It is attitudes like this that make it even more difficult for gifted children from historically under-served populations to overcome society's barriers to their achievement and full participation in elite programs.

My 6 year old son is a profoundly gifted African-American male. He is already choosing to underachieve and hide his knowledge and skills because he does not want his peers to know how much he can do.

We thank the universe every single day for putting him into a school environment where his teachers recognize the unique challenges he faces and work hard to support him rather than writing him off.