violin pre Julliard audition? Kids at those levels are the equivalent of profoundly gifted which can't be reached via prep. Nurture can't replace nature but that natural ability does need consistent training for years to reach the point of needing the coach.

Those 3 examples of private coaching are way beyond tutor/test prep to get a high average kid into AAP and then keep up the momentum going with the goal of TJ. Brabrand also had a caller- AA woman alum - who was made to feel out of place by her peers at TJ. Not a member of the "club" so to speak.

This is not directly regarding TJ admissions, but what is it with the idea that test prepping is somehow considered cheating, whereas coaching for tryouts into similarly competitive and limited slots in sports or the arts is not?
As for the bolded, (since I don't have direct experience or knowledge in the other fields you listed) I have to disagree. I know a handful of people (of different races if that matters) who got into Julliard through extensive and extremely dedicated practice, not that they were deemed profoundly gifted or such from an early age.

It is cheating when you have a MS Science teacher who's competed in Science Olympiad for years and has collected knowledge of the competition to pass on and train her students? And as a result has consistently placed in the top 3 each and every time? Isn't that the same thing as what these prep centers are doing?

[Anonymous]

Longfellow has resources to hire private companies making kits for Science Olympiad to coach their team. They spent thousands of dollars on one event and they came first in that. Is this cheating?

[Anonymous]

If you consider prep as cheating, do you think the class of 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 a cheater class?

[Anonymous]

Based on rough numbers, nearly 1600 of the 2000 kids in TJ would not be TJ if a lottery is in place.

Could FCPS be sued for this as these 1600 students who would have gotten in did not get a chance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you consider prep as cheating, do you think the class of 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 a cheater class?

Certainly anyone who came from Curie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why should Asian alums support this change to let themselves be replaced with white people? Serious question.

Didn't realize that anyone was going to come take our diplomas and redistribute them. Whatever shall we do...*eye roll*

Your choice to pretend not to understand is noted.

You literally said "alums" will "let themselves be replaced with white people". How does one "replace" an alumnus of the high school? Or did you believe there was a legacy clause whereby your child would automatically be accepted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Longfellow has resources to hire private companies making kits for Science Olympiad to coach their team. They spent thousands of dollars on one event and they came first in that. Is this cheating?

Not familiar with the specifics of SciOly rules but it certainly seems anathema to fair competition, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, not sure why you are telling is what to do or how to feel?

This is a seriously flawed proposal with key details missing. No one has explained what factors are considered before placing someone in the lottery pool other than 3.5 GPA. They allude to an essay but gave no information about its impact on being placed in the pool. Are they considering other factors to be in the pool? Race?

It’s pretty shocking that you claim to be a TJ parent and are fine with this proposal that is pretty much a totally secret arrangement.

Why do people insist on leaving off a 3.5 GPA and completing Algebra 1 by the end of eighth grade. It is not fully clear if the kids will need to get letters of recommendation or not. It would be better if they laid out what the exact process would look like but they have already posted two major requirements which will greatly reduce the number of kids who are eligible.

Dude, you seriously just described every second idiot who went to my high school in Kentucky. Everybody had a 3.5 and half of them took Algebra by the 8th grade. I guess half of Kentucky should be in the TJ lottery! Man this. school is going to crash and burn so hard.

Having studied public school systems in the south extensively, I *highly* doubt you had that many classmates taking Algebra in MS. In many districts, that's the culmination of standard HS math tracks, along with Statistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Longfellow has resources to hire private companies making kits for Science Olympiad to coach their team. They spent thousands of dollars on one event and they came first in that. Is this cheating?

Yeah, Longfellow has an overly competitive set of parents. Students do 50% of work and parents do the other 50%. Add to it the sheer amount of money they throw at the program, it is clear why they win.

It is as close to cheating as possible without being illegal. Why do you think they always win? It cannot be that just Longfellow kids are good each and every year for the past 10 years if not more.

The whole Haycock, Longfellow, McLean attracts similar set of parents. They spend their children's childhood focused on winning these awards.

This unfortunately turns out to be loner kids. Nice, intelligent, bright and smart kids. But unfortunately not well adjusted and have tough time later on in life.

I for one, do not envy them. We looked deeply into this and chose to avoid this pyramid. Depends on what you value. No right answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, not sure why you are telling is what to do or how to feel?

This is a seriously flawed proposal with key details missing. No one has explained what factors are considered before placing someone in the lottery pool other than 3.5 GPA. They allude to an essay but gave no information about its impact on being placed in the pool. Are they considering other factors to be in the pool? Race?

It’s pretty shocking that you claim to be a TJ parent and are fine with this proposal that is pretty much a totally secret arrangement.

Why do people insist on leaving off a 3.5 GPA and completing Algebra 1 by the end of eighth grade. It is not fully clear if the kids will need to get letters of recommendation or not. It would be better if they laid out what the exact process would look like but they have already posted two major requirements which will greatly reduce the number of kids who are eligible.

Dude, you seriously just described every second idiot who went to my high school in Kentucky. Everybody had a 3.5 and half of them took Algebra by the 8th grade. I guess half of Kentucky should be in the TJ lottery! Man this. school is going to crash and burn so hard.

Having studied public school systems in the south extensively, I *highly* doubt you had that many classmates taking Algebra in MS. In many districts, that's the culmination of standard HS math tracks, along with Statistics.

Overall in the US about 1/4 of students take algebra 1 by 8th grade. I also highly doubt Kentucky is more than 2x the national average on that. And that's current. There used to be far fewer students who took algebra 1 in 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Longfellow has resources to hire private companies making kits for Science Olympiad to coach their team. They spent thousands of dollars on one event and they came first in that. Is this cheating?

Yeah, Longfellow has an overly competitive set of parents. Students do 50% of work and parents do the other 50%. Add to it the sheer amount of money they throw at the program, it is clear why they win.

It is as close to cheating as possible without being illegal. Why do you think they always win? It cannot be that just Longfellow kids are good each and every year for the past 10 years if not more.

The whole Haycock, Longfellow, McLean attracts similar set of parents. They spend their children's childhood focused on winning these awards.

This unfortunately turns out to be loner kids. Nice, intelligent, bright and smart kids. But unfortunately not well adjusted and have tough time later on in life.

I for one, do not envy them. We looked deeply into this and chose to avoid this pyramid. Depends on what you value. No right answer.

I once saw a Longfellow parent draw pictures of other team's design at an invitational. Two parents tag teamed and documented every single design from competing teams. Taking pictures is not allowed, so the parents ended up doing the next best to a picture.

I was amused at that level of dedication at a kids event. I kept track of that particular event and Longfellow went on to win in 2 other competitions.

[Anonymous]

If that is the case Longfellow should have their medals revoked!

That is cheating in my book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you consider prep as cheating, do you think the class of 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 a cheater class?

Certainly anyone who came from Curie.

X10000

Some of these parents really only want to understand teach to the test, and nothing else. How sad, truly. This has been going on for far too long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Longfellow has resources to hire private companies making kits for Science Olympiad to coach their team. They spent thousands of dollars on one event and they came first in that. Is this cheating?

Yeah, Longfellow has an overly competitive set of parents. Students do 50% of work and parents do the other 50%. Add to it the sheer amount of money they throw at the program, it is clear why they win.

It is as close to cheating as possible without being illegal. Why do you think they always win? It cannot be that just Longfellow kids are good each and every year for the past 10 years if not more.

The whole Haycock, Longfellow, McLean attracts similar set of parents. They spend their children's childhood focused on winning these awards.

This unfortunately turns out to be loner kids. Nice, intelligent, bright and smart kids. But unfortunately not well adjusted and have tough time later on in life.

I for one, do not envy them. We looked deeply into this and chose to avoid this pyramid. Depends on what you value. No right answer.

I once saw a Longfellow parent draw pictures of other team's design at an invitational. Two parents tag teamed and documented every single design from competing teams. Taking pictures is not allowed, so the parents ended up doing the next best to a picture.

I was amused at that level of dedication at a kids event. I kept track of that particular event and Longfellow went on to win in 2 other competitions.

+1

Just guessing what they looked like.