I believe in affirmative action and racially balanced educational environments but...

[Anonymous]

...not lowering academic standards to achieve that. How can we achieve racial balance at TJ without lowering academic standards?

I fully support schools like Harvard and Yale using holistic admissions to create a balanced class. However, they are able to do that without having to fundamentally change their academic standards that make them excellent and sought-after because they have tens of thousands of applicants for a limited number of seats, most of which are extremely qualified based on test scores (except recently), GPA, course rigor, extracurriculars, etc... Chances are, even if the accepted URMs qualifications are slightly lower than the average accepted student, they are still most likely sufficiently qualified to function in the existing curriculum.

The problem with the current TJ admissions proposals is there is really nothing to show that the applicant is capable of handling an advanced STEM curriculum. The test wasn't perfect, but at least it showed ability to be able to pass it, which showed understanding of a certain level of material (not just ability to take a test). A 3.5 GPA unfortunately doesn't say much about ability in FCPS, without knowing the courses taken, the grades in the science and math classes, whether the courses are gen ed, honors or aap, and the middle school's grade curve. For example, if many of the kids who end up getting in happen to be gen ed students with B's in science and math, the TJ curriculum and standards will necessarily have to be lowered. This is a ludicrous result. I don't believe that the institution that are currently moving towards holistic admissions would do so if it meant they had to fundamentally lower their educational standards in order to achieve diversity.

How can we achieve diversity without changing the excellence that makes TJ sought-after in the first place?

[Anonymous]

I have no idea, but I agree with you that the cost of equity is too high if it means we have to compromise on academic excellence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea, but I agree with you that the cost of equity is too high if it means we have to compromise on academic excellence.

+1. Doing so would do an injustice to the patronized students, our region, our country and society in general. I'm hopeful they find a way to implement this is a rational way.

[Anonymous]

Did you read the thread about grades? The problem isn't equity, the problem is that the school is unattractive to a lot of potential applicants, to qualified students of all races including URMs. Remaking the school will make it more attractive to more students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea, but I agree with you that the cost of equity is too high if it means we have to compromise on academic excellence.

+1

Do they aim to get a diverse school, open for all- irrelevant if grades and test scores?Or is the aim a challenging school with entry requirements?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you read the thread about grades? The problem isn't equity, the problem is that the school is unattractive to a lot of potential applicants, to qualified students of all races including URMs. Remaking the school will make it more attractive to more students.

There is no shortage of applicants. It is no one else's problem if someone doesn't want to apply because they don't like the racial composition of the school. That is on them. And it is RACIST

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you read the thread about grades? The problem isn't equity, the problem is that the school is unattractive to a lot of potential applicants, to qualified students of all races including URMs. Remaking the school will make it more attractive to more students.

Oh, so seats are not getting filled at TJ? I don't understand.

I have heard that there are many interested candidates who are not getting into TJ and so the program needs to be replicated in one or two more schools to increase capacity. I think you are overstating that there are many qualified students of any race who don't apply. There may be interested students but they are certainly not qualified. I don't give a fig if they are URMs or Whites or Asians.

[Anonymous]

Lol speak for yourself. I don't believe in affirmative action and neither does half the country. It will eventually be outlawed nationwide, just might take a decade or so.

[Anonymous]

Racist Whites are using the excuse of URMs. The truth is that Asian excellence hurts poorly qualified Whites. Though serves the Asian-American community right for voting for Trump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you read the thread about grades? The problem isn't equity, the problem is that the school is unattractive to a lot of potential applicants, to qualified students of all races including URMs. Remaking the school will make it more attractive to more students.

There is no shortage of applicants. It is no one else's problem if someone doesn't want to apply because they don't like the racial composition of the school. That is on them. And it is RACIST

So you didn't read it.

Remaking the school will benefit all students, including and especially Asian American students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you read the thread about grades? The problem isn't equity, the problem is that the school is unattractive to a lot of potential applicants, to qualified students of all races including URMs. Remaking the school will make it more attractive to more students.

+1. Same folks are going to wake up every morning and complain about changes to TJ. So glad it is being reconstructed. It’s become such a blight and hopefully the most arrogant TJ families will just leave - no one wants them and their snotty kids back at the base schools, either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol speak for yourself. I don't believe in affirmative action and neither does half the country. It will eventually be outlawed nationwide, just might take a decade or so.

This is not in place to help URMs. Affirmative Action is used by Whites to block Asian-Americans.

The numbers of URMs who apply to programs is so low that even if all are taken it will not impact others too much. It is just that Whites are not able to sacrifice as much as the Asian-Americans for academic results and things had always come easy to Whites without effort. Now they are incapable of competing with Asian-Americans but with the new changes the group that will benefit is average Whites from MC or UMC families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol speak for yourself. I don't believe in affirmative action and neither does half the country. It will eventually be outlawed nationwide, just might take a decade or so.

This is not in place to help URMs. Affirmative Action is used by Whites to block Asian-Americans.

The numbers of URMs who apply to programs is so low that even if all are taken it will not impact others too much. It is just that Whites are not able to sacrifice as much as the Asian-Americans for academic results and things had always come easy to Whites without effort. Now they are incapable of competing with Asian-Americans but with the new changes the group that will benefit is average Whites from MC or UMC families.

This proposed change was made for URMs, at their request. Your opinion is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol speak for yourself. I don't believe in affirmative action and neither does half the country. It will eventually be outlawed nationwide, just might take a decade or so.

This is not in place to help URMs. Affirmative Action is used by Whites to block Asian-Americans.

The numbers of URMs who apply to programs is so low that even if all are taken it will not impact others too much. It is just that Whites are not able to sacrifice as much as the Asian-Americans for academic results and things had always come easy to Whites without effort. Now they are incapable of competing with Asian-Americans but with the new changes the group that will benefit is average Whites from MC or UMC families.

Why are you hating on white people so much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol speak for yourself. I don't believe in affirmative action and neither does half the country. It will eventually be outlawed nationwide, just might take a decade or so.

This is not in place to help URMs. Affirmative Action is used by Whites to block Asian-Americans.

The numbers of URMs who apply to programs is so low that even if all are taken it will not impact others too much. It is just that Whites are not able to sacrifice as much as the Asian-Americans for academic results and things had always come easy to Whites without effort. Now they are incapable of competing with Asian-Americans but with the new changes the group that will benefit is average Whites from MC or UMC families.

Why are you hating on white people so much?

Because it's easy, because it's cheap, because it's knee jerk.