TJ Principal Hides Academic Awards for the Sake of “Equity”
Many troublesome issues have been discussed on this site regarding the ideological direction of the Fairfax County Public School system (FCPS). None can compare to this one in terms of sheer stupidity, cruelty and misguided priorities.
Before reading further, please read the highlighted article below, which chronicles an intentional effort by the principal and an assistant at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) to downplay and hide important awards that some students had earned.
https://www.city-journal.org/war-on-merit-takes-bizarre-turn#.Y6kgdwB-bHQ.mailto
High school juniors who achieve the “Commended Student” ranking on the PSAT exam are in the top 3% nationwide. Achieving this status is a recognition of a student’s hard work and learning, and it can also motivate him or her to pursue further goals. The award can improve his or her chances of being admitted to prestigious colleges and/or being awarded valuable scholarships. It can also allow the student’s parents to take pride in what their child has accomplished through their support and encouragement.
What sort of perverted thinking would cause high school officials to decide that a “Commended Student” recognition should be withheld or downplayed? The reasoning of the TJ principal was that “We want to recognize students for who they are as individuals, not focus on their achievements.” She feared that recognition of some students might hurt the feelings of others who didn’t perform as well.
What?!?! It is one thing to give “participation trophies” to all the members of a six-year-old soccer team so that no one feels slighted. It is something else again to extend this attitude to high school academics. In the real world, some people perform better than others. Covering this up in the name of “equity” or “equal outcomes for all” is unjustified, unrealistic and mean-spirited.
It is particularly shocking for this conduct to have occurred at the most prestigious high school in Fairfax County, a school that strives to be the highest-rated secondary school in the United States. If such a school doesn’t support and recognize outstanding performance, it can’t retain its ranking for long. And, as the linked article above points out, it is ironic that a large percentage of the TJ students who have been discriminated against by the principal’s conduct are members of a minority group — Asian Americans, often the sons and daughters of first- or second-generation immigrants.
The TJ principal, having been caught, now says she is “deeply sorry,” and an assistant superintendent has acknowledged that the principal’s conduct was a “mistake.” It wasn’t a mistake; it was deliberate, and it was a sign of a major attitudinal problem in the school’s leadership. This shocking episode merits much more than a “mistake” acknowledgement or a light slap on the wrist. The Superintendent of the school system, Dr. Michelle Reid, should take strong disciplinary action and should make clear to all school personnel, not just at TJ but county-wide, that academic achievements should be recognized and praised, not suppressed.
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Great job Mark. The corruption in the school systems in Fairfax AND NATIONWIDE is extraordinary. Not sure how we got here so quickly and completely, except eyes off the ball. Same is true for local, state and federal govt systems….totally corrupt. We must keep pushing to fix things, because we are just a few steps from being a communist country, which of course is unacceptable…
Another great example of how this all out push for “equity” is destroying our schools.
It’s mind boggling to think that a school leader would think this was a good idea. It really goes to show you that these people are knowingly willing to cause harm and suffering to children and their families.
Nothing is spared in pursuit of their Holy Grail.
A lawsuit is appropriate here. I know the college my kids applied to will award a full-tuition scholarship to National Merit finalists. Completely unacceptable.
When are kids supposed to learn that other people are better than they are in some way? A school is microcosm of society; there will be successes and failures in different areas of students’ lives. Each person has strengths and weaknesses, their individual abilities and talents. It is far better for teachers and administrators to know students well enough to know when to recognize their particular achievements, even if it’s just getting a letter grade higher than they did in the previous grading period Generally teachers do know which students are making improvement and when to praise them.. TJ is full is really smart kids, and they know it; but some just performed better on this exam than others, Those who did so well they were commended, should get the recognition they deserve, publicly and personally, and certainly in a timely manner so that information can be used on college applications. If the standards are kept high at TJ, then at least all the kids who are there know they are on a level playing field.
Valerie: Your comment is right on the money. Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law, and everyone deserves respect, but everyone isn’t equal in terms of native intelligence, motivation and hard work. Accomplishments need to be recognized. What happened here was a prime example of “equity” running amok. The principal of this school is unfit for her position. Her conduct exhibited an attitude that extends beyond this particular “mistake.” She should be disciplined severely, and a strong message should be sent to the entire school system. Will it happen? Probably not.