Moving beyond the gifted label in gifted education: An equity perspective

Abstract

This manuscript focuses on the various ways that the gifted label hinders the field of gifted and talented education (GATE) from progressing into a more inclusive and equitable field. Specifically, this manuscript outlines how (a) the social status that the gifted label confers is problematic for achieving equity within GATE, (b) how the gifted label impedes the ability of GATE programs to meet the real-time advanced academic needs of a more diverse group of students, and (c) how the gifted label encourages the perspective that gifted ability is general in nature (as opposed to domain-specific), which results in many students from underrepresented groups getting fewer opportunities to receive advanced academic services.