Admissions to change at Thomas Jefferson High, and others

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asian people are not underrepresented at TJ, all of the above points are moot. Representation matters. Bigly.

But Asians are underrepresented in everything else that matters which nobody want to talk about because Asians are supposed to be invisible and silent.

So just fix that by perpetuating inequity for others? It all balances out? That’s what you are saying? If you work hard enough you’ll beat the man? Please. You sound like my racist relatives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m shocked that there has not been more attention paid to the admission rates of girls. It’s clear that the admissions process in someway is harder on girls. They are historically almost 50% of the applicants, but only 40% or so of the admitted class. AND only 35% of the graduating class.

THIS

Damn straight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread recently on the TJ Vents FB Group that talked about the class of 2023 and how their was an Indian man who ran a prepping business that HAD THE ACTUAL test. Apparently it was very similar to the 2022 test and he had gotten a copy of it somehow. Multiple kids responding to the thread indicated that they knew what had happened. There are similar rumors that the class of 2024 also had these issues.

Most of the prep companies do not teach the kid’s to cheat. This company was an outlier, but who knows how many kids he got in.

You know what, I think there was a news article recently about a huge cheating ring involving hundreds or maybe thousands of white parents paying bribes to college officials to gain asmissions to elite universities. I think it even involved paying white students to take SAT and ACT tests for their children and even changing and correcting answers to those tests after their children took those tests by bribing the test proctors.

I think it even involved white athletic directors, coaches and others to falsify documents to make their children into accomplished athletes when those children were not accomplished athletes. They were saying that this probably went on for decades involving thousands of children. Some parents paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. Wonder why the parents and school officials are almost all white? Are white people really into bribing and scamming? There is even a talk of other such criminal bribery rings operating in other parts of the country as well. Makes you wonder what else these people are capable of. Wonder why these people are so into cheating.

I am shocked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“fact blacks and hispanics aren't performing as well that is why they aren't getting in PERIOD it has nothing to do with racism”

It has everything to do with racism, just not in the admission’s process. TJ can try to make up for the society-wide problems that are holding kids in these populations back. Schools can’t fix this problem, but they will try by accepting some kids that have lower scores.

It’s harder for my kid to get in, and arguably it should be, he’s had very advantage in life and his peer group is more competitive. Get over it. It’s not a problem to me if TJ has to spend some money on “remedial” classes for kids that have lower scores or aren’t keeping up as well. It’s a public school, not a private university. It’s fine, and good, to invest public resources in supporting kids from unrepresented groups.

Merit based admission to a public high school is a farce. TJ shouldn’t be something you earn, it should be an opportunity for kids that show potential, and the student body should be representative of the population it serves.

If that means it’s not “the best” school in the country for a while so be it. We don’t deserve to have that if our community is producing such disparate outcomes for particular groups. When we have real equity in the community, we will have really earned TJ’s spot back at the top because all kids from all backgrounds will be able to succeed there.

Why don't Asians suffer from the same racism?

Because America didn't spend centuries dehumanizing Asians as they did with blacks. But if you are asking that question, there's no way you'll understand that answer.

But they had preferential programs for decades and generations now. Can’t keep talking about what happened hundred or two hundred years ago for what is going on now for ever. They have to take responsibility and move forward.

If you don't think that Black people are being dehumanized to an unacceptable level to this day, you're not living in the same universe as the rest of us. Especially under this administration.

Hispanics and Asians are dehumanized as well and they have language obstacle on top of that and they try to move on as best as they can even though they didn’t have presidency and other high ranking politicians to the extent blacks enjoyed.

We might very well have an Asian in the white house next year. Kamala Harris is... Asian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m shocked that there has not been more attention paid to the admission rates of girls. It’s clear that the admissions process in someway is harder on girls. They are historically almost 50% of the applicants, but only 40% or so of the admitted class. AND only 35% of the graduating class.

THIS

Are the girls performing worse on the TJ entrance tests, or are they receiving worse letters of recommendation? My biggest concern is that there are still math and science teachers in middle school who are discouraging girls or steering them away from the highest level math and science classes or programs. Like, if a boy and girl had similar credentials after 6th, is it more likely that the 6th grade teacher recommends Algebra I for the boy and M7H for the girl? Or in middle school, are boys more encouraged to try out for the mathcounts or science olympiad team? Do the teachers encourage high performing boys to apply to TJ, but discourage similar girls? It definitely happened 20-30 years ago. Is that still happening today?

[Anonymous]

Why are Asians viewed as one monolithic demographic group? There are huge differences between South Asians, East Asians, Southeast Asians, etc. Within the Asian demographic, some groups are very over-represented, while others are still underrepresented. There are also some pretty strong correlations between SES and the specific Asian subgroup. By lumping everyone together, the lower SES Asian groups are very disadvantaged.

[Anonymous]

But they had preferential programs for decades and generations now. Can’t keep talking about what happened hundred or two hundred years ago for what is going on now for ever. They have to take responsibility and move forward.

There's literally man living in DC right now whose father was a slave.

I'm in my early 40s and my father was in elementary school when Emmett Till was lynched. He was a teen when four Black girls were killed in their church by the KKK. He was in his 20s when all Black Americans were given the right to vote.

I was a legal adult when Bob Jones University was forced to allow interracial dating.

Tell me again how all of this is "generations" ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“fact blacks and hispanics aren't performing as well that is why they aren't getting in PERIOD it has nothing to do with racism”

It has everything to do with racism, just not in the admission’s process. TJ can try to make up for the society-wide problems that are holding kids in these populations back. Schools can’t fix this problem, but they will try by accepting some kids that have lower scores.

It’s harder for my kid to get in, and arguably it should be, he’s had very advantage in life and his peer group is more competitive. Get over it. It’s not a problem to me if TJ has to spend some money on “remedial” classes for kids that have lower scores or aren’t keeping up as well. It’s a public school, not a private university. It’s fine, and good, to invest public resources in supporting kids from unrepresented groups.

Merit based admission to a public high school is a farce. TJ shouldn’t be something you earn, it should be an opportunity for kids that show potential, and the student body should be representative of the population it serves.

If that means it’s not “the best” school in the country for a while so be it. We don’t deserve to have that if our community is producing such disparate outcomes for particular groups. When we have real equity in the community, we will have really earned TJ’s spot back at the top because all kids from all backgrounds will be able to succeed there.

Why don't Asians suffer from the same racism?

We are talking about representation at TJ, a STEM magnet, and Asian people have not historically been unrepresented in STEM. So Asian kids don’t need the help there. If we had a public magnet school where Asian kids were underrepresented, I’d push for help to overcome that too. As it is, I’ve always supported affirmative action so that every kid, from every cultural background can see that certain career fields aren’t “not or them”. I do care about representation—maybe it’s because I’m a woman, so pretty much underrepresented in every high-earning career. If we have to give some groups a little extra nurturing that’s fine by me. I work in an incredibly diverse office and I can see how valuable that diversity is. I think allowing cultural silos to form in high school is a mistake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“fact blacks and hispanics aren't performing as well that is why they aren't getting in PERIOD it has nothing to do with racism”

It has everything to do with racism, just not in the admission’s process. TJ can try to make up for the society-wide problems that are holding kids in these populations back. Schools can’t fix this problem, but they will try by accepting some kids that have lower scores.

It’s harder for my kid to get in, and arguably it should be, he’s had very advantage in life and his peer group is more competitive. Get over it. It’s not a problem to me if TJ has to spend some money on “remedial” classes for kids that have lower scores or aren’t keeping up as well. It’s a public school, not a private university. It’s fine, and good, to invest public resources in supporting kids from unrepresented groups.

Merit based admission to a public high school is a farce. TJ shouldn’t be something you earn, it should be an opportunity for kids that show potential, and the student body should be representative of the population it serves.

If that means it’s not “the best” school in the country for a while so be it. We don’t deserve to have that if our community is producing such disparate outcomes for particular groups. When we have real equity in the community, we will have really earned TJ’s spot back at the top because all kids from all backgrounds will be able to succeed there.

Why don't Asians suffer from the same racism?

Because America didn't spend centuries dehumanizing Asians as they did with blacks. But if you are asking that question, there's no way you'll understand that answer.

But they had preferential programs for decades and generations now. Can’t keep talking about what happened hundred or two hundred years ago for what is going on now for ever. They have to take responsibility and move forward.

If you don't think that Black people are being dehumanized to an unacceptable level to this day, you're not living in the same universe as the rest of us. Especially under this administration.

Hispanics and Asians are dehumanized as well and they have language obstacle on top of that and they try to move on as best as they can even though they didn’t have presidency and other high ranking politicians to the extent blacks enjoyed.

We might very well have an Asian in the white house next year. Kamala Harris is... Asian.

But she pretends to be black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m shocked that there has not been more attention paid to the admission rates of girls. It’s clear that the admissions process in someway is harder on girls. They are historically almost 50% of the applicants, but only 40% or so of the admitted class. AND only 35% of the graduating class.

THIS

Are the girls performing worse on the TJ entrance tests, or are they receiving worse letters of recommendation? My biggest concern is that there are still math and science teachers in middle school who are discouraging girls or steering them away from the highest level math and science classes or programs. Like, if a boy and girl had similar credentials after 6th, is it more likely that the 6th grade teacher recommends Algebra I for the boy and M7H for the girl? Or in middle school, are boys more encouraged to try out for the mathcounts or science olympiad team? Do the teachers encourage high performing boys to apply to TJ, but discourage similar girls? It definitely happened 20-30 years ago. Is that still happening today?

Also, does a focus on MathCounts and Olympiad risk overlooking students (read:girls) who would thrive at Thomas Jefferson but who are not interested in engaging in these activities as a competition rather than a collaborative effort? Similarly, are we focusing on competitive math and engineering to the detriment of other science fields that also need future experts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“fact blacks and hispanics aren't performing as well that is why they aren't getting in PERIOD it has nothing to do with racism”

It has everything to do with racism, just not in the admission’s process. TJ can try to make up for the society-wide problems that are holding kids in these populations back. Schools can’t fix this problem, but they will try by accepting some kids that have lower scores.

It’s harder for my kid to get in, and arguably it should be, he’s had very advantage in life and his peer group is more competitive. Get over it. It’s not a problem to me if TJ has to spend some money on “remedial” classes for kids that have lower scores or aren’t keeping up as well. It’s a public school, not a private university. It’s fine, and good, to invest public resources in supporting kids from unrepresented groups.

Merit based admission to a public high school is a farce. TJ shouldn’t be something you earn, it should be an opportunity for kids that show potential, and the student body should be representative of the population it serves.

If that means it’s not “the best” school in the country for a while so be it. We don’t deserve to have that if our community is producing such disparate outcomes for particular groups. When we have real equity in the community, we will have really earned TJ’s spot back at the top because all kids from all backgrounds will be able to succeed there.

when does it stop 2050 , 2100???? i'm serious

Why don't Asians suffer from the same racism?

Because America didn't spend centuries dehumanizing Asians as they did with blacks. But if you are asking that question, there's no way you'll understand that answer.

It stops when white people stop being racist. Seriously.

I’m an Asian immigrant who used to live in a mostly black neighborhood 40 years ago. Our school had free resources for anyone who signed up. My parents couldn’t speak English so I filled out all the forms. Sometimes I would translate for them and they would sign. After a while, I would just sign for them. I took advantage of the academic resources that were put there for black students. The free sports were far more popular. I never enjoyed sports and never signed up for those. Our school also had a very popular step program. I was not coordinated enough to do that either. I remember having assemblies where students would rap, bbop and step. I looked up some of my old schools and it is now 100% free lunch. I was a free lunch back then too. I went on to a magnet high school similar to TJ. There were many black students at my magnet high school. The black students were from diverse backgrounds. Some were from rich educated black families. Some were lower middle class working class who wanted better for their kids. I remember there were a few very poor black students who had ridiculously good memories. This one boy was so smart but always causing trouble. I remember wondering why he tried to be disruptive in class by making people laugh. He never listened.

The kids who excelled the most at my magnet high school were rich white kids, rich black kids and poor Asian kids. I don’t think there were any rich Asian kids. We were all poor. Those poor Asian kids like me grew up and now aren’t poor anymore. We did face racism from both whites and blacks. The blacks were far crueler to me and my family.

Asians also have hardships. You are kidding yourself if you think blacks are the only ones who had it hard hundreds of years ago. My grandparents were barely literate. Their village was killed off. My dad grew up without food. Within 2 generations, we have made it out of poverty. My immigrant parents were always poor. For the first time in their lives, they don’t worry about money. I bought them a house, paid it off in full, bought them a car, pay all their bills, etc.

Race is not what holds blacks back. We have had a President who was black. Yes, he was raised by his white mother. His skin color did not hold him back. Now we have a VP candidate who is also black. She was raised by an Indian mother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“fact blacks and hispanics aren't performing as well that is why they aren't getting in PERIOD it has nothing to do with racism”

It has everything to do with racism, just not in the admission’s process. TJ can try to make up for the society-wide problems that are holding kids in these populations back. Schools can’t fix this problem, but they will try by accepting some kids that have lower scores.

It’s harder for my kid to get in, and arguably it should be, he’s had very advantage in life and his peer group is more competitive. Get over it. It’s not a problem to me if TJ has to spend some money on “remedial” classes for kids that have lower scores or aren’t keeping up as well. It’s a public school, not a private university. It’s fine, and good, to invest public resources in supporting kids from unrepresented groups.

Merit based admission to a public high school is a farce. TJ shouldn’t be something you earn, it should be an opportunity for kids that show potential, and the student body should be representative of the population it serves.

If that means it’s not “the best” school in the country for a while so be it. We don’t deserve to have that if our community is producing such disparate outcomes for particular groups. When we have real equity in the community, we will have really earned TJ’s spot back at the top because all kids from all backgrounds will be able to succeed there.

Why don't Asians suffer from the same racism?

Because America didn't spend centuries dehumanizing Asians as they did with blacks. But if you are asking that question, there's no way you'll understand that answer.

But they had preferential programs for decades and generations now. Can’t keep talking about what happened hundred or two hundred years ago for what is going on now for ever. They have to take responsibility and move forward.

If you don't think that Black people are being dehumanized to an unacceptable level to this day, you're not living in the same universe as the rest of us. Especially under this administration.

Hispanics and Asians are dehumanized as well and they have language obstacle on top of that and they try to move on as best as they can even though they didn’t have presidency and other high ranking politicians to the extent blacks enjoyed.

We might very well have an Asian in the white house next year. Kamala Harris is... Asian.

But she pretends to be black.

She looks black. Her skin color is black.

We have an Indian friend and recently traveled to an all white rural area. People were racist towards them. I don’t know if they knew if they were Asian. Our friend has very short hair and he is darker skinned than most blacks although he is Indian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“fact blacks and hispanics aren't performing as well that is why they aren't getting in PERIOD it has nothing to do with racism”

It has everything to do with racism, just not in the admission’s process. TJ can try to make up for the society-wide problems that are holding kids in these populations back. Schools can’t fix this problem, but they will try by accepting some kids that have lower scores.

It’s harder for my kid to get in, and arguably it should be, he’s had very advantage in life and his peer group is more competitive. Get over it. It’s not a problem to me if TJ has to spend some money on “remedial” classes for kids that have lower scores or aren’t keeping up as well. It’s a public school, not a private university. It’s fine, and good, to invest public resources in supporting kids from unrepresented groups.

Merit based admission to a public high school is a farce. TJ shouldn’t be something you earn, it should be an opportunity for kids that show potential, and the student body should be representative of the population it serves.

If that means it’s not “the best” school in the country for a while so be it. We don’t deserve to have that if our community is producing such disparate outcomes for particular groups. When we have real equity in the community, we will have really earned TJ’s spot back at the top because all kids from all backgrounds will be able to succeed there.

Why don't Asians suffer from the same racism?

Because America didn't spend centuries dehumanizing Asians as they did with blacks. But if you are asking that question, there's no way you'll understand that answer.

Then why is is an issue for Hispanics, the overwhelming majority who have come here in recent years?

You need to read up on the history of Hispanics in this country. Here’s a start:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.history.com/.amp/news/the-brutal-history-of-anti-latino-discrimination-in-america

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Kamala Harris is... Asian.

But she pretends to be black.

She looks black. Her skin color is black.

We have an Indian friend and recently traveled to an all white rural area. People were racist towards them. I don’t know if they knew if they were Asian. Our friend has very short hair and he is darker skinned than most blacks although he is Indian.

She's both black and Indian. Her father is Jamaican and descended from African slaves. Her mother is Indian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“fact blacks and hispanics aren't performing as well that is why they aren't getting in PERIOD it has nothing to do with racism”

It has everything to do with racism, just not in the admission’s process. TJ can try to make up for the society-wide problems that are holding kids in these populations back. Schools can’t fix this problem, but they will try by accepting some kids that have lower scores.

It’s harder for my kid to get in, and arguably it should be, he’s had very advantage in life and his peer group is more competitive. Get over it. It’s not a problem to me if TJ has to spend some money on “remedial” classes for kids that have lower scores or aren’t keeping up as well. It’s a public school, not a private university. It’s fine, and good, to invest public resources in supporting kids from unrepresented groups.

Merit based admission to a public high school is a farce. TJ shouldn’t be something you earn, it should be an opportunity for kids that show potential, and the student body should be representative of the population it serves.

If that means it’s not “the best” school in the country for a while so be it. We don’t deserve to have that if our community is producing such disparate outcomes for particular groups. When we have real equity in the community, we will have really earned TJ’s spot back at the top because all kids from all backgrounds will be able to succeed there.

Why don't Asians suffer from the same racism?

Because America didn't spend centuries dehumanizing Asians as they did with blacks. But if you are asking that question, there's no way you'll understand that answer.

But they had preferential programs for decades and generations now. Can’t keep talking about what happened hundred or two hundred years ago for what is going on now for ever. They have to take responsibility and move forward.

If you don't think that Black people are being dehumanized to an unacceptable level to this day, you're not living in the same universe as the rest of us. Especially under this administration.

Hispanics and Asians are dehumanized as well and they have language obstacle on top of that and they try to move on as best as they can even though they didn’t have presidency and other high ranking politicians to the extent blacks enjoyed.

We might very well have an Asian in the white house next year. Kamala Harris is... Asian.

But she pretends to be black.

You do realize her father is Jamaican? That’s BLACK. She is half Asian and half Black. It’s not a very hard concept to understand. Oh, and because of her darker complexion, I’m sure in everyday life she is treated as a black woman.