Anonymous wrote:Gawd some people's comments are so ignorant and uncaring. For some people (yes, that includes Asian and Eastern European immigrants), advanced/gifted/whatever you want to call them programs which judge fairly by merit are their refuge from the discrimination they'd otherwise be facing. It's also a refuge for the kids who have an IQ which is multiple standard deviations above the norm and who, as a result, get consistently misunderstood by society at large. I can't emphasize enough how unacceptable it is for people to even think that "who cares?" applies to this situation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ sacrificed on the alter of "equity".

not sacrificed. it was a pork handout to upper middle class.

it is way overdue to be closed and turned back to a regular neighborhood school.

This is such a pitiful mentality. You should be thrilled that VA has some of the best public and private institutions in the country (HS and College). What is it about excellence that is so threatening to you? The way to make more winners is to have less losers; why don't you push for better teachers, resources, and hihgher standards during primary school years. I agree, the admissions need to change, but stop trying to drag people down. The goal should always be to create spaces for BETTER education. Jeez, at this rate will be one of those districts where school is only 4-days a week.

Why on earth should I care about TJ? If TJ were to close tomorrow is would have zero effect on me or anyone I know. It has nothing to do with me or my family and it’s URM numbers are an embarrassment.

Anonymous wrote:That’s the attitude that will get people to support you cause. Right now, the board is going a head, it’s up to TJ supporters to convince people to care, in my case I think the embarrassment caused by the URM numbers are a bigger factor than a school catering to people who frankly don’t need it

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I believe they are not actually trying to help URM. They aren't doing anything to prepare the targeted groups for TJ level work, are not doing anything to increase applicants from these groups or even asking why these groups dont want to attend/apply... but are just changing the mix of who is being accepted from the current pool. If URM are not in the current pool how will that help them gain admission?

We either have clowns running this or deceitful leadership.

If the kid has real interest in TJ STEM, there are lot of resources like Khan Academy, Youtube education and Libraries etc. Nothing can stop the kid. Now everything is online and at your finger tips.

President Abraham Lincoln is known to have completed his initial studies under street lights and had to struggle hard to survive during the initial few years of his life.

There are great URM students who choose not to apply. This is low hanging fruit for FCPS leadership if they actually cared to move the needle.

Also, no, you can't expect children to know the full breadth of information available and how to access it. Parents and other adults need to help guide them. This is assuming they have reliable access to a computer and internet.

lincoln never had to go to school with Indians. He would have never been selected without helicopter parents from 1st grade.

remember the mantra.

Will it get my child into TJ?

Anonymous wrote:That’s the attitude that will get people to support you cause. Right now, the board is going a head, it’s up to TJ supporters to convince people to care, in my case I think the embarrassment caused by the URM numbers are a bigger factor than a school catering to people who frankly don’t need it

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ sacrificed on the alter of "equity".

not sacrificed. it was a pork handout to upper middle class.

it is way overdue to be closed and turned back to a regular neighborhood school.

This is such a pitiful mentality. You should be thrilled that VA has some of the best public and private institutions in the country (HS and College). What is it about excellence that is so threatening to you? The way to make more winners is to have less losers; why don't you push for better teachers, resources, and hihgher standards during primary school years. I agree, the admissions need to change, but stop trying to drag people down. The goal should always be to create spaces for BETTER education. Jeez, at this rate will be one of those districts where school is only 4-days a week.

Why on earth should I care about TJ? If TJ were to close tomorrow is would have zero effect on me or anyone I know. It has nothing to do with me or my family and it’s URM numbers are an embarrassment.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ sacrificed on the alter of "equity".

not sacrificed. it was a pork handout to upper middle class.

it is way overdue to be closed and turned back to a regular neighborhood school.

This is such a pitiful mentality. You should be thrilled that VA has some of the best public and private institutions in the country (HS and College). What is it about excellence that is so threatening to you? The way to make more winners is to have less losers; why don't you push for better teachers, resources, and hihgher standards during primary school years. I agree, the admissions need to change, but stop trying to drag people down. The goal should always be to create spaces for BETTER education. Jeez, at this rate will be one of those districts where school is only 4-days a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ sacrificed on the alter of "equity".

not sacrificed. it was a pork handout to upper middle class.

it is way overdue to be closed and turned back to a regular neighborhood school.

This is such a pitiful mentality. You should be thrilled that VA has some of the best public and private institutions in the country (HS and College). What is it about excellence that is so threatening to you? The way to make more winners is to have less losers; why don't you push for better teachers, resources, and hihgher standards during primary school years. I agree, the admissions need to change, but stop trying to drag people down. The goal should always be to create spaces for BETTER education. Jeez, at this rate will be one of those districts where school is only 4-days a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wah, drama... TJ will be fine. Next topic.

No it won’t.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TJ sacrificed on the alter of "equity".

not sacrificed. it was a pork handout to upper middle class.

it is way overdue to be closed and turned back to a regular neighborhood school.

Anonymous wrote:Wah, drama... TJ will be fine. Next topic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ The issue is, as it relates back to TJ, is that URM and lower-income students are disadvantaged in the process.

so give everyone test prep materials and it will be even. Don't pull others down because its easier than providing resources where they are needed.

How is this even? Will they have parents requiring 20 min a day? Will they have parents nagging and threatening? Advocating their kid is bored? Going to teacher conferences and asking the right questions?

Do you hear yourself? It's actually disgusting you're making it seem like these children have incompetent parents. If everyone has access to test prep materials, that's as even as it needs to be.

Test prep is not the answer. If you have to prep for the test, TJ is not the right school for you. There needs to be a way to find the kids who will benefit most from TJ that cannot be “prepped” for.

What my family observed when our child was at TJ was that kids who prepped the most for TJ were frequently the ones who struggled the most and were the unhappiest while there. They would have learned more and had a better experience at their assigned high school.

A TJ full of kids who didn’t need to “prep” for an entrance test would be a much more relaxed and healthy place where kids would be truly learning.

? Kids are happy there when they are confident in their abilities and have friends to attend with or are easily able to make friends at TJ. Give it a rest that prep somehow disqualifies anyone. FCPS is so unaware and unable to stop what parents do to help their kids or what kids do on their own. You can't police everyone. Just help the kids who need an extra boost.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I believe they are not actually trying to help URM. They aren't doing anything to prepare the targeted groups for TJ level work, are not doing anything to increase applicants from these groups or even asking why these groups dont want to attend/apply... but are just changing the mix of who is being accepted from the current pool. If URM are not in the current pool how will that help them gain admission?

We either have clowns running this or deceitful leadership.

If the kid has real interest in TJ STEM, there are lot of resources like Khan Academy, Youtube education and Libraries etc. Nothing can stop the kid. Now everything is online and at your finger tips.

President Abraham Lincoln is known to have completed his initial studies under street lights and had to struggle hard to survive during the initial few years of his life.

There are great URM students who choose not to apply. This is low hanging fruit for FCPS leadership if they actually cared to move the needle.

Also, no, you can't expect children to know the full breadth of information available and how to access it. Parents and other adults need to help guide them. This is assuming they have reliable access to a computer and internet.