I could reduce the level of acrimony on this board at least a bit by never writing about the demographics of intelligence and giftedness, but I think these are important topics with big implications for educational policy, both for gifted and non-gifted children. Much public discussion about education is conducted as if we KNOW that the distribution of general intelligence and of mathematical ability is the SAME across all racial and economic groups and for both sexes. I have repeatedly challenged the assumption of equal abilities and am careful to cite my sources. I think it's mostly the substance and not the style of what I write that offends some people. Freedom of speech means that people will be exposed to ideas that they vehemently disagree with.

I understand that controversy should not crowd out the discussions of invidual childrens' circumstances and of educational resources that are the main focus of this board, and I have participated in many of those discussions.