Gatekeepers in Gifted: A Case Study of the Disproportionality of Gifted Black Youth in Elementary Programs

Abstract

Gifted identification and services, like many aspects of education, are inequitable and disproportionate in favor of White students. Obama Elementary School serves 421 students: 29% are Black and 58% are White; the school’s gifted program is 10% Black and 86% White. Rebecca Johnson, the gifted teacher, brings this to the attention of her principal, who has Rebecca present to the school improvement team. Rebecca receives pushback from a culturally unresponsive and equity-illiterate group. This case study provides teaching notes on gifted identification and services as well as cultural proficiency and equity literacy, and is framed in both gifted education and anti-racism.

Giftedness and ADHD: A systematic literature review

“…Nevertheless, it is relevant to emphasize that studies on female talent are essential to promote gender equality in contemporary times, as many obstacles persist regarding wage equity, female representativeness in engineering and technology, and distribution of housework between men and women (Prado & Fleith, 2020). As for the proposition of research involving gifted black and mulatto individuals with ADHD, it is emphasized, according to Novak and Jones (2021), that identification services and programs to assist talented students are disproportionate in favor of whites. This evidences that the development of gifted black individuals in an equitable and anti-racist perspective needs further support.…”

Cultivating a Learning Environment to Support Diverse Gifted Students

“…Teachers can have discussions with students about challenging bias and exclusion, ways to prevent and intervene with bullying behaviors, and conflict resolution (Scharf, 2016). Importantly, to help gifted students feel authentically welcome in their classroom communities, it is important to understand their specific individual backgrounds (Novak & Jones, 2021).…”

A Methodological Approach to Designing a Theory: The Journey of the Four Zone Professional Learning Model

“…Nor is professional learning focused on the systemic oppression and the need for equity (Novak & Jones, 2020). Akin to Gorski's (2020) "Fix Injustice Not Kids" principle, the focus is on strategies not structural change.…”