A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Erase: Black Students' Underrepresentation in Gifted Education.

In virtually every school district nationally, Black students are underrepresented in gifted education programs, including advanced placement (AP) classes. This underrepresentation exists regardless of grade level and school type. Building on a previous publication, this article addresses a central question in gifted education: Why does underrepresentation among Black students persist in gifted education despite efforts to rectify the problem? The authors review factors affecting this stubborn and pervasive educational, social, and moral issue and outline recommendations for both the recruitment and retention of African American students in gifted education. The authors' major premise is that educators' deficit orientation about African American students has a direct and profound impact on these students' being able to gain admission to gifted programs. The authors contend that educators must move beyond a deficit orientation to that of dynamic thinking if underrepresentation is to be reduced; dynamic thinking recognizes the cultural assets—the strengths and promise—of African American students. Essentially, changing our thinking about differences among children from cultural backgrounds that are different from our own is one promising strategy for recruiting and retaining Black and other culturally diverse students in gifted education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]