Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Are gifted kids really that special?

Yes, but even at a federal level, a right to education can be established without amending the Constitution. All that's necessary is for sufficient legislation and public consciousness to decide that a right to an education is a thing.

AFAIK, the last time the Supreme Court directly addressed this question was 1973, in San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez. Since that time, we've had significant Congressional legislation (ADA, IDEA, NCLB) which clearly establish access to an education as a protected right (hello, FAPE!).

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I did do some additional research on the topic including reading through numerous articles. Any mention of education as a right I've not yet seen mentioned and the articles I've read agree with that mindset thus far.

http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2013/08/why-there-isnt-a-constitutional-right-to-an-education/


http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/edu/ed370/federal.html

A state law can make something a right within that state, however, it's not a federal right.

Simply put, having a right that depends on the resources of others I simply can't recognize as being a right but rather a good / service.

Defining "education" as a right also opens a whole can of worms. Education can never be clearly defined as to what an appropriately supplied by the public / government and is even more complex to track and ensure as is evidenced by the fact that we all frequent this forum.

Defining education as a right granted by the government means ultimately that we as a people owe "you" (whoever you may be) an appropriate education out of our pocket. I don't owe you that, that's your responsibility, not mine. Obviously far too many don't have that mindset or we wouldn't have so many crying all over about their college loans and how the payments are so high, something they should have considered before signing on.

I haven't read all the replies. I actually don't like a "nurture gifted children because they will do great things approach" so in that way no they are no more special than kids at the other end of the curve. They do have different needs to be the best they can (as to kids at the other end). I just want my sons to have to be wretched and learn stuff. I want at least the same funding per student a kid on the 0.01 percentile would get (maybe amend that to 5th percentile to simplify as I suspect someone on the o.o1 percentile would need 24 hour care. Unfortunately funding for kids on the left hand side of the curve isn't enough either (1 hour a day aide for the kid who has several years delay, the deaf kid only gets an interpretor for 3 hours a day, parents of elautisic children have to constantly fight to keep assistance) which makes it harder to argue for equal rights without seeming insensitive.

Air and water are goods...public goods, both of which are prerequisites to life. Further, children are either born naturally or surgically, which are both services rendered to the child to facilitate life. No money exchanges hands in either transaction, but economic value and opportunity cost exist and are conferred to the individual by others. We could even go back a step and define conception as a service rendered by parents unto their progeny. Under your definition, the right to life could plausibly be denied.

We should start a new thread because we've hijacked this one. Apologies OP!

Look at the descriptions you find online describing gifted / highly gifted / profoundly gifted children.

If you are not experiencing anything extraordinary, then that is great too - it is just not a gifted or HG / PG profile.

It is genetic. You already would have an inkling that it runs in your family trees.

The years from 0-preschool are most amazing. 1. The gifted person does not remember those years, so when they witness it in their own child, it is astounding, shocking and unnerving.
2. It blows parents away because it shows that we are born this way and knowledge is very healthy and natural. For example, not everyone needs to be taught how to read. Some people teach themselves by age two years for example.

Due to the internet, people are sharing and accumulating their experiences, normally these people are dispersed. We are finding common experiences and abilities.

Every ten points of IQ probably does make a difference and you can see it when you study a larger population of high IQ people.

Mensa might say that every 1 out of 50 people can be gifted, but gifted people probably wish that were the case. It might be the case on the campus of Stanford University for example.

A non-gifted person would not be happy in a highly gifted environment. You'll be able to tell right away. The gifted people are true brains. Some people think baseball pitchers do amazing things. This is very similar but you can't really see what's happening because it is inside someone's mind, but it is amazing nonetheless - not physical per se, but mental achievement - not movie star hype, just old-fashioned genius, maybe along the lines of Edison, Franklin, Socrates, Plato, anyone that is known for true mental genius. You know it when you experience it. There's an energy to it. It's intense.

I'm enjoying this thread! When my DS7 was a toddler and preschooler, we didn't know he was "gifted," but he was a handful. I've come to realize now that "giftedness" is one lens through which I can understand his behavior. It doesn't make it an excuse or the "be all end all" explanation-- but knowing where he is intellectually does explain some things and enables us help him find better coping mechanisms.

As for being "special"-- he's in the 99.9 percentile for intellect and achievement for his age. While I have too have issues with the word "special" (especially if it implies that my kid is better or more deserving- he's not) in sheer math terms, make him different.

For example: DS was disengaged and unhappy in a regular, traditional classroom. The more both he and I tried to talk with the teacher, the more his situation was misunderstood. The teacher continually kept trying to convince me that DS had issues with comprehension even though their own testing demonstrated (emphatically) otherwise. I think it was because the "sheer math" was not on our side- DS is an outlier and it's easier and more understandable for a teacher to look for more obvious explanations when a kid is struggling.

Wesupportgifted - yes, I agree with what you've said BUT I caution putting a lot of stock into IQ as the motivator or engine. One might have a super high IQ but limited curiosity or much of a drive to create.

Then, there's the issue of 2e kids and that muddies the situation. If you're child is not in the 99.9% but ends up being Jamie Oliver (who's dyslexic, started working at 8 yrs old in his parents' restaurant, and probably wasn't identified as 'gifted' in school).

Traditional, mainstream classrooms are a one-size-fit-all, but we don't all fit that mold regardless of IQ or giftedness.

PG or exceptional kids or those who appear to be pg/eg usually have different needs from the mainstream or norm. A Jamie Oliver (who probably doesn't have a super IQ) is an outlier. He's unlikely to have his needs met by a traditional, mainstream classroom or possibly even a 'gifted' school. The reality is that a Jamie Oliver may need something very individualized and tailored for him to really thrive.

I've dealt with numerous kids either in foster care are on the edge, some gifted, some not. I bring this up because kids have all sorts of reasons for bad behavior, acting out, whatever you want to call it. Unless the child has some sort of social disability ( I don't know enough in that area to include them), it should NEVER be an excuse. Excusing bad behavior sets the child up to be an abuser of others. However, understanding what is driving bad behavior can help you to guide the child into better behavior. There is a balance. In general, I agree with Howler Karma...to whom much is given, much is required.

I tell my two gifted ones that they are gifted and brilliant, but who cares? It doesn't matter if you are brilliant. What are you going to do with it? Everybody has been given something and you can squander it away and do nothing with your life just like anybody else, but is that really the person you want to be.

I consider my job as a parent, whether in the realm of intelligence, spirituality, and talents is to train them and give them the opportunity to get the most out of what they have been given naturally and from our home environment. What they do with it as adults is on them.