Actually, I thought I was being rather specific. You see, I belief it is more honest to cite examples that I am familiar with rather than to make broad, sweeping generalizations. I can't speak for the experiences of others, so therefore I am cautious in bringing them up.

The question is not: should gifted kids be allowed to skip grades? Well, it depends on the kid. Each case is individual and different. The oppposite is true as well: each disabled child is individual and different. Some kids with an IQ of 68 who are well socialized are going to contribute an awful lot to a classroom milieu. Other kids with an IQ of 102 might decide to set fire to the teacher's pantyhose; you never know.

Tests just don't say it all. At some point, human judgement must be used, and the whole child must be considered. The six-year-old with Down's syndrome may never learn long division, but she will be able to crow joyfully that she's "going to SCHOOL!" each time the yellow bus approaches. Who are we to deprive her of that joy, and who are we to deprive the 'normal' students of the experience of knowing her?