To willfully, by design, take action that prevents someone from growing based on their abilities .. that is no different than smashing their head with a brick and causing brain damage. It affects them for the rest of their life. It's no different than an assault. How about we provide every child the opportunity to develop the appropriate skills based on their ability and reach their maximum potential?
Sorry, but while
No Child Left Behind offered opportunities for the gifted to help teach others, and for those in the back of the pack to be pulled along, it, too, held back the truly gifted who could not escape such machinations.
When I was in school (public school, anyway) from Junior High upwards, students were grouped into sections depending on their scored on standardized tests, which while not perfect, had those of similar ability in the same classroom and able to move at a significantly more accelerated pace than those whose scores were substantially lower. This is no longer, unless students are in a large enough urban area that has specialized schools focusing on particular educational aspects for the gifted.
Eliminating such programs will only ensure that many will not reach their potential.