Many people are of the opinion that special education programs for gifted children are an unnecessary burden on tightly-budgeted and under-funded school systems, but this is actually far from the truth. The gifted are perhaps the most neglected group of special needs children in almost every school district. Because many people assume that the gifted do not need extra attention, gifted programs are often the first program to be cut when budgets are reduced, but I suggest that they be the last to go. These children have profound talents and are just as deserving of extra attention as children who are physically or mentally handicapped.

Gifted children experience many difficulties, including loneliness and ridicule. They suffer from lack of friends of their own age for many reasons, but mainly because they communicate on a completely different level than other children. They find it impossible to relate to children...