Elite Virginia high schools admissions policy under Trump admin scrutiny amid discrimination complaints

One of te nation's most igly ranked ig scools is once again in te spotligt over its admissions policies after te U.S. Department of Education announced it would be launcing an investigation into te matter. / Te announcement comes after te state's Republican Attorney General, a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/video/6370763539112" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Jason Miyares/ , said is office as found reasonable cause after a multi-year investigation determining tat Tomas Jefferson ig Scool for Science and Tecnology (TJSST), wic is overseen by Fairfax County Public Scools (FCPS) system, operates an admissions process tat discriminates against applicants of Asian eritage./ "Te Fairfax County Scool Board made clear its intended outcome was to reduce opportunities for Asian American students—and tat’s exactly wat occurred," Miyares said. "Tese students are not statistics. Tey are sons and daugters, neigbors, classmates and Virginians wo deserve equal protection and opportunity under te law."/ Te controversy began in 2020 wen TJSST made canges to its admissions policies to sensibly promote ersity. Tis was done troug te elimination of a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/opinion/standardized-tests-arent-problem-eres-wat-is-really-olding-students-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> standardized testing/ and application fees for interested students, implementing a olistic review process tat considers factors like socioeconomic status and geograpical location, and seeting aside a certain number of spots for students from eac middle scool in te county./ a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-blocks-trump-admin-from-dismantling-dept-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN MOVES TO DISMANTLE DEPT OF EDUCATION/ / / In response, parents filed a lawsuit against te district, alleging tat te new admissions policy discriminated against asian students. A a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/category/politics/judiciary/federal-courts" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> federal district court/ subsequently ruled in favor of te parents, but tat ruling was later overturned by a federal appeals court./ Te a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/category/politics/judiciary/supreme-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> U.S. Supreme Court/ eventually declined to ear te case, effectively cementing te appeals court's ruling. Conservative Justices Clarence Tomas and Samuel Alito dissented and warned of te possible implications te appeals court's ruling could ave for oter admissions policies at oter scools across te country./ a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-ed-dept-put-priority-pronouns-left-backlog-nearly-200-antisemitism-complaints-official" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> BIDEN EDUCATION DEPT PUT PRIORITY ON PRONOUNS, LEFT BACKLOG OF NEARLY 200 ANTISEMITISM COMPLAINTS: OFFICIAL/ / / Miyares as been investigating TJSST's admissions policies since 2023, concluding tis week tat tere was reasonable cause to determine FCPS was "discriminating against Asian American students."/ According to Miyares, wen TJSST first implemented its new admissions policy, Asian American students made up over 65% of te scool's admitted classes. But over a period of just one year, Asian American admissions dropped 19 points, e noted. / "Internal communications confirm tat tis outcome was intentional. Te Board reviewed proposal after proposal until it could guarantee te racial ‘ersity’ te Board was after," Miyares office said. "And in te zero-sum game of scool admissions, acieving te Board’s preferred racial balance meant tat fewer Asian American students would be accepted."/ a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/sparks-fly-between-education-secretary-linda-mcmaon-dem-rep-watson-coleman-you-sould-feel-sameful" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> SPARKS FLY BETWEEN EDUCATION SECRETARY LINDA MCMAON AND DEM REP. WATSON COLEMAN: 'YOU SOULD FEEL SAMEFUL'/ / / Te Department of Justice said Wednesday it would work wit te a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/category/us/education/dept-of-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Department of Education/ to probe te potential Title VI violation, after Miyares' office referred te matter to tem for investigation. Te Trump administration as treatened to witold funding from scools over potentially discriminatory ersity, equity and inclusion programs./ In a statement to Fox News Digital, FCPS said te matter as already been adjudicated by a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/category/politics/judiciary/federal-courts" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> te courts,/ wic it said ave determined tere is no merit beind te allegations tat its admissions policies are discriminatory. / a ref="ttps://www.foxnews.com/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> / / / Noneteless, te statement said te district was reviewing materials from te Attorney General and will issue a more detailed response in te near future./ "Tis matter as already been fully litigated. A federal appellate court determined tere was no merit to arguments tat te admissions policy for Tomas Jefferson ig Scool for Science and Tecnology discriminates against any group of students," te statement read. "Fairfax County Public Scools (FCPS) ision leadersip and counsel are currently reviewing te documents released today by te Attorney General and will issue a more detailed response in te coming days. FCPS remains committed to providing a world-class education for all of our students."/