The only consolation I can give you is that every time you accurately communicate the travesty that is experienced by gifted students during the mandatory education years is this:
their gift is their brain; they have it. No one can take it away from them. It does not matter what test they devise, we pass it.
The schools are doing whatever the schools are doing.
The employers know about the gifted students.
Hang in there. When the non-gifted students are done with school, the gifted students keep going and are able to self-teach very quickly.
The government knows the facts, too. I posted once before that I saw live television one Sunday morning. Picture this:
Cokie Roberts and George Will sitting with Robert Reich (previous head Labor guy, author, documentary film maker). RR says (and I paraphrase) that the average IQ is 100 and it always has been (or something to that point). You have never seen a live show cut to commercial so fast and, of course, when they came back, it was not mentioned.
Point is, it is a very touchy subject. Always hang in there and make the best of it, even if just to commiserate about how awful it is.
Keep exposing your child to new areas so that your student can find a true passion to follow and know that later in life, the gifted mind will pursue other passions, too.
We are happy to listen. We are right there with you. Take care.
