He did say that he thinks it's important not to allow him to get "ghetto-ized" - to become interested only in numbers and nothing else - but that seems quite sensible to me.
This makes me a wee bit nervous because of our experience with statements like this.
DS7 was obsessed with cars and all wheeled vehicles in pre-K. They were his whole world. His teacher allowed it for a while, but at some point she decided that he was too focused on his own interests. She removed ALL wheeled things from the classroom. All of them!
I'm not sure what she thought would happen--he'd suddenly not be obsessed? But his reaction was just what I would have predicted: he took blocks and build cars out of them, using the cylinder for an axle. Take that, pre-K teacher!
The fact is, if these obsessive-style HG+ kids are on something, they're ON IT! There's no way to dissuade them from it. You can--and should!--expose them to other things, other topics, of course. But you also have to accept that this is your little guy's thing, and it will remain his thing...usually right up until you have spent a fortune on birthday gifts for him centered solely on his obsession. That week, he'll get over it and be onto something totally different, but equally obsessive.
(And that's only funny because it's true!)
My warning: I'd be a little wary of the school because of the "ghetto-izing" comment. They will not be able to dissuade him from his obsession without making him feel bad about himself. I can almost guarantee it! But if he's allowed to have his love without being shamed or refused, it will eventually run its course.
...Not to rain on your parade, but I wish I'd been warned when I was where you are.
