My Brilliant Child

Why do so many suburban parents think their children are brilliant and getting ripped off by their local schools? It’s not that I don’t believe that their children are smart. They should be! They have access to so many educational resources – more than most kids. Their kids spend their days AND nights going from one stimulating activity to the next. I also don’t take issue with parents advocating for their children, but at a certain point, you have to realize that your kids are very fortunate.

My local public schools are, in my opinion, wonderful. Are they perfect? No. There have been times when I've disliked a teacher, a classroom or even a school. I have, on occasion, complained about something or made a suggestion to a teacher about an issue I felt strongly about. But generally speaking – I believe my children are receiving a top-notch education. I am constantly amazed by what my children are learning – Algebra in elementary school, Kafka and Aristotle in high school. So often though, I hear complaints from parents about their child not receiving the education they deserve because they are so much smarter than the other kids. I hear comments like, “Jimmy is soooo bored in class” or “Betty finds her schoolwork much too easy” or, my personal favorite, “I am so upset that the school doesn’t have a gifted program” because, of course, their child would be an instant candidate for such a program.

Let’s put this all in perspective. Throughout the world and in some parts of this country children have to attend substandard schools. To become enlightened on this issue read Three Cups of Tea – many villages in countries around the world do not have the resources to build real schools with real teachers. In other countries, children cannot attend school unless they can afford a school uniform and books. This is a problem for a child with no money and/or parents no longer living because of war or HIV. Saddest of all, some children don’t get to be children at all. I’m talking about the children sold into prostitution, forced to work in toy and rug factories or turned into soldiers of war.

Brilliance shines through even without a gifted program. I’ve heard so many stories of incredibly intelligent individuals whose thirst for knowledge or natural brilliance pushed them on to excellence despite their local schools, not because of them. They lived at their local library, were inspired by an adult who believed in them or walked 5 miles to school in their African village. Their parents, if present in their lives, didn’t have the luxury of complaining to their local school board.

As I mentioned before, I’ve been less than thrilled with a teacher now and then, but at some point you have to tough it out and be thankful – very thankful – when you have access to a top ranked public school system.