Tj teachers - Be prepared!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is asking you to be apologetic. We're just asking society as a whole to stop assuming that the existence of affirmative action as a measure of redress necessarily means that any Black success can be explained by affirmative action - and therefore by anti-Asian (or anti-white) racism. This may affect you, but it isn't about you.

Of course, in order to succeed you need to have various skills. At the same time, being good-looking and/or tall and/or black helps to achieve success. It's easier to get a promotion for a 6 ft tall man than for a 5 ft short man. It's easier to find a partner when you have a beautiful face and attractive body. These days, it's also easier to get into a good college or receive a promotion if you are black. Why can't we just acknowledge these facts and why our kids can't acknowledge what they see? It does help with college admissions to be black. Nobody is saying they can get into the top colleges ONLY because of their skin color. It's just that a threshold for them to get in is lower. Since there are so few of them at TJ, any black student with the perfect GPA and SAT score will be accepted by the top colleges - which is not the case with the Asian kids. Even white students as a minority at TJ might benefit from their race during college admissions.

Yes, they are saying exactly these things. This is a huge part of the point that I and others have been making and that TJ students have confirmed repeatedly. One of the consistent microaggressions foisted upon students belonging to underrepresented groups is that they wouldn't have gotten into "school X" - INCLUDING TJ - but for the fact of their race. Or that they're going to have an easier time getting in and therefore don't have to work as hard.

If you don't understand how toxic that behavior is, and how it causes kids who are already doubting themselves to further question their self-worth, then you are a part of why the environment is as toxic as it is.

Proof? Note: Repeating something every few hours does not constitute proof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is asking you to be apologetic. We're just asking society as a whole to stop assuming that the existence of affirmative action as a measure of redress necessarily means that any Black success can be explained by affirmative action - and therefore by anti-Asian (or anti-white) racism. This may affect you, but it isn't about you.

Of course, in order to succeed you need to have various skills. At the same time, being good-looking and/or tall and/or black helps to achieve success. It's easier to get a promotion for a 6 ft tall man than for a 5 ft short man. It's easier to find a partner when you have a beautiful face and attractive body. These days, it's also easier to get into a good college or receive a promotion if you are black. Why can't we just acknowledge these facts and why our kids can't acknowledge what they see? It does help with college admissions to be black. Nobody is saying they can get into the top colleges ONLY because of their skin color. It's just that a threshold for them to get in is lower. Since there are so few of them at TJ, any black student with the perfect GPA and SAT score will be accepted by the top colleges - which is not the case with the Asian kids. Even white students as a minority at TJ might benefit from their race during college admissions.

Yes, they are saying exactly these things. This is a huge part of the point that I and others have been making and that TJ students have confirmed repeatedly. One of the consistent microaggressions foisted upon students belonging to underrepresented groups is that they wouldn't have gotten into "school X" - INCLUDING TJ - but for the fact of their race. Or that they're going to have an easier time getting in and therefore don't have to work as hard.

If you don't understand how toxic that behavior is, and how it causes kids who are already doubting themselves to further question their self-worth, then you are a part of why the environment is as toxic as it is.

Proof? Note: Repeating something every few hours does not constitute proof.

I mean, what do you want - captured video of kids saying these things to each other? My proof is the conversations I've had with kids who both have said these things and who have heard these things. My other proof is the multiple school board meetings where Black TJ students have talked about the comments that they get from students at TJ. Yet another one is a Facebook group where students and alumni talk about all of the things that people of various different underrepresented group have experienced while at TJ.

Believing that a student who is already at TJ would make up kids telling them disgusting stuff like that just to get sympathy is really next-level ostrich behavior. Denying them their lived experiences is EVIL.

And when the kids do say it, and they get called out for it, do you know what their excuse is 100% OF THE TIME? "It's what my parents tell me."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is asking you to be apologetic. We're just asking society as a whole to stop assuming that the existence of affirmative action as a measure of redress necessarily means that any Black success can be explained by affirmative action - and therefore by anti-Asian (or anti-white) racism. This may affect you, but it isn't about you.

Of course, in order to succeed you need to have various skills. At the same time, being good-looking and/or tall and/or black helps to achieve success. It's easier to get a promotion for a 6 ft tall man than for a 5 ft short man. It's easier to find a partner when you have a beautiful face and attractive body. These days, it's also easier to get into a good college or receive a promotion if you are black. Why can't we just acknowledge these facts and why our kids can't acknowledge what they see? It does help with college admissions to be black. Nobody is saying they can get into the top colleges ONLY because of their skin color. It's just that a threshold for them to get in is lower. Since there are so few of them at TJ, any black student with the perfect GPA and SAT score will be accepted by the top colleges - which is not the case with the Asian kids. Even white students as a minority at TJ might benefit from their race during college admissions.

Yes, they are saying exactly these things. This is a huge part of the point that I and others have been making and that TJ students have confirmed repeatedly. One of the consistent microaggressions foisted upon students belonging to underrepresented groups is that they wouldn't have gotten into "school X" - INCLUDING TJ - but for the fact of their race. Or that they're going to have an easier time getting in and therefore don't have to work as hard.

If you don't understand how toxic that behavior is, and how it causes kids who are already doubting themselves to further question their self-worth, then you are a part of why the environment is as toxic as it is.

Proof? Note: Repeating something every few hours does not constitute proof.

I mean, what do you want - captured video of kids saying these things to each other? My proof is the conversations I've had with kids who both have said these things and who have heard these things. My other proof is the multiple school board meetings where Black TJ students have talked about the comments that they get from students at TJ. Yet another one is a Facebook group where students and alumni talk about all of the things that people of various different underrepresented group have experienced while at TJ.

Believing that a student who is already at TJ would make up kids telling them disgusting stuff like that just to get sympathy is really next-level ostrich behavior. Denying them their lived experiences is EVIL.

And when the kids do say it, and they get called out for it, do you know what their excuse is 100% OF THE TIME? "It's what my parents tell me."

I remember that black girl who got offended when some child asked her about their tribal clothes. Her own father on the WaPo picture was wearing his African tribe clothes. Why was it offensive to ask a person who came from Africa about their tribal clothes when they still wear it at home? That gives me an impression that she is just overreacting to everything and takes any comment or question as if it’s attacking her skin color.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is asking you to be apologetic. We're just asking society as a whole to stop assuming that the existence of affirmative action as a measure of redress necessarily means that any Black success can be explained by affirmative action - and therefore by anti-Asian (or anti-white) racism. This may affect you, but it isn't about you.

Of course, in order to succeed you need to have various skills. At the same time, being good-looking and/or tall and/or black helps to achieve success. It's easier to get a promotion for a 6 ft tall man than for a 5 ft short man. It's easier to find a partner when you have a beautiful face and attractive body. These days, it's also easier to get into a good college or receive a promotion if you are black. Why can't we just acknowledge these facts and why our kids can't acknowledge what they see? It does help with college admissions to be black. Nobody is saying they can get into the top colleges ONLY because of their skin color. It's just that a threshold for them to get in is lower. Since there are so few of them at TJ, any black student with the perfect GPA and SAT score will be accepted by the top colleges - which is not the case with the Asian kids. Even white students as a minority at TJ might benefit from their race during college admissions.

Yes, they are saying exactly these things. This is a huge part of the point that I and others have been making and that TJ students have confirmed repeatedly. One of the consistent microaggressions foisted upon students belonging to underrepresented groups is that they wouldn't have gotten into "school X" - INCLUDING TJ - but for the fact of their race. Or that they're going to have an easier time getting in and therefore don't have to work as hard.

If you don't understand how toxic that behavior is, and how it causes kids who are already doubting themselves to further question their self-worth, then you are a part of why the environment is as toxic as it is.

Proof? Note: Repeating something every few hours does not constitute proof.

I mean, what do you want - captured video of kids saying these things to each other? My proof is the conversations I've had with kids who both have said these things and who have heard these things. My other proof is the multiple school board meetings where Black TJ students have talked about the comments that they get from students at TJ. Yet another one is a Facebook group where students and alumni talk about all of the things that people of various different underrepresented group have experienced while at TJ.

Believing that a student who is already at TJ would make up kids telling them disgusting stuff like that just to get sympathy is really next-level ostrich behavior. Denying them their lived experiences is EVIL.

And when the kids do say it, and they get called out for it, do you know what their excuse is 100% OF THE TIME? "It's what my parents tell me."

I remember that black girl who got offended when some child asked her about their tribal clothes. Her own father on the WaPo picture was wearing his African tribe clothes. Why was it offensive to ask a person who came from Africa about their tribal clothes when they still wear it at home? That gives me an impression that she is just overreacting to everything and takes any comment or question as if it’s attacking her skin color.

So one event, from one person, that you're interpreting in your own way invalidates the experiences of everyone (including for this girl) who shares that skin color? And this from the same people who view the lowering of barriers for others as "anti-Asian racism"? The literal definition of cognitive dissonance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is asking you to be apologetic. We're just asking society as a whole to stop assuming that the existence of affirmative action as a measure of redress necessarily means that any Black success can be explained by affirmative action - and therefore by anti-Asian (or anti-white) racism. This may affect you, but it isn't about you.

Of course, in order to succeed you need to have various skills. At the same time, being good-looking and/or tall and/or black helps to achieve success. It's easier to get a promotion for a 6 ft tall man than for a 5 ft short man. It's easier to find a partner when you have a beautiful face and attractive body. These days, it's also easier to get into a good college or receive a promotion if you are black. Why can't we just acknowledge these facts and why our kids can't acknowledge what they see? It does help with college admissions to be black. Nobody is saying they can get into the top colleges ONLY because of their skin color. It's just that a threshold for them to get in is lower. Since there are so few of them at TJ, any black student with the perfect GPA and SAT score will be accepted by the top colleges - which is not the case with the Asian kids. Even white students as a minority at TJ might benefit from their race during college admissions.

Yes, they are saying exactly these things. This is a huge part of the point that I and others have been making and that TJ students have confirmed repeatedly. One of the consistent microaggressions foisted upon students belonging to underrepresented groups is that they wouldn't have gotten into "school X" - INCLUDING TJ - but for the fact of their race. Or that they're going to have an easier time getting in and therefore don't have to work as hard.

If you don't understand how toxic that behavior is, and how it causes kids who are already doubting themselves to further question their self-worth, then you are a part of why the environment is as toxic as it is.

Proof? Note: Repeating something every few hours does not constitute proof.

I mean, what do you want - captured video of kids saying these things to each other? My proof is the conversations I've had with kids who both have said these things and who have heard these things. My other proof is the multiple school board meetings where Black TJ students have talked about the comments that they get from students at TJ. Yet another one is a Facebook group where students and alumni talk about all of the things that people of various different underrepresented group have experienced while at TJ.

Believing that a student who is already at TJ would make up kids telling them disgusting stuff like that just to get sympathy is really next-level ostrich behavior. Denying them their lived experiences is EVIL.

And when the kids do say it, and they get called out for it, do you know what their excuse is 100% OF THE TIME? "It's what my parents tell me."

I remember that black girl who got offended when some child asked her about their tribal clothes. Her own father on the WaPo picture was wearing his African tribe clothes. Why was it offensive to ask a person who came from Africa about their tribal clothes when they still wear it at home? That gives me an impression that she is just overreacting to everything and takes any comment or question as if it’s attacking her skin color.

So one event, from one person, that you're interpreting in your own way invalidates the experiences of everyone (including for this girl) who shares that skin color? And this from the same people who view the lowering of barriers for others as "anti-Asian racism"? The literal definition of cognitive dissonance.

I think that lowering of barriers by schools and colleges for black people is racism towards black people. It implies that they can’t achieve the same scores that people of other races achieve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I heard from my friend’s son , first year freshman that their teachers don’t teach much. They just give them links to videos and they are expected to figure out on their own. It works so far, but of course with the new admission changes, teachers are going to be in shock with the class results if they don’t improve their teaching skills & instead expect kids to figure out, or TJ is going down.

Your son is an idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I heard from my friend’s son , first year freshman that their teachers don’t teach much. They just give them links to videos and they are expected to figure out on their own. It works so far, but of course with the new admission changes, teachers are going to be in shock with the class results if they don’t improve their teaching skills & instead expect kids to figure out, or TJ is going down.

Your son is an idiot.

Umm... idiot, he said his "friend's son" not his son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is asking you to be apologetic. We're just asking society as a whole to stop assuming that the existence of affirmative action as a measure of redress necessarily means that any Black success can be explained by affirmative action - and therefore by anti-Asian (or anti-white) racism. This may affect you, but it isn't about you.

Of course, in order to succeed you need to have various skills. At the same time, being good-looking and/or tall and/or black helps to achieve success. It's easier to get a promotion for a 6 ft tall man than for a 5 ft short man. It's easier to find a partner when you have a beautiful face and attractive body. These days, it's also easier to get into a good college or receive a promotion if you are black. Why can't we just acknowledge these facts and why our kids can't acknowledge what they see? It does help with college admissions to be black. Nobody is saying they can get into the top colleges ONLY because of their skin color. It's just that a threshold for them to get in is lower. Since there are so few of them at TJ, any black student with the perfect GPA and SAT score will be accepted by the top colleges - which is not the case with the Asian kids. Even white students as a minority at TJ might benefit from their race during college admissions.

Yes, they are saying exactly these things. This is a huge part of the point that I and others have been making and that TJ students have confirmed repeatedly. One of the consistent microaggressions foisted upon students belonging to underrepresented groups is that they wouldn't have gotten into "school X" - INCLUDING TJ - but for the fact of their race. Or that they're going to have an easier time getting in and therefore don't have to work as hard.

If you don't understand how toxic that behavior is, and how it causes kids who are already doubting themselves to further question their self-worth, then you are a part of why the environment is as toxic as it is.

Proof? Note: Repeating something every few hours does not constitute proof.

I mean, what do you want - captured video of kids saying these things to each other? My proof is the conversations I've had with kids who both have said these things and who have heard these things. My other proof is the multiple school board meetings where Black TJ students have talked about the comments that they get from students at TJ. Yet another one is a Facebook group where students and alumni talk about all of the things that people of various different underrepresented group have experienced while at TJ.

Believing that a student who is already at TJ would make up kids telling them disgusting stuff like that just to get sympathy is really next-level ostrich behavior. Denying them their lived experiences is EVIL.

And when the kids do say it, and they get called out for it, do you know what their excuse is 100% OF THE TIME? "It's what my parents tell me."

I remember that black girl who got offended when some child asked her about their tribal clothes. Her own father on the WaPo picture was wearing his African tribe clothes. Why was it offensive to ask a person who came from Africa about their tribal clothes when they still wear it at home? That gives me an impression that she is just overreacting to everything and takes any comment or question as if it’s attacking her skin color.

So one event, from one person, that you're interpreting in your own way invalidates the experiences of everyone (including for this girl) who shares that skin color? And this from the same people who view the lowering of barriers for others as "anti-Asian racism"? The literal definition of cognitive dissonance.

I think that lowering of barriers by schools and colleges for black people is racism towards black people. It implies that they can’t achieve the same scores that people of other races achieve.

Lowering of standards to increase access would absolutely be racism. Lowering of barriers to increase access is the opposite of racism.

[Anonymous]

For the "stigma" associated with URMs to go away at school and at the workplace, they need to compete and earn it at the same level as others who they seek to replace (i.e. Whites and the "minority who you don't want to include among minorities" (Asians)).

You do that by providing them the runway - training, opportunities, etc. - to compete as "equals", not by diluting standards and lowering the bar.

Asking people to shut up about it and shaming them because a logical thought popped into their head is not going to fix it long term. I bet we will be having this discussion as a society, a 100 years from now if this how we choose to fix this problem, to the detriment of the URM population.

I truly want deserving URM kids to get the opportunities they deserve. I want them to out-compete my kids. Anyone that doesn't is diminished in my mind. This includes athletic, legacy and URM recruits at colleges. Sorry. But that's my reality, and a reality I will be sharing with everyone who cares to listen and likely be influenced by my opinions.

[Anonymous]

Share your opinion with your kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the "stigma" associated with URMs to go away at school and at the workplace, they need to compete and earn it at the same level as others who they seek to replace (i.e. Whites and the "minority who you don't want to include among minorities" (Asians)).

You do that by providing them the runway - training, opportunities, etc. - to compete as "equals", not by diluting standards and lowering the bar.

Asking people to shut up about it and shaming them because a logical thought popped into their head is not going to fix it long term. I bet we will be having this discussion as a society, a 100 years from now if this how we choose to fix this problem, to the detriment of the URM population.

I truly want deserving URM kids to get the opportunities they deserve. I want them to out-compete my kids. Anyone that doesn't is diminished in my mind. This includes athletic, legacy and URM recruits at colleges. Sorry. But that's my reality, and a reality I will be sharing with everyone who cares to listen and likely be influenced by my opinions.

Thought experiment:

Two students. One spot.

Student A is your relatively typical TJ applicant, regardless of race. Carson Middle School. 3.97 GPA in middle school. Algebra 2 in 8th grade. Science Olympiad. MathCounts. CTY camps. Years of prep work. Applying to TJ largely because his parents are pharmaceutical researchers and have determined that he should be on that path as well.

Student B is an excellent student but a very atypical TJ applicant. Twain Middle School. 3.85 GPA. Geometry in 8th grade. Club softball player and wants to play in college, only other real extracurricular is a couple of years singing. Never did a single STEM activity until she went to a religious stay-away camp in Florida where they took a trip to Cape Canaveral as a side thing in the summer before 8th grade - and immediately was inspired to learn everything she could about space travel. She wants to be an astrophysicist and has spent all of her time since that trip reading up on how to be one.

Student A is probably "more qualified" than Student B based on any number of historical "merit" calculations. But if you've spent any time at TJ, you know that TJ already has an enormous number of Student As and would be much better served by having a few Student Bs. It's not that you always pick B over A, but if you want to have a better high school and a better learning environment, you do sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the "stigma" associated with URMs to go away at school and at the workplace, they need to compete and earn it at the same level as others who they seek to replace (i.e. Whites and the "minority who you don't want to include among minorities" (Asians)).

You do that by providing them the runway - training, opportunities, etc. - to compete as "equals", not by diluting standards and lowering the bar.

Asking people to shut up about it and shaming them because a logical thought popped into their head is not going to fix it long term. I bet we will be having this discussion as a society, a 100 years from now if this how we choose to fix this problem, to the detriment of the URM population.

I truly want deserving URM kids to get the opportunities they deserve. I want them to out-compete my kids. Anyone that doesn't is diminished in my mind. This includes athletic, legacy and URM recruits at colleges. Sorry. But that's my reality, and a reality I will be sharing with everyone who cares to listen and likely be influenced by my opinions.

Thought experiment:

Two students. One spot.

Student A is your relatively typical TJ applicant, regardless of race. Carson Middle School. 3.97 GPA in middle school. Algebra 2 in 8th grade. Science Olympiad. MathCounts. CTY camps. Years of prep work. Applying to TJ largely because his parents are pharmaceutical researchers and have determined that he should be on that path as well.

Student B is an excellent student but a very atypical TJ applicant. Twain Middle School. 3.85 GPA. Geometry in 8th grade. Club softball player and wants to play in college, only other real extracurricular is a couple of years singing. Never did a single STEM activity until she went to a religious stay-away camp in Florida where they took a trip to Cape Canaveral as a side thing in the summer before 8th grade - and immediately was inspired to learn everything she could about space travel. She wants to be an astrophysicist and has spent all of her time since that trip reading up on how to be one.

Student A is probably "more qualified" than Student B based on any number of historical "merit" calculations. But if you've spent any time at TJ, you know that TJ already has an enormous number of Student As and would be much better served by having a few Student Bs. It's not that you always pick B over A, but if you want to have a better high school and a better learning environment, you do sometimes.

I vote for Student C who has all the attributes of Student A and has the passion of Student B (regardless of their middle school and race). There are plenty of these types of TJ candidates also. Why are you assuming that Student A from Carson has no passion and being pushed by parents while student B from Twain has the passion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the "stigma" associated with URMs to go away at school and at the workplace, they need to compete and earn it at the same level as others who they seek to replace (i.e. Whites and the "minority who you don't want to include among minorities" (Asians)).

You do that by providing them the runway - training, opportunities, etc. - to compete as "equals", not by diluting standards and lowering the bar.

Asking people to shut up about it and shaming them because a logical thought popped into their head is not going to fix it long term. I bet we will be having this discussion as a society, a 100 years from now if this how we choose to fix this problem, to the detriment of the URM population.

I truly want deserving URM kids to get the opportunities they deserve. I want them to out-compete my kids. Anyone that doesn't is diminished in my mind. This includes athletic, legacy and URM recruits at colleges. Sorry. But that's my reality, and a reality I will be sharing with everyone who cares to listen and likely be influenced by my opinions.

Thought experiment:

Two students. One spot.

Student A is your relatively typical TJ applicant, regardless of race. Carson Middle School. 3.97 GPA in middle school. Algebra 2 in 8th grade. Science Olympiad. MathCounts. CTY camps. Years of prep work. Applying to TJ largely because his parents are pharmaceutical researchers and have determined that he should be on that path as well.

Student B is an excellent student but a very atypical TJ applicant. Twain Middle School. 3.85 GPA. Geometry in 8th grade. Club softball player and wants to play in college, only other real extracurricular is a couple of years singing. Never did a single STEM activity until she went to a religious stay-away camp in Florida where they took a trip to Cape Canaveral as a side thing in the summer before 8th grade - and immediately was inspired to learn everything she could about space travel. She wants to be an astrophysicist and has spent all of her time since that trip reading up on how to be one.

Student A is probably "more qualified" than Student B based on any number of historical "merit" calculations. But if you've spent any time at TJ, you know that TJ already has an enormous number of Student As and would be much better served by having a few Student Bs. It's not that you always pick B over A, but if you want to have a better high school and a better learning environment, you do sometimes.

I vote for Student C who has all the attributes of Student A and has the passion of Student B (regardless of their middle school and race). There are plenty of these types of TJ candidates also. Why are you assuming that Student A from Carson has no passion and being pushed by parents while student B from Twain has the passion?

All of the Student As are probably going to get in no matter what admissions policy you have. Missed the point, probably on purpose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the "stigma" associated with URMs to go away at school and at the workplace, they need to compete and earn it at the same level as others who they seek to replace (i.e. Whites and the "minority who you don't want to include among minorities" (Asians)).

You do that by providing them the runway - training, opportunities, etc. - to compete as "equals", not by diluting standards and lowering the bar.

Asking people to shut up about it and shaming them because a logical thought popped into their head is not going to fix it long term. I bet we will be having this discussion as a society, a 100 years from now if this how we choose to fix this problem, to the detriment of the URM population.

I truly want deserving URM kids to get the opportunities they deserve. I want them to out-compete my kids. Anyone that doesn't is diminished in my mind. This includes athletic, legacy and URM recruits at colleges. Sorry. But that's my reality, and a reality I will be sharing with everyone who cares to listen and likely be influenced by my opinions.

Thought experiment:

Two students. One spot.

Student A is your relatively typical TJ applicant, regardless of race. Carson Middle School. 3.97 GPA in middle school. Algebra 2 in 8th grade. Science Olympiad. MathCounts. CTY camps. Years of prep work. Applying to TJ largely because his parents are pharmaceutical researchers and have determined that he should be on that path as well.

Student B is an excellent student but a very atypical TJ applicant. Twain Middle School. 3.85 GPA. Geometry in 8th grade. Club softball player and wants to play in college, only other real extracurricular is a couple of years singing. Never did a single STEM activity until she went to a religious stay-away camp in Florida where they took a trip to Cape Canaveral as a side thing in the summer before 8th grade - and immediately was inspired to learn everything she could about space travel. She wants to be an astrophysicist and has spent all of her time since that trip reading up on how to be one.

Student A is probably "more qualified" than Student B based on any number of historical "merit" calculations. But if you've spent any time at TJ, you know that TJ already has an enormous number of Student As and would be much better served by having a few Student Bs. It's not that you always pick B over A, but if you want to have a better high school and a better learning environment, you do sometimes.

I vote for Student C who has all the attributes of Student A and has the passion of Student B (regardless of their middle school and race). There are plenty of these types of TJ candidates also. Why are you assuming that Student A from Carson has no passion and being pushed by parents while student B from Twain has the passion?

All of the Student Cs are probably going to get in no matter what admissions policy you have. Missed the point, probably on purpose.

Corrected above - student Cs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the "stigma" associated with URMs to go away at school and at the workplace, they need to compete and earn it at the same level as others who they seek to replace (i.e. Whites and the "minority who you don't want to include among minorities" (Asians)).

You do that by providing them the runway - training, opportunities, etc. - to compete as "equals", not by diluting standards and lowering the bar.

Asking people to shut up about it and shaming them because a logical thought popped into their head is not going to fix it long term. I bet we will be having this discussion as a society, a 100 years from now if this how we choose to fix this problem, to the detriment of the URM population.

I truly want deserving URM kids to get the opportunities they deserve. I want them to out-compete my kids. Anyone that doesn't is diminished in my mind. This includes athletic, legacy and URM recruits at colleges. Sorry. But that's my reality, and a reality I will be sharing with everyone who cares to listen and likely be influenced by my opinions.

Thought experiment:

Two students. One spot.

Student A is your relatively typical TJ applicant, regardless of race. Carson Middle School. 3.97 GPA in middle school. Algebra 2 in 8th grade. Science Olympiad. MathCounts. CTY camps. Years of prep work. Applying to TJ largely because his parents are pharmaceutical researchers and have determined that he should be on that path as well.

Student B is an excellent student but a very atypical TJ applicant. Twain Middle School. 3.85 GPA. Geometry in 8th grade. Club softball player and wants to play in college, only other real extracurricular is a couple of years singing. Never did a single STEM activity until she went to a religious stay-away camp in Florida where they took a trip to Cape Canaveral as a side thing in the summer before 8th grade - and immediately was inspired to learn everything she could about space travel. She wants to be an astrophysicist and has spent all of her time since that trip reading up on how to be one.

Student A is probably "more qualified" than Student B based on any number of historical "merit" calculations. But if you've spent any time at TJ, you know that TJ already has an enormous number of Student As and would be much better served by having a few Student Bs. It's not that you always pick B over A, but if you want to have a better high school and a better learning environment, you do sometimes.

I vote for Student C who has all the attributes of Student A and has the passion of Student B (regardless of their middle school and race). There are plenty of these types of TJ candidates also. Why are you assuming that Student A from Carson has no passion and being pushed by parents while student B from Twain has the passion?

Even if both Student A and B have the same amount of passion, I believe it would be better to have some students of type "B" as well. We do not want 100% student "A" types as well. Saying this as an Indian myself.