http://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/prestigious-high-school-in-virginia-faces-civil-rights-lawsuit

This won't be cheap. At least one partner at Hunton and Williams may get a yacht out of it, several associates will be driving new cars.

FCPS spends money on lawyers because it can. Vote NO on the meals tax, make FCPS behave-and spend-responsibly.

Here we go again, this is not about equal representation, it is supposed to be the best of the best.

You cannot rely on just the public school system to educate your kids. More advanced students usually have a head start at home, extra attention from family members, speak English the majority of time in the home, probably travel and have educational Summer Camps/Programs, travel and so forth.

Additionally economics plays into how many of the schools are represented with minorities.

Come on, McLean, Falls Church, Vienna, Oakton and Great Falls will not have the same "diverse" student population as South County, Edison, West Potomac, Lee or Woodson.

And even if you bused minorities into the other schools they would not succeed at a much higher rate.

Except for the cheating Asians that get into TJ, TJ should be the best of the best, regardless of minority status, race or color.

The race wars are coming!

"I went to TJ for the great soccer program."
-Julio Lopez

America the great is fading away. Goodbye, you will be missed

This is why One Fairfax is so important. Equality and equity for all.

Pontiac 1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> America the great is fading away. Goodbye, you
> will be missed

Quote

The latest polls of the Republican presidential primary show a party badly divided by education: Donald Trump’s strong showings are entirely attributable to huge leads among voters without a college degree, while voters with a degree are split among several candidates.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-key-to-the-gop-race-the-diploma-divide/

It is easy to dismiss this as minorities complaining about their own failure to perform academically, but that is just part of the story.

If you look at who attends TJ you will notice certain trends: 1. The kids are more likely to have been in what we used to call GT Center schools' 2. The kids are more likely to have attended schools which push activities designed to better prepare them for TJ admission; and 3. The kids are more likely to have taken TJ prep courses.

If you look at the underrepresented minorities you will also notice certain trends: 1. They come from parts of the county that have relatively fewer GT programs, meaning attending a GT elementary school might cause travel and daycare problems; 2. They come from parts of the county where many children are underpreforming, so the teacher is more likely to ignore the better performing kids in order to spend more time with the kids who are struggling; 3. If they were not in Head Start they are likely to begin first grade less prepared, a huge problem given that Fairfax selects GT early; 4. School activities in those schools are oriented towards trying to help underperforming kids catch up rather than trying to help better students excel; and 5. TJ prep courses are not readily available and/or parents are unwilling or unable to have the kids attend thos prep courses.

One way around this is to adopt the "Texas model" where the top kids from each middle school are guaranteed admission if they want it, with remaining slots filled based on merit. To ensure that only qualified students were admitted there could still be a mimimum admissions test score requirement, and TJ could adopt a policy of weeding out underperforming kids. This will never happen though. There are vested interests in keeping the admissions process slanted the way it is, and TJ doesn't want to have to kick out kids.

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is easy to dismiss this as minorities
> complaining about their own failure to perform
> academically, but that is just part of the story.
>
>
> If you look at who attends TJ you will notice
> certain trends: 1. The kids are more likely to
> have been in what we used to call GT Center
> schools' 2. The kids are more likely to have
> attended schools which push activities designed to
> better prepare them for TJ admission; and 3. The
> kids are more likely to have taken TJ prep
> courses.
>
> If you look at the underrepresented minorities you
> will also notice certain trends: 1. They come
> from parts of the county that have relatively
> fewer GT programs, meaning attending a GT
> elementary school might cause travel and daycare
> problems; 2. They come from parts of the county
> where many children are underpreforming, so the
> teacher is more likely to ignore the better
> performing kids in order to spend more time with
> the kids who are struggling; 3. If they were not
> in Head Start they are likely to begin first grade
> less prepared, a huge problem given that Fairfax
> selects GT early; 4. School activities in those
> schools are oriented towards trying to help
> underperforming kids catch up rather than trying
> to help better students excel; and 5. TJ prep
> courses are not readily available and/or parents
> are unwilling or unable to have the kids attend
> thos prep courses.
>
> One way around this is to adopt the "Texas model"
> where the top kids from each middle school are
> guaranteed admission if they want it, with
> remaining slots filled based on merit. To ensure
> that only qualified students were admitted there
> could still be a mimimum admissions test score
> requirement, and TJ could adopt a policy of
> weeding out underperforming kids. This will never
> happen though. There are vested interests in
> keeping the admissions process slanted the way it
> is, and TJ doesn't want to have to kick out kids.

Control over admission to TJ is part of FCPS means of gaining more power. Equality has nothing to do with it. Transgender students would not get the time of day out of the likes of McElveen but for the fact that, at present, a power play can be made with it.

It is hard to say this, but someone ought to take a hard look at admissions of Korean kids, Ilryong's "doings" on the school board and the activities of his law firm. It could come to nothing, but given all of the irregularities at FCPS, it needs to be done!

True. The article linked to basically said too much whitey. No one seemed to address the over representation of Asians.

McElven bout ta get his "whig" split, bet.

McElveen has time before there is another election. If the transgender thing doesn't work out, he'll move on.

The TJ lawsuit, though, that's here to stay. It is going to cost FCPS a lot of money. It may also disrupt certain power structures. You know, the ones where an admission to TJ is traded for something else.

FCPS just doesn't learn. They let these things blow up so that they end up in court and become public. We've had the hired then fired felons, Marie Lemmon, and now this.

This "lawsuit" is just a document some group sent to the Department of Education years ago asking DOE to investigate and file a lawsuit against FCPS. The lawsuit hasn't happened yet so it's hard to see why any if this should be costing FCPS much money. It's not like whites are coming out ahead when Asians fill 75% of the seats at TJ.

why does FCPS promote TJ? It's not appropriate for a public school system to be spending disproportionate resources on the "G&T". Put 'em in the classroom with everyone else and maybe they'll help motivate the other smart kids. This is just a power play by elitist snobs manipulating the public schools for their own particular objectives - just like the Administration, "special needs", sports/band/language and every other group with a particular interest. Good luck getting educated in that mess.

Tsssirsusur Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This "lawsuit" is just a document some group sent
> to the Department of Education years ago asking
> DOE to investigate and file a lawsuit against
> FCPS. The lawsuit hasn't happened yet so it's hard
> to see why any if this should be costing FCPS much
> money. It's not like whites are coming out ahead
> when Asians fill 75% of the seats at TJ.

http://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/prestigious-high-school-in-virginia-faces-civil-rights-lawsuit

This suits (to the extent one ever will ever really occur) are problematic for both the plaintiffs and the School Board, who runs far to the left and perpetually kneels at the altar of diversity.

The obvious way to defend the allegations is to demonstrate that the academic performance of blacks and hispanics in Fairfax is no different in terms of disparities in Fairfax than any other school system. The achievement gap is real, sustained, and seemingly intractable. Of course, this is largely due to differences in cognitive ability levels. Of course, raising this defense would be way painful for the school district, as the last thing that progressives will concede is that there are differences in cognitive ability levels (yes, IQ) between groups. Recognizing this interrupts the narrative that if only we re-distributed more wealth, the achievement gaps would cease.

And on the other hand, the cognitive differences are the elephant in the room for the plaintiffs, too. The correlation between academic achievement and IQ is strong (individual exceptions exist, but as a whole, the correlation is strong), and proceeding under social justice warrior theories have their limits and just don't persuade.

A somewhat similar suit was brough in St Petersburg Florida a few years ago, and it quietly settled, with the school district agreeing to brush up on diversity optics. The gap down there remains huge (larger than it is here, where it is still quite significant). In the end, both parties could not prosecute the case because of the elephant in the room - IQ differences. (Never mind that in almost every human endeavor different groups perform at different levels - yet those differences cannot mentioned in an academic setting - the Voldemort factor, if you will).

Look, people of of all races, if they made good life decisions (including marriage before children) did just fine with a 90-95 IQ in the 50's and 60's. There were manufacturing jobs, then, however, and it is much, much more difficult to prosper in today's knowledge based economy (why Trump's xenophobic approach sells to the working class today). But it does show that the everyone should go to college meme is not helpful, as what people without superior cognitive ability need are good life skills, decision making, and the ability to learn a trade with discipline. Not an easy thing to in an everyone is equal education culture.

this is very well stated!

Identify each students' competence, goals and commitment and train them appropriately. No promotion without tested evidence of competence, emphasis on life skills and defensive analytical skills to prepare them to survive an exploitative economy. Treat them with dignity and respect and demand they show the same towards others.

No "Portraits"!

should have gone to law school! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/prestigious
> -high-school-in-virginia-faces-civil-rights-lawsui
> t
>
> This won't be cheap. At least one partner at
> Hunton and Williams may get a yacht out of it,
> several associates will be driving new cars.
>
> FCPS spends money on lawyers because it can. Vote
> NO on the meals tax, make FCPS behave-and
> spend-responsibly.


Well we can't be deadbeats
Gota pay the bils
So I'm voting yes

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> One way around this is to adopt the "Texas model"
> where the top kids from each middle school are
> guaranteed admission if they want it, with
> remaining slots filled based on merit.

I suppose you are fan then of "weeding out pockets of excellence." Kind of defeats the whole purpose of TJ. I actually think TJ should be closed. Period. The kids should be going to their local high school and contributing there.

9LxXn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill.N. Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > One way around this is to adopt the "Texas
> model"
> > where the top kids from each middle school are
> > guaranteed admission if they want it, with
> > remaining slots filled based on merit.
>
> I suppose you are fan then of "weeding out pockets
> of excellence." Kind of defeats the whole purpose
> of TJ. I actually think TJ should be closed.
> Period. The kids should be going to their local
> high school and contributing there.

That would save FCPS a pile of money but it would also upset more than few apple carts.

The Texas model would not work with TJ, or at least TJ would no longer be TJ as we know it (so yes, quite a few apple carts would be upset).

Note that even Texas's 10 percent program (unadorned) doesn't work that well - why Texas had to resort to affirmative action to improve their diversity numbers beyond the 10 percent program. Besides, let's get real. The Texas plan isn't about diversity, but tribalism. The VP of Frito Lay type Hispanic parents of that middle to upper middle class kid in a Dallas suburb didn't have their Conquistador ancestors mow down hapless natives to end up paying private tuition at SMU, a lesser ranked school than UT Austin. No, they want to go to UT Austin at cheap tuition, and with a real football team, and in any event, UT Austin wants middle to upper middle class with the right skin tone anyway - the real underprivileged don't graduate on time, and hurt their rankings.

Plus, look at TJ. It is a place for kids with a 140 IQ or higher. And really, 140 IQ kind of barely puts you in the ballgame there (I have personal experience with TJ). Have you seen the right side of the IQ bell curve for certain minority groups? The numbers of people at this level are really, really small, and even if you account for the higher socio-economic profile of Northern Virginia, the number of applicants who can succeed are small. As I said, TJ would not be TJ any longer with a Texas style plan (maybe not a bad thing, by the way).

Look at this another way. The number of black students who achieve over 1400 on the traditional portions of the SAT probably numbers around a 1000, nationwide. So even if you assume that magically 75 of them live here, note that 1400 90 plus points lower than the typical TJ average. Don't get me wrong, I am sure there are minority students who belong there, but it is senseless to pretend that smart, capable 115-120 IQ kids who do just fine in base schools, and can go on to good universities, could compete at TJ.

9LxXn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I suppose you are fan then of "weeding out pockets
> of excellence."

You really do only see what you want to.

Funny that she complains that there are too many whites in a school that is 70% Asian.

Lawsuit filed by Tina Hone. Where do we know that name from?

I went to TJ so I could learn how to make Pho Soup. Seben dolla.

missing the obvious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Texas model would not work with TJ, or at
> least TJ would no longer be TJ as we know it (so
> yes, quite a few apple carts would be upset).
>
> Note that even Texas's 10 percent program
> (unadorned) doesn't work that well - why Texas had
> to resort to affirmative action to improve their
> diversity numbers beyond the 10 percent program.
> Besides, let's get real. The Texas plan isn't
> about diversity, but tribalism. The VP of Frito
> Lay type Hispanic parents of that middle to upper
> middle class kid in a Dallas suburb didn't have
> their Conquistador ancestors mow down hapless
> natives to end up paying private tuition at SMU, a
> lesser ranked school than UT Austin. No, they
> want to go to UT Austin at cheap tuition, and with
> a real football team, and in any event, UT Austin
> wants middle to upper middle class with the right
> skin tone anyway - the real underprivileged don't
> graduate on time, and hurt their rankings.
>
> Plus, look at TJ. It is a place for kids with a
> 140 IQ or higher. And really, 140 IQ kind of
> barely puts you in the ballgame there (I have
> personal experience with TJ). Have you seen the
> right side of the IQ bell curve for certain
> minority groups? The numbers of people at this
> level are really, really small, and even if you
> account for the higher socio-economic profile of
> Northern Virginia, the number of applicants who
> can succeed are small. As I said, TJ would not be
> TJ any longer with a Texas style plan (maybe not a
> bad thing, by the way).
>
> Look at this another way. The number of black
> students who achieve over 1400 on the traditional
> portions of the SAT probably numbers around a
> 1000, nationwide. So even if you assume that
> magically 75 of them live here, note that 1400 90
> plus points lower than the typical TJ average.
> Don't get me wrong, I am sure there are minority
> students who belong there, but it is senseless to
> pretend that smart, capable 115-120 IQ kids who do
> just fine in base schools, and can go on to good
> universities, could compete at TJ.


During my time at TJ there were already Hispanics and light skinned and half black/half Jews with IQ around a 115 to 120 IQ. They didn't do well, but still MIT and Princeton really wanted them for the color of their skin.

Asian prep/cheating classes. Asians study from stolen test answer banks starting in 4th or 5th grade to get in. They are smart for the most part but if you dont study from the stolen test questions for at least a year you have to be a genius to compete. Also the 'STEM passion' you need to be coached on padding the resume.

There's some reasonable discussion here, but one thing is for sure.

You could have the holy grail of studies conducted by Al Sharpton and edited by Donna Brazile pointing to a statistically significant difference in cognitive ability between races and 100% no one, and I mean NO ONE in any elected position is going to state that there is a racial component to cognitive ability......even though there probably is.

What has this cost FCPS already, and what is it going to end up costing?

This hemorrhage of money "for the children" has to stop since not that much of it is actually for the children at all.

It's outrageous that TJ discriminates against blacks and other learning-disabled people!

Diehard Lib Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's outrageous that TJ discriminates against
> blacks and other learning-disabled people!


They should just close it. Really.

Plus its named after a slave holder.

The problem with TJ is an overrepresentation of cheating Asians. They have skewed the admissions process to an unattainable level. I wanted to get my daughter into TJ and was aware enough to realize she needed to attend one of these "prep" boot camps to have a chance in hell.

The one I found in Burke had a sister site in South Korea (which I thought was strange at the time), was run by Koreans and attended by Korean kids. The Korean lady administrator told me she could guarantee my daughter would get into TJ if I paid for a three-week package.

I couldn't afford it...but it opened my eyes to the racket and how the Koreans are gaming the system.

And we are paying for this school through public education funds. Yay!

That's how Moon stays on the Board. He facilitates the gravy train. He should resign and go hang out over there and leave the county governance to someone else.

Diehard Lib Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's outrageous that TJ discriminates against
> blacks and other learning-disabled people!


+1

Just look at that Paul O'Neill video.

hm, interesting idea Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 9LxXn Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Bill.N. Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> >
> > > One way around this is to adopt the "Texas
> > model"
> > > where the top kids from each middle school
> are
> > > guaranteed admission if they want it, with
> > > remaining slots filled based on merit.
> >
> > I suppose you are fan then of "weeding out
> pockets
> > of excellence." Kind of defeats the whole
> purpose
> > of TJ. I actually think TJ should be closed.
> > Period. The kids should be going to their
> local
> > high school and contributing there.
>
> That would save FCPS a pile of money but it would
> also upset more than few apple carts.


You have good insight on this issue.
The fact of the matter is Fairfax County Public schools have not given a sh** about vocational training in the least. They only care about the uppity white collar folks. There are plenty of people people (yes many trump supporters) who feel the country has abandoned those good paying blue collar jobs that don't require college or a desk...
Just because someone isn't cut out for IT work doesn't mean they are a bum...

Bill N., FCPS has been laser focused on "special needs" kids - to some extent the new claim of "specialness" by your "uppity white collar folks". Spending on "special needs" programs has been rising significantly over the past ten years while spending on programs for "regulars" has declined (5% in real terms over the past ten years on a per pupil basis). Look at the last budget where teachers for special needs are increasing while teachers for regulars are cut.

This focus on "special needs" combines the political forces of organized parents with the beneficiaries in the administration and teaching force (psychologists, teachers with specialized degrees that demand more compensation and lower student counts, etc) all under a federal mandate that obfuscates the issues and complicates the funding. But who will object to unlimited funding of "special needs"?

The County is risking a lot in not focusing on improving the education outcome of the large majority of our students. Only 71% of our Seniors can pass the VA SOLs - this is an absolute disgrace and an indication of the failure of our School Board and Administration.

We risk alienating businesses who cannot find good workers and alienating residents who cannot or will not pay the taxes to support the expenses of these "special needs" programs (more than $600 million dollars this year). If businesses and people start to leave, house prices drop and taxes are increased on those who remain - a "death spiral"...

TJ should be shut down (or privatized) and vocational programs should be funded and made more demanding and professional. In my area the vocational program has become the preferred school because the graduates can get a job and make real money. A good plumber or HVAC or electrician can make a nice living in this County and pay taxes and join the community and send their kids to school.

But there's a lot of work to do in getting the facts out there in front of the voters...