Citizens of Lewiston should be aware that, for all intents and purposes, the gifted programs at Lewiston Middle School have been eliminated, since gifted students are now included in mainstream classes. They no longer have classes that include only the gifted, which could be taught at an accelerated level.

The first question that comes to mind is “Why?”

Administrators have long regarded the average child as needing no special efforts, and, therefore, some of those children slip through the cracks.

Educators are aware that all children are special, but those who will achieve decent grades with no special needs fall into that artificial “average” category. That has left the gifted students and those with special needs to drive the economics of the system. Now, it seems logical to assume from the cut of the gifted programs that those with special needs are currently driving the system, and I, for one, consider that to be appalling.

We are sacrificing our brightest students, who need the challenges of a gifted program to provide them with a competitive edge for the limited number of advanced education slots.

The parents of students with special needs on the lower-achieving end of the spectrum have many voices in the Legislature speaking for them, and they should. But the gifted students are being denied the best education possible for them. Who will speak for them?

In spite of what might be said, it is not too late to reinstate gifted programs for this year.

Leslie Lord, Auburn,

retired English teacher,

Lewiston Middle School