Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Gifted, Talented and Separated (NYC)

I have a few observations:

1. One is GT programs in general. If schools simply taught kids at a level appropriate to their needs, there would be no need for GT programs.

2. Okay, so GT programs exist right now. Let's talk about that: these programs are supposed to serve gifted kids, not kids who are bright and get As. Gifted kids often don't get all As and their learning needs are very different from those of the general population. Putting non-gifted kids into these programs dilutes or destroys their ability to help the kids they're supposed to serve.

3. Personally, I'm tired of these articles that dump blame on gifted programs. I'm sorry if the diversity isn't what some people want, but it's not the fault of the kids who passed the test. They didn't write it. They just took it. Why are they always the first ones to be dumped on ("They're all white /Asian!") or punished ("Let's get rid of that elitist program!")?

There are so many ways that this situation could be handled (pacing based on ability and no gifted programs, or gifted programs in each school that pull from the top 2% of that school, etc. etc.). Personally, I think that people (especially educators) don't want to admit that some kids are just better at learning than others, and until that changes, so will the status quo and all this handwringing.

An enormous percentage of the population isn't cognitively gifted, and allowing educators to make themselves feel better by pretending that half the class can be in a gifted program is lying, and everyone knows it. I suppose this is what happens when status is the most important issue in an school system.