Quote:
Originally Posted by brooklynborndad
A magnet school, is a magnet - IE something designed to attract someone where they would not otherwise go. And I have had intimate involvement with TJ in RECENT years - its called a STEM school, its called (officially) a Governor's School. Its seldom called a magnet school locally. Possibly because in Fairfax County we have actual magnet schools, that are still fulfilling the original functions of magnet schools, and so people have a better idea of what it means. But I suppose for a wiki audience calling it a magnet school is clearer.
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I'm not sure why you are arguing about this with Bajan Yankee, which the facts are on his side and it's not of grave consequence, in any event. TJ has been described alternatively as a science and technology school, and as a "magnet" school, ever since the Fairfax County School Board voted in favor of establishing it in mid-1984. The School Board minutes from that period make that quite clear (the acronym "STEM" school was not used until later). The term "magnet" was used then, as now, by parents, educators and School Board members to indicate that TJ would be open to, and attract, strong students from across NoVa. In addition, the facility that was used to house the school - Jefferson HS - was by that point in time also an under-enrolled school which the School Board had given some thought to closing and to which parents in neighboring school districts like Annandale HS and Stuart HS were not necessarily keen to have their children redistricted. That was why the science/tech school was located there, rather than closer to areas further north and west where more of Fairfax County's then-emerging high-tech industry was located (and where more of TJHSST's eventual students happened to live).
Thus, calling TJHSST a "magnet" has nothing to do with a "wiki audience," which certainly did not exist in the mid-1980s.
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