I am a white mother of a Kilmer student from several years ago - DS currently attends Marshall HS.

When DS was in 8th grade, I went to the TJ information session in September. I got a lot of good information from the presenters there and was considering encouraging DS to apply, even though he was reticent.

When they opened the floor for Q&A, one of DS's friends' fathers stood up and accused the admissions people of using affirmative action because the previous year's incoming class was only 75% Asian. I watched several parents, including friends of mine, nod in agreement. Horrifying. Thankfully the admissions people tamped it down.

That father's kid is currently at TJ. I decided to follow my son's wishes and not have him apply after I heard that comment and the stunning amount of approval it got.

Anonymous wrote:Why do blacks always claim that asians test prep and cheat?

Maybe their parents just value education and instill that value in their children?

Here's a good litmus test. If you don't think there is anything wrong with this quoted post, you are pretty damn racist.

Why do blacks always claim that asians test prep and cheat?

Maybe their parents just value education and instill that value in their children?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know if they are smarter kids? Usually we test them to find out. That has actually worked really well for a very long time throughout history.

Because they were top in their respective schools not just kids from a wealthy school whose parents could afford prep classes.

How do you decide which 5 kids are the top at their respective schools when 50+ kids have perfect 4.0s?

Every middle school, even the ones in Annandale, have some portion of wealthy families with privileged children. Why do you imagine that lower income kids will actually get in and not the wealthy, privileged kids from the higher FARMS school?

Also, the same wealthy people paying for test prep will instead pay for tutoring. Their kids will all end up with 4.0s. Kids who can't afford tutoring are at a big disadvantage.

School board didn’t think this through in their haste to -r-e-d-u-c-e-A-s-i-a-n-s-a-n-d- increase blacks.

Fixed it for you

Anonymous wrote:Many of us with experience at tj do not believe the “toxic culture” racist trope.

That's probably because you're promulgating that culture and do not believe it to be toxic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know if they are smarter kids? Usually we test them to find out. That has actually worked really well for a very long time throughout history.

Because they were top in their respective schools not just kids from a wealthy school whose parents could afford prep classes.

How do you decide which 5 kids are the top at their respective schools when 50+ kids have perfect 4.0s?

Every middle school, even the ones in Annandale, have some portion of wealthy families with privileged children. Why do you imagine that lower income kids will actually get in and not the wealthy, privileged kids from the higher FARMS school?

Also, the same wealthy people paying for test prep will instead pay for tutoring. Their kids will all end up with 4.0s. Kids who can't afford tutoring are at a big disadvantage.

School board didn’t think this through in their haste to reduce Asians and increase blacks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know if they are smarter kids? Usually we test them to find out. That has actually worked really well for a very long time throughout history.

Because they were top in their respective schools not just kids from a wealthy school whose parents could afford prep classes.

How do you decide which 5 kids are the top at their respective schools when 50+ kids have perfect 4.0s?

Every middle school, even the ones in Annandale, have some portion of wealthy families with privileged children. Why do you imagine that lower income kids will actually get in and not the wealthy, privileged kids from the higher FARMS school?

Also, the same wealthy people paying for test prep will instead pay for tutoring. Their kids will all end up with 4.0s. Kids who can't afford tutoring are at a big disadvantage.

Anonymous wrote:Many of us with experience at tj do not believe the “toxic culture” racist trope.

+1000

Many of us with experience at tj do not believe the “toxic culture” racist trope.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most in the industry actually consider this high school to be the top school in the nation. 31% economically disadvantaged, 33% black/Hispanic. Oh and 55% female.

TJ is not actually good at educating children. It’s just that it’s become hard to get into and is selecting for overly-prepped (with a large percentage cheating) to gain entrance.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/illinois/districts/chicago-public-schools/payton-college-preparatory-high-school-6604

Agree that's why I think the admission changes are a big step in the right direction.

Looks like the backwater Maryland Blair boosters and Virginia Woketards have gotten together!

https://www.spreadtheword.global/resource-archive/r-word-effects

Please consider your choice of words with more empathy.

It is a reflection on the poster mainly and makes it clear that their opinions should carry no weight. Further, it makes me really wonder if these changes are positive since they may result in overall smarter kids who just have fewer resources to devote to prep.

How do you know if they are smarter kids? Usually we test them to find out. That has actually worked really well for a very long time throughout history.

Actually that's debatable. Many would argue it hasn't worked well. That many game the tests through extensive prep classes and this has helped create the currently toxic climate at TJ.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most in the industry actually consider this high school to be the top school in the nation. 31% economically disadvantaged, 33% black/Hispanic. Oh and 55% female.

TJ is not actually good at educating children. It’s just that it’s become hard to get into and is selecting for overly-prepped (with a large percentage cheating) to gain entrance.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/illinois/districts/chicago-public-schools/payton-college-preparatory-high-school-6604

Agree that's why I think the admission changes are a big step in the right direction.

Looks like the backwater Maryland Blair boosters and Virginia Woketards have gotten together!

https://www.spreadtheword.global/resource-archive/r-word-effects

Please consider your choice of words with more empathy.

It is a reflection on the poster mainly and makes it clear that their opinions should carry no weight. Further, it makes me really wonder if these changes are positive since they may result in overall smarter kids who just have fewer resources to devote to prep.

How do you know if they are smarter kids? Usually we test them to find out. That has actually worked really well for a very long time throughout history.

Because they were top in their respective schools not just kids from a wealthy school whose parents could afford prep classes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most in the industry actually consider this high school to be the top school in the nation. 31% economically disadvantaged, 33% black/Hispanic. Oh and 55% female.

TJ is not actually good at educating children. It’s just that it’s become hard to get into and is selecting for overly-prepped (with a large percentage cheating) to gain entrance.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/illinois/districts/chicago-public-schools/payton-college-preparatory-high-school-6604

Agree that's why I think the admission changes are a big step in the right direction.

Looks like the backwater Maryland Blair boosters and Virginia Woketards have gotten together!

https://www.spreadtheword.global/resource-archive/r-word-effects

Please consider your choice of words with more empathy.

It is a reflection on the poster mainly and makes it clear that their opinions should carry no weight. Further, it makes me really wonder if these changes are positive since they may result in overall smarter kids who just have fewer resources to devote to prep.

How do you know if they are smarter kids? Usually we test them to find out. That has actually worked really well for a very long time throughout history.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It will be hard for FCPS to maintain its reputation, whether at TJ or elsewhere, when they've so clearly indicated they don't believe in merit any longer.

It seems like the new admission standards will greatly improve the caliber of student by better identifying aptitude instead of over prepped students. This should improve TJ's reputation.

What!?!? It's the number 1 high school in the country right now! You must be joking.

Two things:

1) It's the number 1 high school in the country because publications like USNWR and Newsweek judge "college readiness" based on - you guessed it - standardized exam performance

2) While TJ still enjoys a strong reputation nationally, all you need to look at to see how its reputation has been damaged locally is the fact that applications have droppped 20% since 2000 while the population of their draw districts has exploded.

If TJ was that great it wouldn't be losing Its Academic to Blair. These US News rankings aren't that meaningful, but if you want to kid yourself by all means.

You would know that It’s Academic is a joke if you know anything about the Quiz Bowl. TJ is considered one of the best high school quiz bowl power house.

Then how come it always looses to these "lesser" schools?

Blair has a far more selective program than TJ and although it's smaller, always surpasses TJ by every measure from percentage of NMSF, It's Academic, members of US Math Olympiad, SAT averages etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most in the industry actually consider this high school to be the top school in the nation. 31% economically disadvantaged, 33% black/Hispanic. Oh and 55% female.

TJ is not actually good at educating children. It’s just that it’s become hard to get into and is selecting for overly-prepped (with a large percentage cheating) to gain entrance.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/illinois/districts/chicago-public-schools/payton-college-preparatory-high-school-6604

Agree that's why I think the admission changes are a big step in the right direction.

Looks like the backwater Maryland Blair boosters and Virginia Woketards have gotten together!

https://www.spreadtheword.global/resource-archive/r-word-effects

Please consider your choice of words with more empathy.

It is a reflection on the poster mainly and makes it clear that their opinions should carry no weight. Further, it makes me really wonder if these changes are positive since they may result in overall smarter kids who just have fewer resources to devote to prep.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most in the industry actually consider this high school to be the top school in the nation. 31% economically disadvantaged, 33% black/Hispanic. Oh and 55% female.

TJ is not actually good at educating children. It’s just that it’s become hard to get into and is selecting for overly-prepped (with a large percentage cheating) to gain entrance.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/illinois/districts/chicago-public-schools/payton-college-preparatory-high-school-6604

Agree that's why I think the admission changes are a big step in the right direction.

Looks like the backwater Maryland Blair boosters and Virginia Woketards have gotten together!

https://www.spreadtheword.global/resource-archive/r-word-effects

Please consider your choice of words with more empathy.