To quote Simon and Garfunkle "When I think back on all that crap I learned in highschool, it's a wonder I can think at all"

I too was probably gifted but unidentified. it didn't help that I was one of the poorer, rougher kids. As I was preparing to graduate the counselor commented that they were surprized that i had the highest ACT/SAT scores of the 350 I graduated with. My grades definately reflected that.
I think some school officials go back to their own past and judge by backgrounds not true potential.