A recent study found that as much as three-fourths of the state schools were holding back the most talented and brightest students because they wanted to combat the scourge of “elitism.” These students were not being given more advanced work even though they were not being sufficiently challenged by grade-level material.
Instead of being allowed to progress at their own pace, the students were often asked to simply mentor the other students. The Ofsted study found that the school treated academic gifts as “not a priority” for teaching and that allowing them to work to their full potential would “undermine the school’s efforts to improve the attainment and progress of all other groups of pupils.”
Stephen Hawking, it appears, would have been a threat to the educational mission and told to eat glue with the rest of the kindergarten kids. Shakespeare would be told that he needs to return to those word group “mix and match” exercises and stop composing sonnets on the school computers.
What is interesting is that England has a gifted and talented program for the top five to ten percent, but these schools are choosing to ignore that policy.
With kids in the gifted and talented program in Fairfax, I can say that this view is inimical to the development of such children. These kids can actually do worse over time in standard lessons because they are not challenged and they tend to slip in their skills and interest. More importantly, by holding them back, you are denying them the opportunity to develop to their full potential. It is not more “elitist” in the pejorative sense than selecting the fastest kids for track and field competitions. Children have different skill sets and aptitudes. Finally, while such kids can be viewed as an elite group for their area, it does not make them elitists in the sense of people who believe that they are superior to others.
We have previously discussed the dangers of a “nanny state” with our close cousins in England. This would appear another such example of those dangers.
When talented children are not challenged, they can turn to less productive activities:
For the full story, click here.
” Abstain from all appearance of evil. ” 1 Thessalonians 5:22
This doesn’t say to shut ourselves off from the world like the Amish do, but it tells us to avoid the appearance of evil. And I should say that belonging to a political party that cultivates evil as the Christian worldview defines it is embracing evil.”
Tootie,
A political party cultivating evil (also antithetical to Christian values)is the Republican Party. Your biblical reference may be correct, but your understanding is.
Byron: Your post at 1, December 18, 2009 at 8:50 am
You said you didn’t think there was too much to worry about with indoctrination in textbooks.
I hope you are right, but I’m not convinced.
Mike Spindell:
You asked at 1, December 18, 2009 at 12:02 pm, where the bible says anything like being in the democratic party is something a Christian cannot do.
My response to that is being in a political party is a voluntary act and association. I imagine that many so-called Christians could have thought that belonging to the Nazi party was justified by virtue of Christ’s outreach to all mankind, justifiable.
I would say they were wrong as well.
We (Christians) are told in scripture to
” Abstain from all appearance of evil. ” 1 Thessalonians 5:22
This doesn’t say to shut ourselves off from the world like the Amish do, but it tells us to avoid the appearance of evil. And I should say that belonging to a political party that cultivates evil as the Christian worldview defines it is embracing evil.
This is as opposed to something like being a citizen of the United States. It has, in my opinion, done great evil over the past century interfering in the affairs of sovereign nations all over the world and causing much suffering, despotism, and death.
Yet, no where in scripture am I told to avoid being a member of a nation because it does evil. But to voluntary associate ourselves with such poltical groups is unnecessary when such groups work specifically against Christians. It puts the Christian in the position of legislating against God, in essence.
It is, in my opinion a violation of scripture of the highest order. There are alternative political parties for the Christian besides the democratic and republican ones. So it is unnecessary to help the enemy of God.
I know that the USA has done many great and wonderful things as well. So please don’t misunderstand me on that one. I love my country.
CRS is Cognitive Remembrance Syndrome, I remember it from the DSM IV, but I’m not sure why I’m making this comment other than I think I was once a Therapist, or something.
BIL–
Paraphrasing Dan Quayle: What a terrible thing to have lost one’s sense of humor. Or not to have a sense of humor at all. How true that is.
lol
Elaine, you may lose your mind, but I can’t ever see you losing your sense of humor. 😀
Pop Corn? Who’s he?
I had a comment but for the life of me I cannot recall what it was.
May I have a seat? I have popcorn.
lottakatz–
I think I will come join you on the CRS bench daily. We can have a stimulating conversation–the same one day after day after day.
Gyges–
I know it’s best to split my post in two–but I keep forgetting. That’s the problem!
Elaine,
Lottas right, your best bet is to split the post in two, and post them.
Elaine M. “Gyges–
Correct. And I keep forgetting to include fewer than three links in some of my replies. I’m getting old. I have that disease known as CRS–Can’t Remember Sh*t.”
—–
Well then come sit on the special CRS Bench next to me 🙂
3 links will send your posting to moderation hell forever.
Gyges–
Correct. And I keep forgetting to include fewer than three links in some of my replies. I’m getting old. I have that disease known as CRS–Can’t Remember Sh*t.
Elaine,
Let me guess the post had 3 links?