BATTLE OVER TJ ADMISSIONS CONTINUES Judge rules new process is racially discriminatory
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AKASH BALENALLI WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | ALEENA GUL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
crowd of parents, pointing and shouting “racist” at school board members at a meeting on March 10, have become the face of a nasty battle over equity-oriented admissions changes to the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST). The parents were in support of a Feb. 25 federal district court decision by Judge Claude Hilton, who ruled that the policy discriminated against Asian Americans. “It is clear that Asian American students are disproportionately harmed by the Board’s decision to overhaul TJ admissions,” Hilton wrote in his opinion. “Currently and in the future, Asian American applicants are disproportionately deprived of a level playing field.” FCPS initially changed the process, which took effect for the first time last school year, to address low enrollment rates for Black and Hispanic students. Prior to the changes, students completed multiple rounds of standardized tests and met certain criteria like a minimum GPA. FCPS tweaked the criteria, generally making them more demanding, but removed the standardized tests and replaced them with a holistic process. “I think the standardized testing was kind
of important, and then they implemented the [minimum] GPA,” said Kathy, a TJHSST senior who asked to remain anonymous due to the politically charged environment. “I don’t think it’s that hard to get a high GPA in middle school, so I don’t think it’s a good indicator of whether you’re ready for TJ.”
ASIAN AMERICAN APPLICANTS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY DEPRIVED OF A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.” - CLAUDE HILTON U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE The factors used in the holistic process have been a source of contention since their implementation. They attempt to collect information about applicants that was not previously considered. “[The new process uses] a one-round holistic process that considers GPA, a Student Portrait Sheet, a Problem Solving
Essay and certain ‘Experience Factors,’” Hilton wrote. The “Experience Factors” take into account controversial indicators that a student is part of an underrepresented group. They include whether the student attends a middle school underrepresented at TJHSST, the student’s eligibility for free and reduced price meals, the student’s English fluency and their special education status. Opponents to the admissions changes say these factors make it more difficult for Asian Americans to be admitted into TJHSST. Another change included guaranteeing each middle school seats totaling 1.5% of their eighth grade class sizes. Once those have been filled, applicants compete for about 100 extra seats granted to each school. The judge argued that the policy would make admission harder for Asian American students in wellrepresented schools like Longfellow, where competition is intense. The conflict over admissions led to the proliferation of two opposing groups: the liberal-leaning TJ Alumni Action Group (TJAAG), which supports changes to the process, and the conservative-leaning Coalition for TJ, which opposes the changes and initiated the lawsuit. FCPS defended
scrutinizing the school board — Members of the Coalition for TJ shout “racist” at school board representatives
during a board meeting in Luther Jackson Middle School on March 10. Coalition co-founder Asra Nomani spoke at the podium in protest of equity-oriented admissions changes to the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. (Photo obtained from FCPS School Board livestream)
8 | NEWS | MARCH 2022
