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While Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid claims the principal at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology withheld National Merit awards from students in a "one-time human error," parents at two local high schools got a Friday and Saturday night surprise.

The revelations are emerging after school district principals scrambled to a meeting Wednesday afternoon with the superintendent, after Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced a civil rights investigation into the controversy. Just like at TJHSST, the new revelations appear to impact many Asian American students — one focus of the investigation.

In an email, obtained by the Fairfax County Times, Langley High School Principal Kim Greer pressed send on a mea culpa at 9:29:30 p.m. on Friday night, confusing, agitating and angering parents and students already on edge during the tumultuous college admissions season.

Greer told parents that she was "delighted" to let them know that "your student was designated a Commended Student by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation." She then immediately followed up by saying, "I must apologize that certificates were not distributed to these Langley High School students in the usual way this past fall."

. . . . Tonight, another email shared with the Fairfax County Times went out to parents at 8:39 p.m. This time, Tony DiBari, the "Proud Principal" at Westfield High School in Chantilly, told parents that "it has come to light that Westfield High School students designated as Commended Students this past fall were also not notified by the school."

The principals at Langley and Westfield used nearly identical language that school staff "will be contacting colleges" where students had applied. The Langley principal added: "Our intention is to ensure college admissions departments know that your student was the recipient of this important award."

This, however, overlooks the fact that college admissions officers have already made life-changing decisions — including rejections — based on incomplete information from students, missing this important award. According to a survey of opportunities available, the National Merit Commended Student recognition opens the door to millions of dollars in college scholarships, including a four-year scholarship at Liberty University, and 800 Special Scholarships from corporate sponsors. The deadlines for many of those scholarships have already passed.

In carbon-copy language, both principals wrote, "We understand and value the hard work and dedication of each and every student, and the families and staff who support them. Please be assured that we remain resolutely committed to supporting every student in reaching their unique and fullest potential."

However,
denial ain't just a river in Egypt...
for parents in the school district these examples of merit withheld from students raises serious concerns, particularly amid news that the FCPS superintendent signed a contract of about nine months, paying a controversial contractor, Mutiu Fagbayi, and his company Performance Fact Inc., based in Oakland, Calif., $455,000 for "equity" training that includes a controversial "Equity-centered Strategic Plan" with this goal: "equal outcomes for every student, without exception."

"The equity imperative is to give each student what they need to meet equal outcomes. The goal is not equitable outcomes," Fagbayi said early last year, promoting an identical strategy at a meeting with officials in Princeton Public Schools. A video recording of the April 26, 2022, meeting is posted on YouTube.