October 10, 2020
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, rated the best high school in the United States with an Asian student population of slightly over 70% will no longer require an admissions test, reports The Washington Post.
The Fairfax County Public Schools Board on Thursday night, October 8, gave the green light to a proposal, submitted by Superintendent Scott Brabrand, that eliminates the test and the $100 application fee.
Brabrand’s plan is to replace Thomas Jefferson’s race-blind, merit-based admissions process with a lottery, according to Asra Investigates. The new “holistic review” admits the top 100 students on merit, and chooses the remaining 400 students from a lottery, creating a “two-tiered” school community.
The changes will take effect immediately, meaning this year’s new generation of eighth-graders—many of whom spent months, if not years, preparing for the test—have done so for nothing. The two-part exam on math, reading, and science no longer matters, according to The Washington Post.
Brabrand’s new “holistic review” takes into account “21st Century Skills,” “Goal Directed & Resilient Individual,” “Experience Factors,” and a “Problem Solving Essay” in the new admissions process.
The standardized test is inherently racist and a shining example of “white supremacy.” Asian students are “white-adjacent,” therefore this new strategy is to boost the number of Black and Latino students after decades of embarrassingly low enrollment caused by white tyranny, systemic racism, and Asian students siding with “white people,” instead of taking a knee and helping their fellow minorities have a chance.
The new enrollment policy will allow students to academically qualify into Thomas Jefferson High School with a 3.5 GPA in Algebra 1.
Some board members echoed a frustration shared by many students, parents, and alumni. They oppose the lottery system and say it will be rob deserving children of spots at the prestigious school that they rightfully earned with hard work and sacrifice. Thomas Jefferson High School is ranked No. 1 for a reason and lowering standards will jeopardize the school’s standing in the country.
One parent stated “We’re [USA] already falling behind against Asian tech giants. Implementing these new affirmative action measures will pretty much ensure who will never beat Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, or China in the future. 20 years ago, we dominated microchip tech. Now, we’re at least two generations behind Taiwan. We’ve lost.”
“The quality of TJ will be negatively affected,” said TJ junior Swesik Ramineni, adding that the influx of lottery-chosen children would mean high-level courses have to be discontinued in favor of “more remedial classes,” according to The Washington Post.
Feature Image via Education Next