To Lorna Glick, who wrote the eloquent letter to the editor on Aug. 23 about her frustration with the paucity of education for gifted children, join the crowd! There are (or were) programs for gifted children in a few of the larger school districts. There are (or were) parent organizations trying to convince the Legislature to fund special education for gifted children. If she has been homeschooling her 6-year-old daughter since age 3, she’d better face the fact that if she wants her to have an adequate education she will have to home school her for at least 12 more years.
Washington does not, and in all likelihood will not, provide an education appropriate for her. Parents of children at the other end of the scale have successfully brought pressure on the state and federal government to fund special education for their children. I give them credit for that. But when parents of gifted children ask for the equivalent special education for their children, they’re told there is no money and their child can make their own way without help, etc. And now, of course, the push for mainstreaming.
We spend thousands of dollars on buildings, equipment and outdoor facilities for gifted athletes. But let a child think outside the box, as gifted children often do, and they often intimidate teachers, are labeled trouble makers, and are made to feel different and wrong. The saddest thing about this situation is that it is the gifted children who can develop into gifted leaders who still think outside the box – if they are given permission, training and experiences that encourage their uniqueness. Or they can bury their talents, never to be seen again.
Alisan Kacoroski
Granite Falls
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