Seattle schools end gifted and talented program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gifted programs wouldn’t be so important if the schools weren’t so terrible.

Schools are “terrible,” ie- they fail at teaching, in large part because they keep changing the WAY they teach, instead of relying on time-proven methods.

For example:

- abandoning phonics and replacing it with the failed “whole language” approach, then later:

- abandoning whole language and also abandoning phonics and replacing it with the failed “Lucy Calkins” approach,

- trying to replace elementary math with Common Core math, which the common core author’s specifically stated they created to counter “unearned white privilege,”

- eliminating homework because it is not “equitable;” seen as racist,

- de-tracking because it is viewed as not inclusive enough,

- lowering standards in the name of equity,

- “equity grading,” including skills-based grading.


We are harming our children’s public education nationally and lowering the quality of American public education, compared to the rest of the world. These trends do not bode well for the future of America.

+1. And add the animosity toward direct instruction generally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2021, NYC’s then mayor initiated a phase-out of all the city’s gifted and talented programs, for racial equity reasons:

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-schools-to-eliminate-controversial-gifted-talented-classes/3313300/

Massachusetts doesn’t have gifted and talented programs and their public schools always beat every other state in terms of test scores.

And why is a two year old reciting the Gettysburg Address and how does that make the child gifted? My three year old niece could read anything without missing a word and she wasn’t gifted, just a good reader who started a few years earlier than most. Everyone caught up with her.

Massachusetts doesn’t need gifted and talented because it is a state that openly celebrates formal education. Easy to recruit teachers when there is a college on every corner.

Easy to recruit teachers when you pay them well and fund public schools well.

Washington doesn’t have a state tax and has low property taxes (even in the nicest districts) compared to areas on the east coast, even when you control for real estate prices and socioeconomic factors. Schools are not well-funded and families are not well-supported compared to other states.

If that’s the case they need to impose a state tax. If they don’t prioritize education they’ll just be a West Coast Mississippi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This type of thing will really be the final nail in the coffin for public education. They think they can get away with it because people don’t have other options, but they do. Especially those families.

Seems like the next decade will create many middle and lower class voters who will want to vote for school vouchers.

Obviously this is part of
the very intentional efforts of many people in power. In the PNW it’s coming from a strain of angry libertarian tech bro types. Elsewhere it’s more of a religious or right thing, but it doesn’t matter because the end result is the same: drain public goods of resources and divert them to line the pockets of people in the private sector while insisting it’s good for the little people.

The efforts to destroy gifted and talented education are coming entirely from the LEFT.

Ie: democratic politicians and voters.

Elementary school students don’t need the program and most of the kids in it aren’t even gifted, they just tested well. The smart kids will have their AP classes in high school, do well and go to a good college. If a child is actually a prodigy then the local gt program wouldn’t be enough for them anyway.

And yet, the state requires a highly capable program in K - 12. Are you actively fighting to change that requirement? Or are you okay with the district lying and saying they have an elementary school HC program when they don't. Because claiming it's now in every classroom at every school but no, we can't actually define it or tell you any specifics about it means there's nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This type of thing will really be the final nail in the coffin for public education. They think they can get away with it because people don’t have other options, but they do. Especially those families.

Seems like the next decade will create many middle and lower class voters who will want to vote for school vouchers.

Obviously this is part of
the very intentional efforts of many people in power. In the PNW it’s coming from a strain of angry libertarian tech bro types. Elsewhere it’s more of a religious or right thing, but it doesn’t matter because the end result is the same: drain public goods of resources and divert them to line the pockets of people in the private sector while insisting it’s good for the little people.

The efforts to destroy gifted and talented education are coming entirely from the LEFT.

Ie: democratic politicians and voters.

Elementary school students don’t need the program and most of the kids in it aren’t even gifted, they just tested well. The smart kids will have their AP classes in high school, do well and go to a good college. If a child is actually a prodigy then the local gt program wouldn’t be enough for them anyway.

Why take it away? Many of the kids enjoy it. Let them have it.

Maybe they have determined based on cost/benefit analysis that it’s not worth the money. If they don’t have a lot of money they need to sink it into AP classes and equipment needed for top notch science classes and other high school items.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This type of thing will really be the final nail in the coffin for public education. They think they can get away with it because people don’t have other options, but they do. Especially those families.

Seems like the next decade will create many middle and lower class voters who will want to vote for school vouchers.

Obviously this is part of
the very intentional efforts of many people in power. In the PNW it’s coming from a strain of angry libertarian tech bro types. Elsewhere it’s more of a religious or right thing, but it doesn’t matter because the end result is the same: drain public goods of resources and divert them to line the pockets of people in the private sector while insisting it’s good for the little people.

The efforts to destroy gifted and talented education are coming entirely from the LEFT.

Ie: democratic politicians and voters.

Elementary school students don’t need the program and most of the kids in it aren’t even gifted, they just tested well. The smart kids will have their AP classes in high school, do well and go to a good college. If a child is actually a prodigy then the local gt program wouldn’t be enough for them anyway.

Why take it away? Many of the kids enjoy it. Let them have it.

Maybe they have determined based on cost/benefit analysis that it’s not worth the money. If they don’t have a lot of money they need to sink it into AP classes and equipment needed for top notch science classes and other high school items.

The program doesn't cost more money. The curriculum and materials are the same as gen ed - they just do them a year or two ahead. The district doesn't pay for HCC transportation. The main cost is testing but that will continue as the program still technically exists. In fact, the district is now doing universal testing so more kids then ever are being tested. For absolutely nothing.

No one is going to sink money into AP science classes. Since kids will no longer allowed to accelerate in math and science, some of those classes will actually be cut instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gifted programs wouldn’t be so important if the schools weren’t so terrible.

Schools are “terrible,” ie- they fail at teaching, in large part because they keep changing the WAY they teach, instead of relying on time-proven methods.

For example:

- abandoning phonics and replacing it with the failed “whole language” approach, then later:

- abandoning whole language and also abandoning phonics and replacing it with the failed “Lucy Calkins” approach,

- trying to replace elementary math with Common Core math, which the common core author’s specifically stated they created to counter “unearned white privilege,”

- eliminating homework because it is not “equitable;” seen as racist,

- de-tracking because it is viewed as not inclusive enough,

- lowering standards in the name of equity,

- “equity grading,” including skills-based grading.


We are harming our children’s public education nationally and lowering the quality of American public education, compared to the rest of the world. These trends do not bode well for the future of America.

Where did the common core authors state that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This type of thing will really be the final nail in the coffin for public education. They think they can get away with it because people don’t have other options, but they do. Especially those families.

Seems like the next decade will create many middle and lower class voters who will want to vote for school vouchers.

Obviously this is part of
the very intentional efforts of many people in power. In the PNW it’s coming from a strain of angry libertarian tech bro types. Elsewhere it’s more of a religious or right thing, but it doesn’t matter because the end result is the same: drain public goods of resources and divert them to line the pockets of people in the private sector while insisting it’s good for the little people.

The efforts to destroy gifted and talented education are coming entirely from the LEFT.

Ie: democratic politicians and voters.

You can’t destroy smart kids ability to learn. Top colleges are filled with intelligent kids who went to a regular elementary school, maybe more advanced middle school class, AP classes in high school. They didn’t need the separation.

No, they're filled with kids who did get separation - if not via gifted and talented, then via the financial barriers of a private school, tutoring, or a public school zoned to a rich area. There are next to no kids at the very top olympiads who did not get some sort of enrichment beyond the ordinary curriculum.

[Anonymous]

http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/Nation_Deceived/Get_Report.aspx

I highly recommend everyone read this freely available book. Volume 1 is an accessible read, while volume 2 provides an academic basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gifted programs wouldn’t be so important if the schools weren’t so terrible.

Schools are “terrible,” ie- they fail at teaching, in large part because they keep changing the WAY they teach, instead of relying on time-proven methods.

For example:

- abandoning phonics and replacing it with the failed “whole language” approach, then later:

- abandoning whole language and also abandoning phonics and replacing it with the failed “Lucy Calkins” approach,

- trying to replace elementary math with Common Core math, which the common core author’s specifically stated they created to counter “unearned white privilege,”

- eliminating homework because it is not “equitable;” seen as racist,

- de-tracking because it is viewed as not inclusive enough,

- lowering standards in the name of equity,

- “equity grading,” including skills-based grading.


We are harming our children’s public education nationally and lowering the quality of American public education, compared to the rest of the world. These trends do not bode well for the future of America.

Where did the common core authors state that?

You did not know? Really?? This fact is not news.

Start here: