Brown vs. Board of Education: Implications for Gifted and Talented Education

Abstract

This year, 2024 marks the 70th anniversary of Brown versus Board of Education (1954). Despite this amount of time since Black students were legally allowed to attend schools with White students, the goal(s) of this landmark court case have not been achieved. Schools are not desegregated in many states and districts. Even more segregated is gifted and talented education (GATE) in which Black students are underrepresented about approximately 55% (Office for Civil Rights’ Civil Rights Data, 2023); denied access exists more for this group more than any other. In this brief article, we juxtapose GATE with the tenets of Brown, and provide recommendations and resources for families and educators from various disciplines. We urge educators to turn from equality to equity in order to truly advocate for their Black students.

Keywords

Brown versus Board gifted and talented underrepresentation belongingness Black students equity recruitment and retention desegregation and integration

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