Reply to Thomas Jefferson TJHSST - why not Honors Algebra I/Honors Geometry for TJ admissions?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The intense pressure and competition at TJ has resulted in widespread cheating for many years.

[u]Articles from 2006 to 2023 about cheating at TJ:[/u]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2006/05/03/va-principal-issues-apology-for-remarks-span-classbankheadlinking-ethnicity-and-cheating-was-wrong-fairfax-leader-saysspan/01cfcf99-d02f-4c11-b68e-e4997cf6d972/
https://www.tjtoday.org/1613/opinion/one-question-pervades-classroom-teaching-and-school-activities/
https://www.tjtoday.org/4390/opinion/teachers-need-to-enforce-tj-honor-code/
https://www.tjtoday.org/19690/uncategorized/integrity-violation-lecture-reminds-students-of-the-cost-of-cheating/
https://www.tjtoday.org/27956/uncategorized/midterms-week-breeding-grounds-for-rampant-cheating/
https://www.tjtoday.org/32413/opinion/stop-idolizing-elite-colleges/
https://www.tjtoday.org/36291/features/the-inside-of-integrity/

[u]DCUM anecdote about widespread cheating from 2013:[/u] 
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/60/329043.page
"TJ parent here - At back to school night several of the teachers described the steps they take to prevent cheating. [b]A science teacher said that they have learned there are so-called "tutors" who have large files of all the old tests given at TJ. [/b]So this year they are creating every test from scratch, with 4 completely different versions as the classes meet during 4 different time periods."

[u]Interview with former TJ principal in 2006 (also discusses "gaming" the admissions test):[/u]
https://www.washingtonian.com/2006/09/01/thomas-jefferson-high-school-interview-with-principal-elizabeth-lodal/
[i]"Unfortunately, T.J. has helped spawn a huge test-preparation industry in this region. Look in the newspapers—you’ll find test prep for both the SATs and for T.J.

Some parents start this T.J. prep early. Some local churches have Sunday-school classes focused on getting into T.J. that start in kindergarten and go through elementary school. Wealthy parents can spend $600 a pop to learn how to get in here.

Isn’t there something wrong with that?
Yes.

[b]Why don’t you constantly change the exam so no one can game it?
The admissions office tries to do that."[/b]

[b]"How pervasive is cheating?
Students tell me it’s more pervasive than adults know.[/b] It is a huge challenge for teachers and principals—not just here but at every school.

Given our student population, [b]cheating techniques can be very sophisticated[/b]. We’ve tried to create an antidote via a robust ethics program. We bolster students offended by cheating and strengthen everyone’s will to resist it. We hold up ethical models and highlight positive examples.

When I got here, the first group of students to visit me were [b]student leaders offended by the pervasiveness of cheating[/b]. They had drafted an honor code. The school eventually adopted that honor code, written by students. The student government is now investigating the creation of an honor council to help enforce and strengthen the honor code.

Our program Big Sibs matches every freshman with a “sibling”—an upper-level student who helps navigate the waters. Another initiative, Building a Better Community, or BBC, assists with programs about ethics. We feature ethics panels of highly respected students and adults who speak out against cheating."[/i][/quote]

Equating spending $600 on test prep with "wealthy" is wild.

The notion that cheating is any worse at TJ than any other school is dubious.
The notion that cheating is any better now than 5 years ago is laughable.[/quote]

Was cheating worse at TJ than other area high schools?  I don't know but it's certainly plausible - cheating is rampant at high pressure schools and TJ was the highest pressure school.  It is lower pressure now.  Is cheating lower now?  It's plausible.

I wouldn't say that equating $600 on test prep is wild, but I would agree that test prep to get into TJ starting in grade school and/or at Sunday School is wild.  [/quote]

True, but many spent more like $20k on elite prep where their children were spoon fed actual test questions from a question bank that was compiled in violation of an NDA.[/quote]
20k or 200k?  Students trust prep effort, admissions want students who put in that prep effort, whether sports or academics.  Notice the number of college admits on sports scholarships, especially the historically disadvantaged.  By saying prep is bad, you are disingenuously discouraging the URMs from prepping to succeed at TJ.   
[/quote]

I don't think prep is bad at all. In fact, I'm all for it, but I don't think it should be the deciding factor for publicly-funded programs.[/quote]
High school sports are publicly funded programs[/quote]

WTF does sports have to do with academic programs? Oh wait…we know why you bring it up.

Public schools should offer multi-level options (8th/freshman, JV, Varsity) for popular sports (and offer a few no-cut sports per season).  There should be a path to varsity even for kids who didn’t start playing in K. 
[/quote]

But there isn't.

The best players on the basketball team almost invariably have travel experience.[/quote]

But the path should be there for athletic kids who didn’t start in K. It’s high school, time for development and growth. 
[/quote]

These sports anecdotes are irrelevant. Personally, I don't think my taxes should even pay for sports. [/quote]

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