Congratulations to the 3 MCPS Seniors who are Intel/Regeneron finalists

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

I would suggest making friends with more Asian families so that you would have a more realistic picture of Asian kids’ lives. Don’t be scared by your imagination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

Wow. I’m not Asian, but we are in a CES with lots of Asian-American kids. My kid’s BFF is from Taiwan and a perfectly nice, well-adjusted kid.

If you don’t like the fact that many Asian-American kids are hard-working, then that’s your right. But, if people don’t like it when posters make assumptions about URMs, then why is it completely acceptable for posters to make blanket generalizations about Asian-American kids.

This just shows that we need to look at kids as individuals, and not as these mass groups full of useless stereotypes.

MCPS needs to quit with the extreme obsession with race. It’s benefitting nobody. Focus on getting ALL students working at their potential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

Would you say the same thing about Serena Williams? She was homeschooled by her dad, and I'm sure played tons of hours of tennis as a child. You don't get to be that good at ANYTHING without hours or practice.

Why such a double standard towards sports, versus academics? We applaud the kids who spend hours playing soccer, parents who spend money on travel soccer, etc. But, parents paying for SAT prep classes is a capital offense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

So, let's just get out in the open exactly what you are saying.

Non-Asian minorities - they're all stupid and underqualified, so let's look down on them. they don't deserve anything.

Asian - they're all over worked and stressed out because their parents are terrible, they don't deserve anything because they're not really happy.

My white child - is just perfect and smart and I parent them perfectly. even thought they don't do as well or work as hard, because they must be overworked and stressed by those horrible Asian parents (while at the same time I howl for a strict meritocracy when it comes to URMs), my white children deserve to have all the spots in pick one: elementary magnet/middle school magnet/high school magnet/college of my choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

Wow. I’m not Asian, but we are in a CES with lots of Asian-American kids. My kid’s BFF is from Taiwan and a perfectly nice, well-adjusted kid.

If you don’t like the fact that many Asian-American kids are hard-working, then that’s your right. But, if people don’t like it when posters make assumptions about URMs, then why is it completely acceptable for posters to make blanket generalizations about Asian-American kids.

This just shows that we need to look at kids as individuals, and not as these mass groups full of useless stereotypes.

MCPS needs to quit with the extreme obsession with race. It’s benefitting nobody. Focus on getting ALL students working at their potential.

pretty sure the obsession with race on DCUM doesn't arise out of MCPS. It's pure white grievance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

Would you say the same thing about Serena Williams? She was homeschooled by her dad, and I'm sure played tons of hours of tennis as a child. You don't get to be that good at ANYTHING without hours or practice.

Why such a double standard towards sports, versus academics? We applaud the kids who spend hours playing soccer, parents who spend money on travel soccer, etc. But, parents paying for SAT prep classes is a capital offense.

Plus it was not that Serena wanted tennis at the beginning. it was her dad who saw their potential. BTW, the dad’s initial motivation was the huge sum of prize money as he told reporters. Don’t see nobody discount the achievement of the sisters in tennis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

So, let's just get out in the open exactly what you are saying.

Non-Asian minorities - they're all stupid and underqualified, so let's look down on them. they don't deserve anything.

Asian - they're all over worked and stressed out because their parents are terrible, they don't deserve anything because they're not really happy.

My white child - is just perfect and smart and I parent them perfectly. even thought they don't do as well or work as hard, because they must be overworked and stressed by those horrible Asian parents (while at the same time I howl for a strict meritocracy when it comes to URMs), my white children deserve to have all the spots in pick one: elementary magnet/middle school magnet/high school magnet/college of my choice.

That pp must felt really good. The self righteousness is mind boggling.

[Anonymous]

Gosh, I could hire someone who seems “highly able” to do the job but hasn’t been tested, OR I could hire someone who has the track record showing excellence in any environment (gPa, tough coursework, test scores, recs, interview).

Hmm hmmm hmmm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

Wow. I’m not Asian, but we are in a CES with lots of Asian-American kids. My kid’s BFF is from Taiwan and a perfectly nice, well-adjusted kid.

If you don’t like the fact that many Asian-American kids are hard-working, then that’s your right. But, if people don’t like it when posters make assumptions about URMs, then why is it completely acceptable for posters to make blanket generalizations about Asian-American kids.

This just shows that we need to look at kids as individuals, and not as these mass groups full of useless stereotypes.

MCPS needs to quit with the extreme obsession with race. It’s benefitting nobody. Focus on getting ALL students working at their potential.

You know.. I once mentioned that MCPS stats show that URM don't score well on tests, then someone said to me that I shouldn't look at kids as a statistic or stereotype but as individuals. But, apparently, it's fine to do that to Asian American students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

Wow. I’m not Asian, but we are in a CES with lots of Asian-American kids. My kid’s BFF is from Taiwan and a perfectly nice, well-adjusted kid.

If you don’t like the fact that many Asian-American kids are hard-working, then that’s your right. But, if people don’t like it when posters make assumptions about URMs, then why is it completely acceptable for posters to make blanket generalizations about Asian-American kids.

This just shows that we need to look at kids as individuals, and not as these mass groups full of useless stereotypes.

MCPS needs to quit with the extreme obsession with race. It’s benefitting nobody. Focus on getting ALL students working at their potential.

You know.. I once mentioned that MCPS stats show that URM don't score well on tests, then someone said to me that I shouldn't look at kids as a statistic or stereotype but as individuals. But, apparently, it's fine to do that to Asian American students.

I made a similar comment about URMs and I was told I’m a racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero street smarts or common sense. It is scary.

I would suggest making friends with more Asian families so that you would have a more realistic picture of Asian kids’ lives. Don’t be scared by your imagination.

+ 1

It helps these people to think of Asian kids as being forced to work hard and don't have a good life. That way they can justify why Bubba or Shaniqua are failing in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see the true potential of kids if they all lived at boarding school. Not an elite school. Just ones away from parents. No forced test prep, no thousands on tutors, kids decide the courses they take and how often they study. They are personally held accountable.

I still think Asian kids would be strong, but what is happening right now. The kids working all hours of the night, prepping for weeks for standardized tests in ELEMENTARY school. It is just getting out of hand. Reading the college threads. The need for 4.5 GPA and almost perfect SAT just to get into state schools? It is crazy. It isn’t real. It isn’t fun. It isn’t what it should be to be a kid or a teen. Too much pressure and these magnet programs are like crack cocaine to some of these parents. And the kids are stressed, anxious, depressed, medicated, lack social skills, and have zero stree5 smarts or common sense. It is scary.

I am surprised at all the backlash you are getting. I agree w/ you. My magnet kid tells me about how some of their Asian friends are pressured by parents -- multiple instruments w/ intense practice (but not allowed to major in music), extensive test prep for every magnet test (elem, middle, HS), additional enrichment classes geared to math or science or even specifically to math team. Being forced to attend magnets w/ long bus rides when they preferred home school. Working past midnight every night in middle school. No one thinks this is all Asians, of course! But, it does seem to be a cultural thing, and I think it is worth considering that extensive prep does not equal gifted. Not to say these students aren't gifted -- I'm sure they are! But, there may be other gifted students who haven't had the extra-curricular training. I think the real answer to the dilemma in gifted ed is more gifted support in schools early on and more places. That takes nothing away from the accomplishments of any kids.

[Anonymous]

How come Asian Americans excel only in STEM?

I’m sure this isn’t completely true, but it certainly seems like it. Is it because math is easier to excel in by simply working ahead? I understand that Asian culture values hard work over innate gifts. With math you don’t need to be gifted. You just have to study, study, study. So maybe math is more straightforward than language arts in that regard. Math? You just work ahead—either in weekend school, kumon, Kahn, or with mom or dad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How come Asian Americans excel only in STEM?

I’m sure this isn’t completely true, but it certainly seems like it. Is it because math is easier to excel in by simply working ahead? I understand that Asian culture values hard work over innate gifts. With math you don’t need to be gifted. You just have to study, study, study. So maybe math is more straightforward than language arts in that regard. Math? You just work ahead—either in weekend school, kumon, Kahn, or with mom or dad.

Because unlike ELA, math and science are concrete. Grading in match and science is fairly black and white. Not so for ELA.

Also, if you are an immigrant, and English is not your or your parents' primary language, you can still do well in math, and parents can help. Not so much with ELA.

And then there's the view that STEM fields are more highly regarded in Asian cultures than other fields.

[Anonymous]

Because they sit on their butt and study harder than the kids who give up. That’s why.