Northam’s “Anti-Asian, Anti-Immigrant” School Initiative

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Scott Surovell is such a crybaby. Why doesn’t he ask his good buddy Karen Corbett Sanders how wasting $35-40 million of taxpayer money on a huge expansion at West Potomac to keep kids from having to attend Mount Vernon HS is going to help MVHS.

https://twitter.com/ssurovell/status/1304752737238822912?s=21

I don’t even understand his point. What does TJ admissions have to do with NMSF at the named schools? Why isn’t he comparing numbers to other FCPS high schools?

It's not convenient to the point he's trying to make. Another dumbass.

[Anonymous]

Here's a little secret:

Really, really smart kids learn wherever they are. In some instances, they learn in spite of teachers, not because of them.

Kids who have not been exposed to books and curiosity about the world around them before they are five are going to have a tough time no matter which school they attend. Certainly good teachers can help them progress and learn, but it is a whole lot harder.

These are facts.

Intellectual curiosity is extremely important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Scott Surovell is such a crybaby. Why doesn’t he ask his good buddy Karen Corbett Sanders how wasting $35-40 million of taxpayer money on a huge expansion at West Potomac to keep kids from having to attend Mount Vernon HS is going to help MVHS.

https://twitter.com/ssurovell/status/1304752737238822912?s=21

I don’t even understand his point. What does TJ admissions have to do with NMSF at the named schools? Why isn’t he comparing numbers to other FCPS high schools?

It's not convenient to the point he's trying to make. Another dumbass.

His entire shtick is complaining his district, which includes southeastern Fairfax, never gets enough money and attention, and that's why the test scores are low, there aren't NMSFs from the schools in his district, and few kids from his area go to TJHSST.

The only solution is to give his district more money. And then even more money.

He overlooks the fact that FCPS wastes money on construction projects in his district so Corbett Sanders' friends won't have to go to Mount Vernon. It's such an obvious waste of money that Jeff McKay was tempted to get the BOS to hold up the FCPS budget last year.

[Anonymous]

His entire shtick is complaining his district, which includes southeastern Fairfax, never gets enough money and attention, and that's why the test scores are low, there aren't NMSFs from the schools in his district, and few kids from his area go to TJHSST.

The only solution is to give his district more money. And then even more money.

He overlooks the fact that FCPS wastes money on construction projects in his district so Corbett Sanders' friends won't have to go to Mount Vernon. It's such an obvious waste of money that Jeff McKay was tempted to get the BOS to hold up the FCPS budget last year.

Not sure if the construction money is fungible. Pretty sure we vote on bonds for construction.

However, I agree with the principle of this post. I taught school in the projects for a few years. Stunning how much money is distributed but never gets to the classroom. It is money "better spent" that is needed. Structure, goals, etc. and less emphasis on social programs are needed. Don't get me wrong, no kids should go hungry or without shoes, but setting up a "feel good" program does not do the trick. It just makes the people appropriating the money feel like they are doing something to help. And, the money gets peeled off at every level of bureaucracy before it ever reaches the kids.

There are lots of effective programs that do not require a lot of money. But, FCPS has never met an expensive program that it does not love.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

His entire shtick is complaining his district, which includes southeastern Fairfax, never gets enough money and attention, and that's why the test scores are low, there aren't NMSFs from the schools in his district, and few kids from his area go to TJHSST.

The only solution is to give his district more money. And then even more money.

He overlooks the fact that FCPS wastes money on construction projects in his district so Corbett Sanders' friends won't have to go to Mount Vernon. It's such an obvious waste of money that Jeff McKay was tempted to get the BOS to hold up the FCPS budget last year.

Not sure if the construction money is fungible. Pretty sure we vote on bonds for construction.

However, I agree with the principle of this post. I taught school in the projects for a few years. Stunning how much money is distributed but never gets to the classroom. It is money "better spent" that is needed. Structure, goals, etc. and less emphasis on social programs are needed. Don't get me wrong, no kids should go hungry or without shoes, but setting up a "feel good" program does not do the trick. It just makes the people appropriating the money feel like they are doing something to help. And, the money gets peeled off at every level of bureaucracy before it ever reaches the kids.

Well said.

There are lots of effective programs that do not require a lot of money. But, FCPS has never met an expensive program that it does not love.

[Anonymous]

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BTGKX652F413/$file/TJHSST%20Admissions%20Merit%20Lottery%20Proposal.pdf

[Anonymous]

For those that are outraged by this secretive initiative, please sign this petition..

https://www.change.org/p/ralph-s-northam-keep-merit-based-admissions-at-tjhsst?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Scott Surovell is such a crybaby. Why doesn’t he ask his good buddy Karen Corbett Sanders how wasting $35-40 million of taxpayer money on a huge expansion at West Potomac to keep kids from having to attend Mount Vernon HS is going to help MVHS.

https://twitter.com/ssurovell/status/1304752737238822912?s=21

I don’t even understand his point. What does TJ admissions have to do with NMSF at the named schools? Why isn’t he comparing numbers to other FCPS high schools?

It's not convenient to the point he's trying to make. Another dumbass.

His entire shtick is complaining his district, which includes southeastern Fairfax, never gets enough money and attention, and that's why the test scores are low, there aren't NMSFs from the schools in his district, and few kids from his area go to TJHSST.

The only solution is to give his district more money. And then even more money.

He overlooks the fact that FCPS wastes money on construction projects in his district so Corbett Sanders' friends won't have to go to Mount Vernon. It's such an obvious waste of money that Jeff McKay was tempted to get the BOS to hold up the FCPS budget last year.

I beg to differ. McKay made a comment on the BOS work session on the FCPS bond referendum about the elephant in the room of open seats at Mount Vernon. They never held up anything and obviously are proud of their work. In the rush to BlueVirginia we all even voted for him against our own best interests. He and his companion Storck know what they did just as they all know that Reston and Mclean have special tax districts while Laurel Hill and the new Mount Vernon Community Center do not. Corbett Sanders was the point person on that and at the long ago meeting only Penny Gross-D-Mason chose to speak up to the cabal. Now Lee District has 2 on the BOS plus Storck for Mt Vernon. Those magisterial districts are less represented at TJ.

Brabrand's and VA's agenda for TJ might not increase Black/AA or Hispanic at TJ but more will come from the Lee and Mount Vernon District. The whole lot of them determined that too many flow in from Sully, Hunter Mill, Dranesville, wherever. With the vast amount of time children spend in elementary school and middle beginning with full day K there is no reason anyone should need afterschooling and test prep. Real question is what is done there instead of being done at FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those that are outraged by this secretive initiative, please sign this petition..

https://www.change.org/p/ralph-s-northam-keep-merit-based-admissions-at-tjhsst?

Is there a petition that supports the new proposal? I'd like to sign that. The new standards set a minimum GPA, so that's merit based. It takes out the advantage of paying for prep and Saturday school for years. I support that. Now kids from all areas of FCPS get a chance at benefiting from the resources TJ offers. It's not based on race, so it doesn't exclude anyone. Good luck making a valid legal challenge when the changes are implemented if FCPS keeps the proposed standards as they currently are.

[Anonymous]

I guess we can kiss TJ's ranking good-bye with these new criteria.

TJ won't have the same resources when it isn't ranked top 10.

[Anonymous]

Many families in the Northern Virginia area of all races have felt the privilege for years of having access to STEM clubs and camps through their middle schools, having community-based knowledge of expensive TJ test prep courses, having the resources to be able to pay for those things, and having hundreds of students at the school who they could look up to and belonged to their communities.

Many students of all races have felt the privilege of being born into families who prioritized the optimization of that process from an extremely early age.

I am one of those students, and I didn't even realize it until I was in my mid-20s.

It is undeniably a privilege for students to have parents who have the time, energy, awareness, and resources to commit to the pursuit of TJ as an educational outcome, when what it really is is an educational opportunity. I had that privilege, and that's why I am a TJ graduate today.

"So what should we do? Just stop parenting?" NO! I should hope that the motivation for your parenting practices extends beyond just trying to get your kid into TJ, or to Harvard, or to be a doctor, or to make a ton of money to support you in your old age.

The privilege that your child receives from your excellent parenting will still grant them a great shot at an outstanding and meaningful life.

[Anonymous]

Governor’s Schools have a mission to serve gifted kids. A 3.5 MS GPA is not an indicator of giftedness.

[Anonymous]

More information on governor's school:

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/governors_school_programs/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many families in the Northern Virginia area of all races have felt the privilege for years of having access to STEM clubs and camps through their middle schools, having community-based knowledge of expensive TJ test prep courses, having the resources to be able to pay for those things, and having hundreds of students at the school who they could look up to and belonged to their communities.

Many students of all races have felt the privilege of being born into families who prioritized the optimization of that process from an extremely early age.

I am one of those students, and I didn't even realize it until I was in my mid-20s.

It is undeniably a privilege for students to have parents who have the time, energy, awareness, and resources to commit to the pursuit of TJ as an educational outcome, when what it really is is an educational opportunity. I had that privilege, and that's why I am a TJ graduate today.

"So what should we do? Just stop parenting?" NO! I should hope that the motivation for your parenting practices extends beyond just trying to get your kid into TJ, or to Harvard, or to be a doctor, or to make a ton of money to support you in your old age.

The privilege that your child receives from your excellent parenting will still grant them a great shot at an outstanding and meaningful life.

what was the point of this post?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess we can kiss TJ's ranking good-bye with these new criteria.

TJ won't have the same resources when it isn't ranked top 10.

This is the perfect example of what is wrong with TJ. The focus on artificial "rankings" and conflating acceleration with merit.