Parents in Fairfax County, Virginia are expressing their outrage over the alleged withholding of academic awards by (TJ) in Alexandria, according to Fox News.
The school, which is known for its top-ranked programs, is accused of delaying the distribution of national academic honors in the name of “equity,” causing students to miss out on including the recognition on college applications.
Asra Nomani, a Fairfax County parent, appeared on “Fox & Friends First” to discuss the controversy.
Nomani explained: “This year the entire controversy just blew up because the kids got their certificate, weeks after early college application deadlines, just dropped on their desks as if it was just another piece of paper,” she said.
The concerned parent went on to say that the school has implemented a policy of awarding students a 50% just for showing up to class and has eliminated zeroes entirely.
According to Nomani, TJ has been delaying the awards, given by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which recognizes high-achieving high school students nationwide, for years in an effort to advocate for “equal outcomes for every student, without exception.”
In October 2022, TJ received the 2022 honors but did not distribute them to students until a month later, after early application deadlines had passed.
Nomani’s son, who graduated from TJ in 2021, was honored as a Commended Student in September 2020 but was never notified.
Shawna Yashar, a mother who brought the issue to light, faced pushback from the school when she raised concerns about the delay.
Nomani noted that the school wanted to recognize students as individuals rather than their achievements, as if the two were mutually exclusive, and emphasized that the issue is not unique to Virginia schools and is part of a larger trend of a “war on merit” within the education system nationwide.
“It’s part of this agenda that’s that’s the dumbing down of America,” she said. “These kids are the ones that are going to be… scientists coming up with our solutions for the things that just make us pull our hair out. This is important not just for this group of kids in this school, but for all of America, because this war on merit is happening everywhere.”
In response to the controversy, Fairfax County Public Schools issued a statement saying, “FCPS understands the hard work and dedication of each and every student who competes for college acceptance and scholarship opportunities. Once the issue regarding the fall 2022 notifications was realized, counselors sent emails and made follow-up calls to each college where these students had applied and informed them of the National Merit Scholarship Commendations. We are continuing to look into this matter and will take any necessary steps to ensure consistency in appropriate and timely notification of National Merit recognitions going forward.”
