Saturday, July 5, 2003 | 2:57 a.m.
After reading the story in last Sunday's Sun, "Two schools of thought," I must respond. As the mother of six grown children (some of whom were in gifted and talented programs), I realize it is the nature of many to place importance on that which affects their children without considering the needs of others.
Mike Welch, whose daughter may miss out on the Gifted and Talented Education program, says in the story that when he sees the kids playing outside the schools he sees them as "the people who are going to be running the hospitals, the police department, the state." He also believes it should be English Language Learners' teachers sent back to the regular classrooms, not GATE teachers. Many of the kids he sees on the playground are English Language Learners' students here through no choice of their own. Where does he think they will be in 20 years? They will still be here. If not taught English, what chance will they have? What will a country of illiterates be like?
The Welches feel powerless: "The message being sent to my daughter is that they don't want her to excel or challenge herself, that they don't want these kids to be doctors, scientists or future leaders." Where is the parents' responsibility? They don't have to depend on the schools. My children are bright and talented, but I never felt that it was the school's responsibility to offer them an enriched curriculum at the expense of other students. I believed it was my responsibility, privilege and pleasure to expose them to the extras the schools could not.
LORI PERRY
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