A newspaper article about the new and terrible extermination camp for the 'gifted'
(the Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth) is entitled 'Children first, prodigies
second', which gives the game away pretty thoroughly. Neither Mensa nor the
National Association for Gifted Children is warning parents of 'gifted and talented
youth' not to touch this establishment with a bargepole. I will do so myself
as soon as I can publish my long-delayed book on education in spite of the difficulties
caused by the siege conditions which result from my ruined 'education'. A contribution
of £100,000 would greatly accelerate its publication. Perhaps all those
who contributed to the campaign of slander and persecution against me and my
parents (when I was at school and university and subsequently) could (should)
have a whip-round to raise as much as they can by way of reparation.
When I was at the state extermination camp, I used to think that all those associated in any way with the 'education' of anyone with an IQ of 150 or over should be subject to penalties of public beatings and confiscation of their assets for the benefit of the victim, if it should eventually turn out that the said victim was deprived of at least one first-class degree and entry to a suitable academic career. Otherwise what deterrent could there be against teachers and tutors etc of high IQ people doing as much harm as they felt inclined? (Unless the potential victim were to sign a Deed of Release, genuinely of their own free will, stating that their future career prospects were a matter of no concern to them.) Such sanctions certainly need to be applied to this new and horrifying establishment.
This might result in no-one being willing to have anyone with an IQ of 150 or over in their school, and that would be a very good thing.
Let's consider what is really meant by 'Children first, prodigies second'. Punishment first, reward a long way second, perhaps. Frustration first, opportunity so far off as to be out of sight, especially the opportunity of working for the reward of further opportunity. Or, maybe, victims first and foremost, victors never.
Celia Green, April 2002