Bee:
I usually pride myself on being able to understand opposing views, even when I disagree. Plastic bag bans? Flawed but understandable. Central planning? I see the appeal despite the failures.
But the anti–G&T stance baffles me. Even highly egalitarian societies like the Soviet Union went out of their way to nurture talent in science, sports, and chess. They recognized the value of elevating the brightest minds.
Even if you’re a blank slater who believes ability is evenly distributed, and a pure egalitarian who sees any demographic imbalance as injustice, even then, why destroy programs that benefit some children? Ending G&T doesn’t help disadvantaged kids, it just removes an avenue for excellence.
This is one of the few mainstream policies I can’t understand from the other side. It strikes me as deeply wrong and disheartening to see it shaping education policy in one of America’s most important cities.