Federal judge rules that admissions changes at nation’s top public school discriminate against Asian

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“ And they still are, to an enormous extent - although not quite as enormous as previously. They will always be if for no other reason than their extraordinary interest in the subject matter.

The fact that they are slightly less represented than previously in an attempt to invite other communities into the fold is neither racist nor oppressive.”

+1
Even with the new system Asian representation is almost triple their level in FCPS. and that is the system that is being complained about! The prior one seemed to yield slightly less than quadruple levels. Sorry that just does not scream “everything fine here! Nothing to see!”

Didn’t they also increase the class size? If so, what’s the impact on absolute numbers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an Asian-American, I find the whole idea of "over-representation" while we are part of 4% or 6% of the US population to be incredibly fascist or communist or oppressive. So my kid can't be an engineer or doctor or lawyer or accountant if any of my " Asian race" (a completely made-up idiotic way to encompass 2/3 of the world's population and may skin colors and many cultures and countries) limits my kids to be no more than 6% of any profession?

It is incredibly racist and completely oppressive. I don't care how many social justice warriors or black African Americans or White people think this is ok reasoning, for Asian-Americans the "representative of demographics" heuristic for distributing space in society is incredibly oppressive. We will never agree with this. Especially since, the immigration pathways into America for most Asians involve selecting the best and brightest from those lands and then expected that they should regress to the mean and just have their childrens' futures limited by their micro-minority status. No way will we fall for that.

It's racist at its core. That's what the racist majority uses to bully the minority. If FCPS had said its goal was to balance TJ to make it look more like the county's demographics, it would suffer the same outcome in court as being racist. Notice the racist majority never proposes to racially balance in areas they benefit and dominate such as CEO seats, millionaire class, high power politicians.

Bull.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an Asian-American, I find the whole idea of "over-representation" while we are part of 4% or 6% of the US population to be incredibly fascist or communist or oppressive. So my kid can't be an engineer or doctor or lawyer or accountant if any of my " Asian race" (a completely made-up idiotic way to encompass 2/3 of the world's population and may skin colors and many cultures and countries) limits my kids to be no more than 6% of any profession?

It is incredibly racist and completely oppressive. I don't care how many social justice warriors or black African Americans or White people think this is ok reasoning, for Asian-Americans the "representative of demographics" heuristic for distributing space in society is incredibly oppressive. We will never agree with this. Especially since, the immigration pathways into America for most Asians involve selecting the best and brightest from those lands and then expected that they should regress to the mean and just have their childrens' futures limited by their micro-minority status. No way will we fall for that.

It's racist at its core. That's what the racist majority uses to bully the minority. If FCPS had said its goal was to balance TJ to make it look more like the county's demographics, it would suffer the same outcome in court as being racist. Notice the racist majority never proposes to racially balance in areas they benefit and dominate such as CEO seats, millionaire class, high power politicians.

Bull.

You mean bull’s eye!😎

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“ And they still are, to an enormous extent - although not quite as enormous as previously. They will always be if for no other reason than their extraordinary interest in the subject matter.

The fact that they are slightly less represented than previously in an attempt to invite other communities into the fold is neither racist nor oppressive.”

+1
Even with the new system Asian representation is almost triple their level in FCPS. and that is the system that is being complained about! The prior one seemed to yield slightly less than quadruple levels. Sorry that just does not scream “everything fine here! Nothing to see!”

Didn’t they also increase the class size? If so, what’s the impact on absolute numbers?

Recap of #s from 2024 to 2025:
+64 overall

+50 female
+14 male

+46 hispanic
+37 white
+29 black
+8 other/mixed
-56 asian

+142 from underrepresented MSs
-36 private school

+135 ED
-71 non-ED

[Anonymous]

^ and presumably -42 from "well"-represented MSs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Oh, no doubt. But if the free option is adequate to be competitive, the paid option will eventually starve. It hasn't, and claims huge portions of incoming TJ classes every year.

The free option is adequate to be competitive for gifted kids. The paid option only boosts non gifted kids into the running. At least those kids are hardworking.

In the new system, they can't tell the difference between gifted and ungifted kids, and likewise, the kids who are working hard get no boost over the kids who could have put in the work, but instead are playing video games.

Either way, I thought the rationale behind the reforms is that there were gifted, economically disadvantaged kids falling through the cracks. It sounds now like the argument is that the ungifted, not particularly motivated kids ought to have the same opportunities to access TJ as the privileged but hardworking kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh, no doubt. But if the free option is adequate to be competitive, the paid option will eventually starve. It hasn't, and claims huge portions of incoming TJ classes every year.

The free option is adequate to be competitive for gifted kids. The paid option only boosts non gifted kids into the running. At least those kids are hardworking.

In the new system, they can't tell the difference between gifted and ungifted kids, and likewise, the kids who are working hard get no boost over the kids who could have put in the work, but instead are playing video games.

Either way, I thought the rationale behind the reforms is that there were gifted, economically disadvantaged kids falling through the cracks. It sounds now like the argument is that the ungifted, not particularly motivated kids ought to have the same opportunities to access TJ as the privileged but hardworking kids.

Why do you think unmotivated kids are applying to TJ? Or playing video games?

"Hardwork" is reflected in the test answers and GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Why do you think unmotivated kids are applying to TJ? Or playing video games?

"Hardwork" is reflected in the test answers and GPA.

GPA counts for only a small fraction of the admissions score. No benefits are given for taking more Honors classes or more advanced math classes. FCPS MS is so easy that any somewhat motivated, somewhat above average kid will get As.

The test answers were just some very generic brief essays taken in a short timespan. The amount of effort is trivial.

If you think any of this demonstrates hard work, you have a very warped idea of what constitutes hard work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Why do you think unmotivated kids are applying to TJ? Or playing video games?

"Hardwork" is reflected in the test answers and GPA.

GPA counts for only a small fraction of the admissions score. No benefits are given for taking more Honors classes or more advanced math classes. FCPS MS is so easy that any somewhat motivated, somewhat above average kid will get As.

The test answers were just some very generic brief essays taken in a short timespan. The amount of effort is trivial.

If you think any of this demonstrates hard work, you have a very warped idea of what constitutes hard work.

Oh come on. You are against the mediocre Asian, White, Hispanic, Black student. You dirty medicocritist...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Why do you think unmotivated kids are applying to TJ? Or playing video games?

"Hardwork" is reflected in the test answers and GPA.

GPA counts for only a small fraction of the admissions score. No benefits are given for taking more Honors classes or more advanced math classes. FCPS MS is so easy that any somewhat motivated, somewhat above average kid will get As.

The test answers were just some very generic brief essays taken in a short timespan. The amount of effort is trivial.

If you think any of this demonstrates hard work, you have a very warped idea of what constitutes hard work.

What fraction of the score is the GPA?

The essays would reflect knowledge and insights gained from previous hardwork.

All kids applying are in an accelerated math path.

[Anonymous]

And why do you think unmotivated kids are applying to TJ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Why do you think unmotivated kids are applying to TJ? Or playing video games?

"Hardwork" is reflected in the test answers and GPA.

GPA counts for only a small fraction of the admissions score. No benefits are given for taking more Honors classes or more advanced math classes. FCPS MS is so easy that any somewhat motivated, somewhat above average kid will get As.

The test answers were just some very generic brief essays taken in a short timespan. The amount of effort is trivial.

If you think any of this demonstrates hard work, you have a very warped idea of what constitutes hard work.

What fraction of the score is the GPA?

The essays would reflect knowledge and insights gained from previous hardwork.

All kids applying are in an accelerated math path.

Not sure re: GPA fraction but the “essays” are a joke. DD took the “test” this year and the writing pieces were ridiculously short and mostly all focused on talking about yourself vs anything you learned. Dumb.

Not an old system fan but yes they should have counted honors and AAP classes in evaluations plus asked for a teacher recc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

What fraction of the score is the GPA?

The essays would reflect knowledge and insights gained from previous hardwork.

All kids applying are in an accelerated math path.

According to an earlier post on dcum, GPA is 200 points out of 1000, I believe. Essays are 800 points. Checking the free meals box gives 100 points. The essays were things like, "explain how you would advocate for yourself if you disagreed with a teacher's grade." The only technical essay asked something that an average 6th grader would have been able to answer. Kids with As in M7H and half of Algebra I (i.e. before any real math is even being assessed) were viewed as equals with kids who were in Algebra II Honors with As in all of Algebra I Honors, Geometry Honors, and half of Algebra II Honors (i.e. more than enough to prove their math chops).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Why do you think unmotivated kids are applying to TJ? Or playing video games?

"Hardwork" is reflected in the test answers and GPA.

GPA counts for only a small fraction of the admissions score. No benefits are given for taking more Honors classes or more advanced math classes. FCPS MS is so easy that any somewhat motivated, somewhat above average kid will get As.

The test answers were just some very generic brief essays taken in a short timespan. The amount of effort is trivial.

If you think any of this demonstrates hard work, you have a very warped idea of what constitutes hard work.

What fraction of the score is the GPA?

The essays would reflect knowledge and insights gained from previous hardwork.

All kids applying are in an accelerated math path.

Not sure re: GPA fraction but the “essays” are a joke. DD took the “test” this year and the writing pieces were ridiculously short and mostly all focused on talking about yourself vs anything you learned. Dumb.

Not an old system fan but yes they should have counted honors and AAP classes in evaluations plus asked for a teacher recc.

So you don’t know how much of a factor GPA is.

How do you know they don’t look at courses? Did they say that?

Why do you think unmotivated students are applying to TJ? Or kids who just play video games?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What fraction of the score is the GPA?

The essays would reflect knowledge and insights gained from previous hardwork.

All kids applying are in an accelerated math path.

According to an earlier post on dcum, GPA is 200 points out of 1000, I believe. Essays are 800 points. Checking the free meals box gives 100 points. The essays were things like, "explain how you would advocate for yourself if you disagreed with a teacher's grade." The only technical essay asked something that an average 6th grader would have been able to answer. Kids with As in M7H and half of Algebra I (i.e. before any real math is even being assessed) were viewed as equals with kids who were in Algebra II Honors with As in all of Algebra I Honors, Geometry Honors, and half of Algebra II Honors (i.e. more than enough to prove their math chops).

What was the source for the scoring methodology? Is that public?