Thread by @AsraNomani

BREAKING @FCPSSupt @fcpsnews uploads flawed plan to eliminate race-blind, merit-based admissions to America’s No. 1 high school + replace it with euphemism it calls “merit lottery,” but there is little merit + more lottery.
Earns F grade. READ PLAN BELOW asrainvestigates.substack.com/p/breaking-mer…

This is roadshow TODAY for plan to gut Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology with flawed scheme to actually increase underrepresented minorities. @fcpsnews @FCPSSupt included ZERO public participation. WATCH THE SHOW 3-530 PM LIVE at fcps.edu/tv/ch99

They go through history of FCPS failures.

Go through the concept of "historically underrepresented" students -- their buzzword to lead to ideas of "systemic racism."

They bury their plan in Slide 12. 3.5 GPA. Enrolled in Algebra 1. Residency. "Revised" Student Information Sheet with "questionnaire/essay.' And finally the lead buried: "SELECTION BY MERIT LOTTERY." As one parent put it: "Merit Lottery!!! Why don't they just call it Lottery."

Here are all the buzzwords of "critical race theory." "Equitable access." "Holistic" review. Plus continue to give seats to area students outside Fairfax County.

More of new "critical race theory" word of the day: "HOLISTIC." It's a euphemism that its architects acknowledge are a way to get around Supreme Court challenge but ultimately it has one goal: illegal racial outcomes. Fairfax County is engaging in social engineering at its worst.

Here is the "Revised Process" with FINAL PROPOSAL at October 8 board meeting in less than one month during COVID-19. While slamming TJ and its students and families as "racist," "privileged" etc. for months, now FCPS pushes its "Caring Culture."

And BAM. FCPS throws out a few links to schools using the "LOTTERY SYSTEM," finally in its second to last slide acknowledging what everyone knows. This is a lottery. As one student says: "It's a lazy solution to a complex problem."

And with slide 26, FCPS with a $3 BILLION budget is done. It took them months to assemble a plan they now pounced on a community in which parents navigating a ransomware attack on FCPS, COVID, mental health issues. Let's now hear from you! I'll share feedback from YOU now.

Watch critical race theory in practice at @fcpsnews at board meeting happening NOW “systems of oppression” it’s everything we know of cult thinking fcps.edu/tv/ch99

FCPS hasn't even issued the proposal to the School Board but it's got a resounding "F" from students. Here is one example from @TJStudentAG, created to oppose @TJAlumniAG, which bullies students into silence.

https://twitter.com/TJStudentAG/status/1305939842497482759?s=20

Some more student comments:
"This would ruin everything that makes TJ the school it is...this isn't fixing the problem!"
"How is this fixing anything??"
"and here I was thinking fcps couldn’t get worse..."

The @fcpsnews @FCPSSupt roadshow to sell lottery instead of merit, as part of critical race theory in schools, destroying America's No. 1 high school is about to begin. Go to this link to watch radical educational advises in action: fcps.edu/tv/ch99

Live tweeting from the @FCPS @fcpsnews presentation. Superintendent Scott Brabrand begins. He puts up the agenda. Says he's putting forward "merit lottery proposal."
"One of the things we talk about is leading with equity in all that we say and do," he says.

He lays out race-based outcomes. "TJ should reflect the diversity of Fairfax County public schools."

Three-pronged admissions. But that's really fake.
1. dmissions
2. "enhancing the pipeline"
Me: but that doesn't matter once you've started lottery
3. "enhanced wrap around support" ME: they know they will get kids not academically advanced in a lottery

He slips and claims Fairfax County is 37% Asian. It's actually 19%. He corrects himself. He puts the populations statistics.

ME -- TAKE NOTE: This is the race goals.

FCPS Marty Smith isn't even opaque about the race objects. He proves the plan is anti-Asian! He says: "This slide will frame our discussion for the remainder of the day...The diversity of TJ currently doesn't reflect the diversity of Fairfax County."

ME: What's the issue for FCPS? Too many Asians! And who are the largest number of Asians? Kids from India. It's discrimination based on national origin.

FCPS officials speaks about history of FCPS failures, really if you look at what they've done. They failed to increase the pipeline. Look at this as the history of FCPS failures for which they are now targeting Asian kids, especially kids from India for their attack.

Here is the process today says official.
1. Min GPA 3.0.
2. "Take testing"

Brabrand spins a narrative that it's the "admissions testing" that creates a "shrinking" number of underrepresented minorities.
"Admissions testing has been a barrier"
"It has drained merit from the pool"

"This merit lottery...will elevate the talent."

"Students would be put into lottery pathways"
Who writes @FCPSSupt speeches and talking points?

Who came up with this?
"pathway" to TJ with lotteries and chance.

Here are the "pathways"
Guess what's coming next?

Me: Applicants would be based in regions? Me: Guess what the target is? Each region would have 70 spots for kids who have "the merit and the talent"

Me: Guess what they are going after with "geographical diversity"?

Asian kids.

Jeremy from @FCPS admissions talks about the "pathways" for a class of 500 with a "rolling admissions process."

Scott Brabrand @FCPSSupt tries to claim that its increased diversity. But look at the numbers: it's whites who get the increase. And who gets the decrease? Asian kids. Mostly kids from India. Discrimination against national origin.

Look at this slide. You can't even make up how anti-Asian this proposal is. They don't even hide it.
Asians would have gone from 70% to 52%.
This lottery plan is designed to decrease Asian representation. It's anti-Asian.

And whites increase from 22% to 29%!

"The merit lottery is breaking down barriers. It is time for this wall to come down in Fairfax County Public Schools," says Scott Brabrand.

Right, put up a wall to Asian kids now. Makes sense.

Marty Smith from @fcpsnews comes on now. This is the timeline now.

Marty Smith: We are presenting this to the board. Town halls in late September, early Oct. then back to the board Oct. 8. Literally they are giving the community NO TIME for input. @DoBetterFCPS

Marty Smith: talks about "targeted outreach" Introduces TJ Principal @TJAnnB: "At TJ we are a wonderfully diverse community. We recognize Fairfax County Public Schools effort to make ...." more "representatively demographic.

Again race-based outcomes. It's race-based changes.

Scott Brabrand: we are "enhancing" the admissions, and we're going to be involved in "enhancing."
We have to acknowledge we have more work to do and we will do it. We have to ensure a caring culture for all of our TJ students. Including the TJ students there right now."

He says that includes making sure that students feel "included." It's another slam at the mostly Asian students that are there now, with the allegations of racism.
We have to address "socioemotional supports."
"We dont want to create an unhealthy environment"

Scott Brabrand doesn't celebrate the students and families at TJ now.

"We have been talking....we have worked hard around equity....we have made efforts...we have not gotten the outcomes that truly represent the talents that are in the pool...." It's all RACE-BASED outcome!

The test has been "a wall" for "equity," says Scott Brabrand.
He literally says: "It is time to tear down this wall."

Now it's time for board comments. They will start to rubberstamp now. "This is overdue and a long time coming," says the school board chair R. Anderson This is not "the end all be all" but positive first.

Ask about @VASecofEdu. @Keys_Gamarra seriously talks about adults who are from @TJAlumniAG who said they wouldn't send kids to TJ. That is the person who stole the domain names @coalitionforTJ. That's who she is talking about literally. It's critical race theory through anecdotes

Now comes the dizzying explanation of the "merit lottery" for the regions. Don't get confused. It's a geographical lottery designed to target the middle schools with largely Asian, largely kids from India.

Watch the math. R. Anderson. I want to make sure that this process doesn't make the kids in "my region" "disadvantaged." But what she doesn't care about is inequity for other kids. It's about "my region."

Marty Smith: We look at "equity" across regions but look at the "targeted" slide. Sending "recruitment emails." We would be "encouraging more students who have the merit to actually apply to TJ." Let's be really clear: It's "targeted" racial engineering. It's not about education

Says @Megan4Schools. "I am deeply concerned that the board and the public did not have the documents till 11 am today." Exactly!
"I do not understand this time. It is incredibly aggressive."
"There is data missing here."

Says @Megan4Schools: "We don't know about why the regions were not set up in any particular way to immediately translate into defined admissions slots."
"There is no analysis you've provided

"Why are you rushing this?" YES!

Scott Brabrand doesnt even get it right. He claims @tjpartnership has a town hall tonight. It's Thursday. He claims that @VASecofEdu has three town halls. He doesn't mention Atif Qarni excluded the @tjhsstptsa. He doubles down: "We have to make a decision soon."

Scott Brabrand uses the excuse of @GovernorVA @VASecofEdu deadline for Oct. 1 deadline to get "diversity" plan to get TJ funding. But It's Oct. 15 now.

🚨♥️🚨@Megan4Schools says: "There is no way while we are in the midst of a pandemic....I absolutely do not signal to the superintendent that we are going to make this" happen in three weeks. She is on fire. This is the go-to person for the many people who HATE this plan!

Oh my god @FCPSSupt insists that he has to implement this plan this year. He threatens that "it's a call to action for equity..." It's critical race theory meant to exploit the climate of debate today....

Now they are trying to cut off @Megan4Schools!

. @Keys_Gamarra claims that with COVID we can't test students. "Based on where we are right now, there will be have to be some changes...due to the pandemic." She is clearly aligned with @FCPSSupt. But doesn't she have a conflict of interest? She was on @VASecofEdu taskforce.

"We are on a rushed timeline," says @Keys_Gamarra, using @VASecofEdu pay-for-play October deadline to get state $ for TJ. So critics say: pull TJ from the Governor's School orbit.

She is "aggrieved" by claims of racism at TJ. Again throwing TJ kids under the bus.

Says @FCPSSupt: "This is a moment to do the right thing for kids with regards to equity." He is not a superintendent now. He is an activist.

So now @Karen4Schools tries to argue the GPA in the lottery is the "merit" in this flawed system. "What are the measures of effectiveness?" she asks.
Oct. 8 is the day that you are supposed to submit to the @VASecofEdu? Why aren't you asking for a delay?

.@Karen4Schools speaks on middle schools with advanced maths. Guess who is in those schools? Asian kids. These are the same kids with parents from India a retired teacher called "ravenous." Still: "You're on the right track." Brabrand says: I asked for 10/9 for plan @VASecofEdu

Parent reactions in WhatsApp groups:

"I think we should elect our politicians using a lottery system...why vote?"

"Pandemic seems to be the excuse for lottery."

.@TJAnnB talks about remedial math. The board knows this "lottery" is an academic disaster. Principal: I am confident incoming students would meet requirements for TJ diploma. "We need to be mindful that a governor's school is looking for talent...they are an at-risk population."

the mom of a TJ grad, school board member @ElaineTholen says she cares about "pipeline issues." "However looking at the presentation...I have to agree with @Megan4Schools I am very concerned about moving forward with this plan with very little community engagement to date." YES!

Says @ElaineTholen: town halls don't give you "the opportunity to sit down at the table" with people. YES!

"I would like to see more of that happen. It is very difficult to do that in 3 weeks." Talk to @VASecofEdu about the Oct deadline.

Let's be honest. It's a fake deadline.

Says @ElaineTholen: "Where are the numbers coming from" that tell us what the new representation would be in admissions. Good question!
Jeremy says on modeling: "We are able to take the applicants....and we were able to take that information + do some modeling..." Sounds dodgy!

School Board Melanie K. Meren, "Students at TJ are suffering. Alumni are telling us heart wrenching stories."

This is the anti-TJ propaganda of @TJAlumniAG
"People are hurting..." We talked to "a student who tried to bleach her skin." Meren has thinly veiled attack on TJ kids

The argument of Melanie K. Meren is classic "critical race theory," pitting races against each other. The kids from India could pass as black. And yet they are on the wrong side of brown for Ms. Meren. How very sad.

Says @TJAnnB: When arrived 3 years ago, thought "perhaps I could be an influencer and a positive force" in matching TJ demographics to country demographics. "I have been involved in certain conversations."

Says @TJAnnB "We are all united that...action needs to be taken."

Me: Not really in terms of the kind talked about today.

Says TJ Principal: "I am fully supportive of FCPS efforts" to match TJ demographics to representational demographics of Fairfax County.

"It's really important to hear that you as the principal support this effort" says a board member, Merin. She says that TJ has diversity but it's not good enough diversity.

TJ HAS 79% DIVERSITY.

Says @stella_pekarsky: "I want to do this work in a way that is intentional....I dont believe in Band-Aids. I don't believe in fast work. Some of the questions....the missing data...that troubles me."

YES! ♥️🚨♥️🚨

So @stella_pekarsky notes that there aren't studies on why people aren't applying. And @fcpsnews Jeremy admits they haven't done these surveys.

Scott Brabrand talks about the "underside" of TJ. and "students of color" don't feel welcome. He proves again that he doesn't consider Asian kids as "students of color."

From the beginning, this has been an anti-TJ effort. That is what I have been trying to warn about.

Says @stella_pekarsky: Cutting the outreach position from FCPS is "worrying" to me. YES! What if it's the transportation?

Thank goodness for @stella_pekarsky
Tamara Derenak Kaufax has a lot of questions.
Brabrand: "I respect the secretary of education."
"We can lead or wait to be led." AGAIN it's the fake emergency from @VASecofEdu. But let's be honest. Brabrand agrees with his agenda.

Says T D Kaufax: What about the questionnaire.
I say: questionnaires are used as typical race proxies.

Says Jeremy: "We are trying to get students to meet a certain criterion...passion...looking at merit within a GPA."

Questions and essays are often used as proxies for race.

Says a parent watching about @FCPSSupt talk about the students at TJ and the school:

"Disgustingly very racist point by Dr Brabrand right now."

This presentation is NOT going over well with the community. NOBODY is happy with this plan.

'"It's lazy," says a student.

Says another parent: "Just full of racial innuendo and slander about the current Asian-majority population."

@BetsyDeVosED needs to pay attention about what's going on in Fairfax County. It's racism against Asians, and it's targeted against kids by national origin.

Says @RachnaHeizer: "I want to make sure that we are addressing the issues...so that it's fixing the problem...how does this help to support our students of color at TJ..."
Okay good point but oh my god. Asian kids are "students of color." Why are they white-washed?

So "access to test prep" says @FCPSSupt is creating barriers and "Ann has told me" that parents spend thousands. That's @TJAnnB the principal. Parents are very angry that she has thrown parents at TJ under the bus. Parents are NOT spending thousands. This is anecdotal.

Now @FCPSSupt talks about the "cultures of school" that feed the "inequity." Let's be honest that he is talking about Asian "cultures," particularly cultures from China and India.
This is clear racism against targeting Asian minorities at TJ.

A parent says incredulously: "Ms. B is on board with this. I feel betrayed." He's talking about the TJ principal Ann Bonitatibus. Parents are very angry.

Says a parent about what @TJAnnB told @FCPSSupt: "He just said that she told him parents at TJ spend 10-15k $ each year to prep."

Brabrand goes after the test. "TJ has to be about more than a standardized test."

Again they are going after the kids at TJ.

Now speaks @AbrarOmeish, whose sister went to TJ. She dives into the weeds. Asks: Have we considered the merits of teacher recommendations?

Brabrand said: "Those recommendations can be subject to bias."

So now teacher recommendations are the bias!

Unbelievable!

The parents from @LCPforSTEM say: We are seeking the same replay of the same movie from four weeks back. Just the actors are different."

This is a national war on merit and Asian kids. They don't matter anymore, and they are judged as cheating as @VASecofEdu suggested.

Says @AbrarOmeish: "If we are already having outreach problems....my advocacy would be...is there anything preventing us from making it an out put" on testing "rather than opt in."

Brabrand fumbles. Parents aren't impressed: "Does it feel like they are making it up as they go?"

So now @KarlFrischFCPS: "It's a problem with the message we send our kids...underrepresented kids.." "Black and brown families don't care," he's told, to apply to TJ. He calls it "bigotry."

OH MY GOD. Kids from India are BROWN. TJ has 79% minorities. White-washing by a white man

Says @KarlFrischFCPS: "Thanks."
After basically erasing the diversity of "brown" kids at TJ, he's done. It's unbelievable truly.

The kids at TJ are FURIOUS listening their board members, erasing them, making them the "other." This is exactly what bias and racism looks like.

Says board member connecting the dots with "structures of racism" and TJ. That's critical race theory. "We have an opportunity to do something different this year....We know we have an application process that is a problem. Our kids don't often see themselves as belonging."

Guess what? It's Laura Jean Cohen. She is ignoring again the STUDENTS OF COLOR who exist at TJ, but in this model of critical race theory, it doesn't matter when you are Asian. Making them the "other" doesn't seem to matter.

It's 6:19 PM and time for "go back." Brabrand asks for 5 minutes. Back at 6:23, says the board person. Hmmm. Math issues at the STEM school discussion.

1. Ricardy Anderson: Chair supports the plan. yes
2. @Megan4Schools says "rushing to this without making sure that we have a process....makes me concerned. I have grave concerns." vote?
3. @Keys_Gamarra: "I am going to have to support this." yes

4. @ElaineTholen: I have a "litany of questions. Why was essay removed?...Why not start another program." Bell rings. Vote?
5. @Karen4Schools: "I absolutely thinks we have to do something new...holistic, merit-based approach. I like what we've talked about today." yes

6. @RachnaHeizer: Has a bunch of questions. Suggests "two-pronged approach." Vote?
@Kaufax4Schools says: one of my colleagues there will be boards talking about this if we don't do something. What we haven't addressed the root of the problem...We are collectively culpable."

Says @Kaufax4Schools: "I will support this proposal."

So @Kaufax4Schools waves the @washingtonian article on WHY YOU SHOULD HATE THIS SCHOOL.

Sure feels like a lot of hate from the school board members for TJ, say parents and kids.

She was 7.
8. @stella_pekarsky: Dont want to leave it to chance that kids who should be getting in don't get in. Vote?
9. @AbrarOmeish: weighted or unweighted 3.5? Anwer: it's unweighted. Is the only way to enter the pool through GPA? yes. Vote?

A parent viewer: "Seems like our superintendent @FCPSSupt was never interested in STEM and is now making decisions for no. 1 rated STEM school in the country."

Another parent viewer: "They basically want less Asians at TJ. And principal @TJAnnB is not a fan of her own school."

Okay time for @VASecofEdu "listening session" with parents.

"We're good" says @FCPSSupt. And he is. The vote has been stacked for the passage of this plan. So while FCPS has been working on this for weeks, it is pounced upon parents and the community with less than one month for passage. It's been a rigged process, says a parent.

Now it's @VASecofEdu. Remember that he defamed me by inaccurately stating that I am a member of a "hate group" because of my religious affiliation with the Muslim Reform Movement, and he excluded the TJ PTSA from participation in this "listening session." apnews.com/4ffeff749724f5…

So @GovernorVA @VASecofEdu lays out talks he has had over past "few months." These talks were closed. Here are details about the secretive "task force" that Qarni put together. I wrote this August 14. Nobody knew what was going on with these closed talks. asrainvestigates.substack.com/p/the-woke-arm…

So the first speaker is Janice Underwood @dei_virginia, chief diversity officer to @GovernorVA. "What I'm excited to share with you is that this is work that is nonpartisan work. This is humanity work."

But it excludes the TJ PTSA? How is that "humanity"?

Ann is at Maggie Walker. Chiquita O'Cain is on from TJ. Rupa Murthy is Maggie Walker parent. Ting Liu is from TJ parent. She came to America from China. "I support diversity...I am concerned about how this process is occurring. I believe TJ can have both diversity + excellence."

Ting Liu says the test is the easiest part of TJ. "The TJ curriculum is more rigorous" I say stop the false accusations + discrimination against Asian Americans. Asian Americans want diversity. During this diversity discussion there is much discrimination against Asian Americans.

Amazing testimonial by Ting Liu!

Sidra Butt is a Maggie Walker parent. Fran Bradford is deputy undersecretary of education working with @VASecofEdu.

Register here to join the "listening session" with Atif Qarni. zoom.us/webinar/regist…

Chiquita talks about Great Falls Elementary School that didn't have a lot of STEM enrichment. They spent time also "looking at the stars." They moved to the nearby advanced academic program and she talks about all of the immersion her eldest son did to go to TJ.

TJ parents so appreciate Ting's comments.

One says: "The others are here to cheer for Qarni." Let's see.

That's what the student session was like. Qarni blocked questions from students who dissented. And then blocked a parent on Twitter.

It's Ting from TJ speaking now. She talks about the two-hour commuting commitment that her son takes to go to TJ. Her son wanted to be with kids with a STEM mindset who would criticize his ideas. That's exactly right. They want to be with like-minded peers with the same passion.

Now a parent talks about parents "prepping" their kids for Maggie Walker. Now we're hearing the narrative that slams parents. Very unfortunate to hear. She talks about parents with "resources." "The playing field was not equal since their children were young."

Shocking. Maggie Walker mom with Indian roots: "Asian Americans are competitive because we come from a competitive place." She says: "I see a lot of privilege from the place where I come from." She talks about the "preparation" by TJ parent. "This is not an anti-Asian sentiment."

So @GovernorVA Janice Underwood @dei_virginia now SHAMES Asian parents + dissenters in the chat + calls it "level set." Not much of a "listening session" once again. "It does nothing to add comments that are not helpful," she claims. This is what you call a microaggression.

Ting from TJ stands up without fear. Now the @VASecofEdu starts to talk about "privilege" of the parents whose kids go to Governor Schools.
MG mom from India Qarni talks about the "wealth" of parents and she moves into typical "critical race theory" that negates Asian experience

So this "listening session" is also rigged. Parents shaming other parents about "privilege." More hand-selected participants. "I do want to help answer" a question, Qarni says. It's not about listening to a diversity of ideas. Except for Ting + Chiquita, it's an echo chamber.

This comment from a parent captures the sentiments of the TJ community. They feel othered, shamed, dehumanized and traumatized.