Parents demand principal of America’s top public school be fired after she withheld prestigious National Merit Awards from top students to boost ‘equity’ and ‘protect feelings’ of kids who didn’t win one
- The decision by brass at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax, Virginia, was reportedly part of a new school strategy
- As a result, pupils whom had been named ‘commended students’ by the National Merit Scholarship Corp. left in the dark to not ‘hurt the feelings of’ other students
- Only learning of the distinction a few months ago in the fall, student and their families are irate – and were seen at the school Friday airing their displeasure
Parents of students at one of the nation’s top-ranked high schools are demanding its principal be fired after she and other officials delayed informing students that they had qualified for a national award.
The decision by brass at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax, Virginia, was reportedly part of a new school strategy meant to provide ‘equal outcomes for every student, without exceptions.’
That is another way of describing current woke buzzword ‘equity,’ which prioritizes equal outcomes, instead of equal opportunities.
As a result of the deception, pupils whom had been named ‘commended students’ by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation purposely left in the dark as to not ‘hurt the feelings of’ other students.
Only learning of the distinction a few months ago in the fall, the student body and their families are irate – and were seen outside the school Friday airing their displeasure.
In particular, parents called for the axing of principal Ann Bonitatibus and Director of Student Services Brandon Kosatka – alleging they are responsible. One mom seen at the procession, along with dozens of others, demanded ‘action’ against the pair be taken immediately.
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Parents of students at one of the nation’s top-ranked high schools are demanding its principal be fired after she and other officials delayed informing students that they had qualified for an award that helps them compete for scholarships, honors programs, and college admissions
Shawna Yashar, one of the parents who was part of the effort unearthing these allegations against the Fairfax County Public School system, was one of several mom to gather at the school Friday demanding ‘action’ be taken against the principal and other officials responsible
‘Let it be known that we are not for fake meetings – we are for real action,’ Shawna Yashar told Fox 5 DC, visibly irate over the school’s decision to keep the awards under wraps.
Yashar, one of the parents who was part of the effort unearthing these allegations against the Fairfax County Public School system, reportedly said that Kosatka admitted to her that the understated approach to informing students about their academic honors was intentional.
Yashar said the director owned up to the allegations when she him about it by phone, spurring the senior school staffer to tell her the truth behind the school’s decision.
She said the confrontation transpired in mid-November, after her son was awarded a letter of commendation – two months removed from the when the awards are typically handed out in September.
The decision by brass at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax, Virginia, was reportedly part of a new school strategy meant to provide ‘equal outcomes for every student, without exceptions’
Yashar’s said that her son and other pupils received the letters on November 14 – spurring her to contact Bonitatibus directly about the delay. However, the principal was apparently not available, with Kosatka being the one to field the inquiry.
When questioned, Kosatka, according to Yashar, explained the school’s side – that staffers had wanted to hand the letters out ‘discreetly’ to avoid hurting the feelings of students who failed to garner the distinction.
‘There’s not a lot of kids who didn’t get either award, and we didn’t want them to feel bad about it,’ Yashar credited Kosatka as saying.
Fairfax County school system officials, meanwhile, could not verify that conversation took place. DailyMail.com reached out to both Bonitatibus and Kosatka Saturday for comment.
Only learning of the distinction a few months ago in the fall, the student body and their families are irate – and were seen outside the school Friday airing their displeasure.
Only awarded to 50,000 of 1.5million high-schoolers who scored well on the PSATS – an SAT precursor usually administered in the 10th grade – the prestigious award helps students compete for scholarships, honors accolades, and college admissions.
That said, it is not the first time officials the Fairfax County Public School network – which encompasses 198 schools and centers – has come under fire for guidances touted as progressive.
In 2021, the school and its board found itself in federal court after it changed its admission requirements to limit the number of Asian-American students enrolled to improve the chance of admission of other students regardless of academic.
Billed as a means to boost equity, the guidance immediately sparked controversy for scrapping merit based admissions – and was subsequently found to be against federal law.
In February, a federal judge ruled Fairfax County school officials guilty of racial discrimination. But plans to overturn the woke rules have been put on hold thanks to a successful legal challenge by their supporters, with a court set to consider an appeal next year.
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