Have you ever wanted to be smarter? Wished that you had all the gifts and
abilities that are associated with being a “super human genius”? Coveted the
inconceivable abilities of masterminds such as Galileo and Einstein? Throughout
the history of man it has been these kinds of great minds that deviate from the
current method of thinking, in turn creating new lines of reason and more
holistic understandings of the world around us. We label them “gifted and
talented” but they are truly our inventors, our leaders, our Mozarts and
Michelangelos. In spite of this they are at risk for extinction. Presently, the
sociocultural surrounding in which our children grow do not cater to the needs
of these gifted. Their cognitive abilities deviate from norm just as the
mentally retarded, yet they are rarely viewed as deviants who need special
attention. More often, they are viewed as better off than the majority to begin
with and, consequently, are expected to develop to their fullest potential
without much help. But just as athletes must constantly condition their muscles,
so must the gifted condition their minds. Although all states are required to
comply with the federal mandate of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (1991),
providing special education and services to the lower end deviants of the
intelligence curve, no federal law protects the other end of the curve. The lack
of a mandate, which would provide an appropriate, and nourishing learning
environment for the gifted has severe implications on their cognitive and
psychosocial development. Not once in the Individuals with Disabilities Act is
the word “gifted” ever mentioned. Not one paragraph is dedicated to their
benefit. Luckily, 33 states have opted on their own to require their school
boards to create some form of gifted and talented programs. The problem is that
little over half of these state programs necessitate teacher endorsement. It is
not uncommon that state legislatures separate reimbursement for gifted and
talented programs from the broad and affluent category of special education. In
addition, the overall state reimbursement to local school districts is on the
decline. In 1994 a case debating this contradictory mode of reasoning arose in
Connecticut, one of the 17 states that doesn’t mandate any gifted and talented
programs. In a battle more over the diction of the present statute than of its
impartiality toward intelligence deviants, The Supreme Court of Connecticut held
that the state constitutional right to a free public education does not provide
gifted children with a special education program. This case has the potential of
making a major impact on the future of gifted education because it is only the
second ruling of a state supreme to address gifted education. Finally the most
recent and obvious sign that gifted education is being neglected was provided by
the U.S. Congress, when it cut the funding on the only federal act that allowed
for research into the various domains of intellectual deviance, the Jacob Javits
Act. Already 99.9% (literally not figuratively) of special education funding
goes to the lower end. Without the Javits Act discovering reasons why this
percentage should be more balanced, it may remain uneven. If these shaded views
continue to be supported both by legislators and electorate there will be
serious consequences on the development of gifted youth. Lacking appropriate and
motivational stimuli, gifted students will inevitably become bored and listless.
This is simply the first domino in a dangerous chain of cause and effect.
Boredom in turn leads to frustration towards their school, their parents for
forcing them to attend a place that makes the feel this way, their peers for
being content with their surroundings, and even themselves for not being
satisfied for what they are given. These mixed up emotions are a lot for any
child to handle, gifted or not. What is often negated from peoples mind when
evaluating the abilities of the gifted is that their talents are not infinite.
They are exceptionally smart but they are no more equipped to manage emotional
stress than any one else. As the frustration builds so do feelings of
helplessness in the ability to satisfy their need for creative stimuli. As a
result anxiety attacks are not uncommon in these children and neither are
episodes of depression. However, the most detrimental consequence of these
unjust inadequacies is that the gifted youth of our nation will never reach
their full potential. Already, studies have shown that 30%-40% of America’s
gifted children are underachieving (National Commission for Excellence in
Education). And at least 20% of the students who drop out of school are gifted.
Most gifted students also have difficulties in psychosocial development. One of
the first problems to arise is labeled as social immaturity and is followed by
difficulty in forming peer groups. Psychologists now think that this label is
incorrect and that these children are simply very different from the average
child. These undeniable differences, not immaturity, is what causes the kids to
have such a hard time making friends. They just can’t find anyone to relate
to. And the society in which they grow up doesn’t make it any easier for them.
Upper end intelligence deviants are labeled as brainiacs, geniuses, and
masterminds, who are already viewed as having more than the average person to
begin with. So when these children ask for special treatment they create for
themselves an image of selfishness. They are often distrusted, envied, and
feared. These powerful soiciocultural stigmas are a lot for a young child to
handle despite his or her intelligence. When the same society that sparks these
negative views also has high expectations of these children it will inevitably
create more confusion and frustration in their young minds. Consequently, they
will be even more likely to feel like outsiders in their own society. Physical
effects are rare, possibly because they are so difficult to detect. Poor posture
and avoiding eye contact are the two primary problems. All physical
developmental effects usually result from interactions between cognitive and
psychosocial difficulties. The long term effects and ultimate cost of failing to
provide a mandate with sufficient funding may exceed the expense of adequately
educating the nations most intelligent students. Who wants to be gifted in a
world that refuses to help that gift grow? These children have vulnerabilities
in addition to their gift that also need to be catered to. They need social
skill training in addition to academic learning. They need guidance in finding a
comfortable niche in society. But first they need to feel comfortable with
themselves as deviants that the world looks after and nurtures. They should view
themselves as an unusual and in expendable natural human resource. And they can
only do that if we show them. If our laws provide the funding and programs
necessary for them to feel supported and looked after they will grow up to feel
confident about themselves and their gift.