America’s Brightest: Misdiagnosed and Abandoned

America’s brightest kids risk their futures because schools relabel genius as illness to chase federal dollars, while Paris Hilton’s spotlight steals the real story.

Story Snapshot

U.S. schools cut gifted programs by 20% post-COVID, shifting billions to special education funding.
Gifted traits like intensity mimic ADHD and anxiety, doubling misdiagnosis rates among high-ability youth.
Paris Hilton’s documentaries spotlight troubled teen abuses but critics say they distract from gifted neglect.
Special ed receives 13% of budgets versus less than 1% for gifted programs amid $90 billion shortfalls.

Gifted Education Peaks and Plummets

The Jacob Javits Act of 1988 funded specialized programs for gifted students, peaking support in the 1990s. No Child Left Behind in 2001 redirected resources to low performers, sidelining excellence. ESSA in 2015 perpetuated this neglect. COVID-era cuts slashed 22% of gifted programs nationwide by 2023, per NAGC data. Schools now face $90 billion shortfalls, pushing administrators to prioritize reimbursable categories.

Schools Reclassify Brilliance for Budgets

Schools reclassify gifted students exhibiting perfectionism or hyperactivity as mentally ill to tap IDEA funds, which reimburse 90% of special education costs. ADHD diagnoses in gifted kids surged 30% from 2010-2020 due to trait overlaps like Dabrowski’s overexcitabilities. This leads to twice the misdiagnosis rate. A 2024 Substack post by GiftedMomUSA went viral, claiming her child suffered this fate amid 15% national misdiagnosis spikes.

Paris Hilton Enters the Fray

Paris Hilton’s 2020 documentary This Is Paris exposed troubled teen industry abuses affecting 120,000 youth yearly, often high-achievers with behavioral labels. She testified in Congress in 2025, pushing the STOP Act. Her November 2025 Netflix follow-up Paris: Legacy renewed scrutiny, sparking a Biden task force. Critics argue her trauma-focused narrative overshadows gifted funding crises, aligning with Democrat priorities over common-sense talent nurturing.

Stakeholders Clash Over Priorities

NAGC lobbies for Javits reauthorization amid 12 states cutting programs in 2025, like New York’s 50% elimination. U.S. Department of Education allocates $18 billion to IDEA, dwarfing gifted support. Teachers face union pressures favoring special ed. Mental health groups like CHADD defend diagnoses. Fordham Institute highlights disparities, warning of innovation lags as China invests five times more in gifted education. Facts support critics: funding incentives pervert priorities, clashing with conservative values of merit and self-reliance.

Funding Disparities Rebrands American Gifted Children as Mentally Ill & Paris Hilton Doesn’t Help https://t.co/yLnuVdog8x

— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) January 29, 2026

Impacts Ripple Through Generations

Short-term, $2 billion reallocates from gifted to mental health in 2025, leaving 10% of gifted students underserved and at dropout risk. Long-term projects $100 billion GDP loss from untapped potential by 2040. Rural and poor communities suffer most from urban-biased programs. Misdiagnosis lawsuits rise, like Texas in December 2025. NAGC’s January 2026 petition hit 100,000 signatures, signaling backlash.