How do I deal with an unfair shcool policy?

Question

My child just started third grade. In the first grade, she was given an IQ test and was certified as a "gifted child". She is an all "A" student - receiving a Principles Honor every grading period. This year, the gifted class was split up into two classes “all gifted” and “mixed”. My daughter was placed in “mixed” class together with 4 other "gifted" children, who are “C” students. I've pleaded with the school principle asking her to move my daughter back to the “all gifted” class. I’ve used various arguments including (a) new students were just admitted to the program that should have first gone to the less advanced class, (b) my daughter is not challenged enough in the lower class. Despite all my pleas, the Principle refuses to move her to the appropriate class stating “that class is full” – yet I am aware of another child (less capable) who was switched to the “all gifted” class – due to her parents influence in the community. This is unfair. What can I do?

Answer 1

There is very little you can do. Legally you can probably file a suit, but by the time it is heard your daughter will be out of school. If you continue to make a big deal out of this, the school administration will make your daughter's life miserable. It'll go in her file which is reviewed by every teacher she will ever have until she graduates (I'm serious).

Here's what I would do, explain to your daughter that she gets to be in a different class where she will work with different students. She will be smarter than some, and some will be smarter than her (that may not be true, but for her ego's sake say it). Tell her it is her job to help those who are having problems learn the new material, just like other kids will with her. Then, after school work with her on other tasks to make sure she stays ahead.

Gifted programs do less than people think and can cause serious social problems down the road (when girls become mean because they feel like it in 5th-9th grade). If your daughter learns to work with everyone now she will be better off down the road. Can you imagine a boss who only worked with people as smart as s/he was? Right now she will learn a valuable life skill and she won't lose very much by not being in the "gifted class".

Just because your daughter is "gifted" doesn't mean she is gifted in everything. I scored in the top 1% nationally on several standardized tests, however I had to skip our gifted program to get remedial help for certain sections of math and biology that I couldn't understand. If your daughter always thinks of herself as gifted, she'll be more reluctant to ask for help than people like me were. It was better for teachers to laugh seeing that I had aced every single test but couldn't get this easy concept, then for me to never learn it.

Whatever you choose to do... Good Luck!

Answer 2

Well for starters is this a public or private school? If it's a private school then there are other people who you can turn to with your problem, ie teachers, board members, or other administrative heads.
I'm not as familiar with the public school system but the more extreme choice you could make is to change her school. Because she's in third grade, she's not neccesarily at the age where a little less-than-challenging school is a bad thing (I never had homework in my fourth and third grade classes but now I go to the best high school in my area, it's just a matter of keeping your child interested). If you are really concerned but don't want to make the extra jump to change schools, maybe hire a tutor who can challenge her more outside of school so she will still be keeping up with the kids in the "gifted" class. It seems weird to me that they would even have a "gifted" class at that age.
You know your daughter is smart so the bottom line is just keep her learning outside of school and keep her interested in school; she's still young enough that there isn't much difference between "gifted" classes and "mixed" classes. If she stays interested and excited about learning she'll start learning from outside sources beyond school and that's what really makes a successful student later on, learning from more than a teacher.
If you are interested in doing more about the problem talk to someone on the school board or a higher person on the totem poll.

Answer 3

So much to say & so little time.

First, you need to find out what the district's definition of "mixed" is. Second I wouldn't be concerned with other childrens'grades. There are many types of gifts children can have & traditional grades are rarely significant indicators. In fact many "truly" gifted students do not have strong grades for many reasons (see the def. of "gifted").

Second, if your daughter is getting all A's she is not necessarily being challenged. How do you know what she is capable of if the bar is too low. More importantly - grades are just not great indicators by themselves of how "smart" a student is. More likely good grades reflect that a kid's learning stlye matches well with the teacher's style of teaching. I have meet many high school AP students who could not transfer knowledge to a diferent situation. They were great at memorizing facts, taking tests, doing homework and writing papers but had very low critical thinking skills.

To bring a long diatribe to an end - the main thing you need to focus on is how happy your daughter is in school, making sure she uses her inquisitive nature and other characterisics of gifted, both at school and at home - then her needs will be met. When she hears you complain about her class, school, teacher or other kids - she will adopt your attitudes. Do you really want her to hang around with the kid whose parents are snobs and push their weight around?

There are many blessings to be found for her to be with kids of differing abilities, developing leadership skills for one. Do all the people you work with have the same IQ range and level of education? Did you have to fiqure out how to work effectively with others some where along the way? Help her to enjoy learning and she will always do well - even when you no longer have control of her environment.

Answer 4

At this age, the more important thing than being placed in an "all-gifted class" is to be with a mixture of different children. It gives everyone exposure to different learning styles and mindsets. Children usually become friends because they like the same toys or something as cute as that, not because they can discuss matters on the same intellectual level. I was placed in a gifted program that ran before school started (started at 7 AM) in third and fourth grade, but I never felt, in class, that my classmates were inferior. Of course, anyone could see who was bright and who had trouble, but it really didn't matter. Elementary school is a place to learn basic skills and socialization skills, not to academically distance students from each other. It confuses me a little that a third-grader would even have letter grades. If your daughter really is gifted, she will find a way to succeed regardless of her environment.

Answer 5

Schools that delineate and segregate THIRD graders by perceived ability are schools that are working a grave injustice upon our society. What's unfair is placing students on tracks in the first place. All children deserve the perks that are normally reserved for "gifted" classes. It does not surpise me in the least that influential members of the community get preferential treatment - because that's what a gifted-track program is in the first place!

The injustice you feel is but a small taste of the injustice done to literally millions of schoolchildren in this country, many of whom did not have the benefit of a silver-spoon preschool program that so many "gifted" children receive. You're absolutely right in being angry, because who you are and what kind of money your daddy makes (presuming he is even a part of your life) shouldn't make a difference in the kind of education you receive - but your anger is misguided. What should you do? Fight for an end to tracking altogether at your school. That way, students won't learn class, racial, and social divisions at a young age and will be able to appreciate a diversity of perspectives and learn from one another; furthermore, all children will benefit from high expectations and stimulating coursework.

Answer 6

If you can prove that a child was switched to the full gifted class, then you have more leverage than you know.

Explain to the principal what you know, and how you know it. Show him whatever documents you have. Request again...politely!...that your daughter be transferred into the gifted class without delay.

One thing I will caution you about: remember that you will be dealing with this principal again in the future, and it would be better to have him as an ally than an enemy.

Good luck, dear.

Answer 7

Hmmm... Being a gifted student myself, I never heard of splitting up the gifted classes and I'm not sure that it'd benefit the gifted ones. Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done if the classes are truly full. Switching schools may be the way to go.

Answer 8

I wonder why three "C" students were in the "gifted" class. Are you sure know what you are talking about.

Another thing, did you write a letter to the Principal. I hope you did not address it to the Principle.

Answer 9

Private schools are the way to go. BUT, if you want her at the same school, go over the principal's head to the district administrator, and tell them about the situation. Chances are, they'll see that you're a concerned parent who just wants their child in a constructive learning environment.
Good luck!

Answer 10

Put your concerns in writing or \ and e mail to as many people in authority and dont forget the heads of your education dept and members of parliment.