Why Are We Against Eliminating Advanced Academic Programs?

There is no question that gifted programs are under-representing racial groups and low-income families. Yet in this obvious case of inequity, so many are quick to voice against the removal of advanced academic programs in our public schools. Very recently, the Department of Education in New York has approved a plan by an elementary school in Brooklyn to scrap its gifted program. New York Daily's post on Facebook so far have received scores of angry emojis. The most common indignant response goes along the line of equating the move to greater equity as simply serving the lowest common denominator, in other words, lowering the bar for all students. This is really frustrating as research shows gifted programs do not even produce academic benefits suggesting that people are attached to these gifted programs perhaps for pure vanity.

Above copied from
Sa Bui, Steven Craig and Scott Imberman , Poor Results for High Achievers

Nevertheless, we are missing an important move P.S. 9, the school in Brooklyn, is making:

Above copied from PS9 website

The school is adopting an enrichment program available to all students. It is truly dumbfounding to see people speaking against 'excellent education for all".