Blacked Out: Racial and Gender Segregation in Gifted Education 60 Years After Brown vs. Board of Education

This article examines the under-representation of African American students in gifted education, with attention to how representation differs for Black males and females. We contend that social injustices (e.g., prejudice and discrimination) contribute to racially segregated gifted education classes (Ford, 2013b). For support, gifted under-representation trends are shared, accompanied by formulae for calculating under-representation and inequity associated with under-representation. Denying access to gifted education based on race is a violation of civil rights in education. We discuss the under-representation of Black males and females in gifted education with Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) as the legal foundation and then attend to a court case in gifted education (McFadden vs. Board of Education for Illinois School District U-46, 2013; 984 F.Supp.2d 882) for one contemporary point of discussion regarding gifted education segregation. Suggestions for desegregating gifted education are shared.