I was in a nominal gifted program (what little our district offered and only briefly) and have stayed in the area. Only a couple of the “gifted” kids have been more than moderately successful. Some dropped out, some never heard from again. Some are lonely and bitter from life kicking them in the teeth too much. We do a rotten job of providing opportunities for gifted kids/adults. I have gifted daughters, and I see the same mistakes now. The state assures free tuition for the poor, for illegals, but not the academically talented. This is a crime to humanity.
I wonder what will happen if gifted minds start going to different countries that give them full scope for their intelligence.
“I have gifted daughters, and I see the same mistakes now. The state assures free tuition for the poor, for illegals, but not the academically talented. This is a crime to humanity.”
Agreed, it is indeed a crime against humanity. It hurts me to think that what could be tomorrow’s visionaries and pioneers are being so ill-served by our nation.
I have known several brilliant people who have chosen very normal lives. Intelligence isn’t the only indicator of exceptional success.
My son is very high IQ and my daughter has a learning disability. The school system did an excellent job of providing for my daughter. She manages quite well despite of her disability. My son, another story. He was bored and he sort of checked out. His junior year he took the SAT and went to college. His lowest score on the SAT was 98 percentile. He is a successful father, husband, employee. Does he live up to his potential - no way.
When I saw this start with my grandson (in kindergarten no less) I became the grandmother from hell. So far, so good. He is in gifted classes in a school where the teacher makes sure she stays ahead of him. He is spreading his wings and flying. The bad news is that its a constant struggle to provide what he needs. He will have to change schools in 4th grade since the one he is currently in will have no program for him beyond 3rd.
Here’s a good one - the school system in the state where he lives decided that the gifted classes were too white and Asian and needed more diversity. So they created “soft” requirements, so that a more diverse student body would be in gifted classes. Naturally, most of those students who meet on the “soft” requirements are unable to keep up and ask to be returned to regular classes. In the meantime, students who qualify academically for the gifted classes are in the regular classes because there are no seats available.
Kids is the problem. Women are in prime child-bearing years at 15-25. Young men commanded armies or started careers in their early teens. We’ve made permanent children via government education progroms. I didn’t misspell programs.