School irked by entry test results

Northern Virginia Journal ^ | 8/14/03 | ANDREI BLAKELY

[chambley1]

Question No. 9 in the ``word meanings" section of the practice test for admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology reads:

``Apparently he `instigated' the argument.

``Which means, he A) incited, B) ignored C) enjoyed or D) settled, the argument."

The correct answer, of course, is ``A," for ``incited."

While Fairfax County School Board members may not be instigating any arguments, some are discouraged that only three blacks and 13 Hispanics were admitted to this year's 450-student freshman class at the school. Some School Board members such as Robert E. Frye, at large, are not satisfied with the current admissions process.

The lack of a minority presence is not from an absence of effort.

This year, the school system has attempted to prepare students for the admissions process by selling the practice test handbook. Two years ago, after a very public and controversial process, the School Board also voted to add about 30 slots to the freshman class for kids from neighborhoods in Fairfax County with a low representation in the student body.

The previous changes ``should be helpful, but I think the real effort should go into increasing the number of African-American and Hispanic students," Frye said. ``I do believe that the talents that produce success at Thomas Jefferson are distributed fairly across all students in the community."

The handbooks are selling fast with school officials ordering 6,000 copies this year for distribution at Northern Virginia Community College's Annandale, Alexandria, Loudoun, Manassas and Woodbridge campus bookstores.

``We have not had to reorder, but we have had a large request for them," said Chris Fuller, store manager at NOVA's Annandale campus bookstore.

Last year, officials sold and distributed about 2,300 copies of the handbook in its first year.

The 120-question practice test covers logic, analogies, reading, math and word meanings. The 56-page booklet has a section that gives explanations of the correct answers.

Thomas Jefferson, which serves counties in Northern Virginia and is considered to be one of the highest-achieving schools in the country, admitted 269 white students and 136 Asian students this year out of 2,618 applicants.

The cause for admitting more black and Hispanic students at the school has been boosted by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case involving the University of Michigan's law school. The justices decided the value of diversity was compelling enough to use in school admissions.

Fairfax County school attorneys are evaluating the ruling to see if it can apply to Thomas Jefferson.

The school's admissions process consists basically of three stages beginning with a standardized test, which selects the top 800 students. In the second stage, officials admit the top qualifying students from the 800 students based on their applicant profiles. Then, in the final stage, admissions officers fill up to 30 slots with students who qualify from underrepresented regions in the county.

The low number of black and Hispanic students making it through the process has caught the eye of the Thomas Jefferson community as well.

``We cannot accept the racist argument that, somehow, minority students are less able or qualified to be admitted to Thomas Jefferson," said Luis Fierro, a member of the parent diversity oversight committee at Thomas Jefferson, last month. ``Consequently the School Board has a responsibility to seek actions or policies that will enable more minority students to successfully prepare for admission to Thomas Jefferson."

Frye, along with School Board member Kaye Kory, Mason District, has asked the school system's staff to investigate an admissions process that is merit-based but also values diversity.

``I do think we need to examine the policy with insight our attorneys provide us," Kory said. ``The changes we made were good ones that should make a difference. I don't know what options would be available to us now because of the Supreme Court decision."

School officials will not comment until their attorneys have finished the evaluation.

[BostonianRightist]

This pisses me off. what ever happened to earning what you get, and getting what you earn?

[DainBramage]

Question 1. Make a sentence using the words green, pink, and yellow.

Submitted Answer:

The phone green, I pink it up and say "Yellow."

[blanknoone]

The cause for admitting more black and Hispanic students at the school has been boosted by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case involving the University of Michigan's law school. The justices decided the value of diversity was compelling enough to use in school admissions. And it starts... the Supreme Court ALLOWED discrimination....it did not encourage it. There is no mandate that they must or should.

[Straight Vermonter]

...and yet Asian students speaking English as a second language somehow do not have these problems. Amazing.

[BushCountry]

Question 1. Make a sentence using the words green, pink, and yellow.

Submitted Answer:

The phone green, I pink it up and say "Yellow."

Question 2. Make a sentence using the word Israel.

Submitted Answer:

My bro gets wearing new bling bling, I asked, "Israel."

[GatekeeperBookman]

"The phone green, I pink it up and say "Yellow." "


You slam the enviros ( green ), the homos ( pink ) & the hard working, over-acheiving Asians ( yellow ).

Some words are just too hurtful & should no longer be in use. We must learn not to hurt people. Please! I know you did not mean to but pay attention here!

[GatekeeperBookman]

You are worse than BrainDamage! Now learn not to offend & hurt people. Please. Dialect is a legitimate form of speech. Idiom is the word, Word Up!

[fishbabe]

i wish i was surrounded by that attitude when i went to school.hey,if you say 2+2 make 5, then thats okay with the school board...think about this.their selling the test and blacks still can't get the right answers!!!!!!!

[demkicker]

The phone green, I pink it up and say "Yellow."

Congrats, you've won the right to go to any school in the country! Ain't diversity grand?

[shhrubbery!]

The cause for admitting more black and Hispanic students at the school has been boosted by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case involving the University of Michigan's law school. The justices decided the value of diversity was compelling enough to use in school admissions.

Fairfax County school attorneys are evaluating the ruling to see if it can apply to Thomas Jefferson.

Translation: Fairfax County school attorneys are gleefully exploiting SCOTUS's recent Grutter decision to justify discrimination against white and Asian students.

[sweetliberty]

"what ever happened to earning what you get, and getting what you earn?"

Oh, you still have to earn what you get, it's just that if you're white you have to work twice as hard to earn it to make up for the ethnic types that don't have to earn anything.

[Tax-chick]

My bro gets wearing new bling bling, I asked, "Israel."

What is "bling bling?" This is the 4th time it's turned up this week!

[Puppage]

PHONE BOOF

[sweetliberty]

"``We cannot accept the racist argument that, somehow, minority students are less able or qualified to be admitted to Thomas Jefferson,"

Oh, and I guess it is somehow less racist to consider that if they WON'T make the effort to qualify, you have to lower your standards for everybody.

[concerned about politics]

I think the answer is to study.
A little less time "hangin' on the corner" and "Hopin' the free ride train", and a little more time in front of the books. It's a matter of priorities.
I don't think it's a problem with race. I think it's a problem with "lifestyle choice." Chose to learn and become successful, or chose not to learn and be a failure.

[concerned about politics]

.....Choose.....( We just got the electric back. Late night, first cup of coffee. Sorry for the error. )

[Dante3]

Diversity apparently means that Thomas Jefferson also should admit the lazy and the stupid.

[Lil'freeper]

IIRC from an Albert Jay Nock essay, Thomas Jefferson (the school's namesake) had some ideas on how public 'schooling' should be conducted. Namely that while everyone could earn an elementary education, not everyone would get to continue on. Advancement to higher grades was based on merit- only a top percentage would earn the opportunity to have the public fund their higher education. It would mean, of course, the the overwhelming majority would have to find something else to do with their time- apprenticeships and such. They could certainly persue an education, just not at the public's expense.

[Guillermo]

OK follow their thinking...they really believe this:

The test is racist, but it was so cleverly designed that Asians and Whites would pass, but blacks and "latinos" would fail.

It's even more diabolical than it seems.