No, Your Gifted Program Wasn’t a Government Experiment

TikTok has found a new conspiracy theory—this time, it’s about gifted education. ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores the viral trend that claims GATE programs were secret government experiments, why these myths resonate with former gifted students, and what they get wrong about gifted education. More than just a wild internet theory, this conversation dives into the real misconceptions about giftedness and why it’s important to separate fact from fiction.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

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Transcript

Let’s talk about one of the strangest, most viral education-related conspiracy theories floating around social media right now—the idea that Gifted and Talented Education (or GATE) programs were actually secret government experiments. If you’ve been on TikTok recently, you’ve probably seen these videos. They usually go something like this:

Someone starts by saying, "If you were in the gifted program as a kid, I need you to listen to this." Then, with eerie music in the background, they explain that GATE wasn’t just about advanced learning—it was about tracking, testing, and maybe even training certain kids for something bigger. Some people claim they remember being watched. Others say they were assigned a mysterious color classification. A few even connect it to real-life government programs like MK-Ultra. By the time the video ends, thousands of people are in the comments saying, “Wait… this explains so much.”

It’s easy to see why this took off. There’s something oddly compelling about the idea that those of us of the Gen X and elder Millennial generations who spent childhood afternoons in tiny pull-out gifted rooms were actually part of a top-secret experiment. But here’s the thing: It’s not true. And what’s more, it plays into some of the biggest misconceptions about gifted students—misconceptions that have been around for decades.

At the heart of this conspiracy is a misunderstanding of what it means to be gifted. The assumption behind these videos is that gifted kids are fundamentally different, almost like they’re a separate category of humans with special abilities. And when people don’t have a solid grasp on what giftedness actually is, it’s easy for these ideas to spiral into something much bigger—something that sounds like science fiction.

In reality, gifted programs exist because some students learn differently, and they need academic challenges that go beyond the standard curriculum. That’s it. There’s no secret government file on every fourth grader who scored high on a cognitive test. But this conspiracy theory feeds into the myth that gifted students are somehow chosen, special in a way that goes beyond just learning ability. And that’s where things get messy.

These videos also tap into something very real—how a lot of gifted students feel different from their peers. Many of the people commenting on these TikToks aren’t joking when they say they felt isolated or like they didn’t fit in. But that’s not because they were being studied or manipulated; it’s because giftedness can come with real social and emotional challenges. When a child is ahead academically, they can struggle with friendships, perfectionism, or even feeling like they don’t belong. Those experiences are valid. But instead of addressing them as part of the real challenges of gifted education, this conspiracy theory turns them into something shadowy and sinister.

And that’s what makes it so tricky. These videos are taking genuine feelings—things that many gifted students do experience—and wrapping them in a narrative that just isn’t based in reality. And when that happens, it creates confusion about what gifted education is actually for. People start to believe myths like gifted kids are all super-geniuses or giftedness automatically leads to success. It plays into the idea that gifted kids are part of some elite group instead of just students who need different kinds of learning opportunities.

This also isn’t the first time we’ve seen gifted education misunderstood like this. Over the years--and even today--gifted programs have been called elitist, unnecessary, or even harmful. Some people argue that they unfairly separate students. Others assume that being gifted means you don’t struggle in school, which just isn’t true. What’s happening on TikTok right now is just another version of that—a misunderstanding of what giftedness is, dressed up as a viral conspiracy.

So, where does that leave us? Well, if you’ve seen these videos and found yourself nodding along, that’s understandable. There’s something weirdly satisfying about feeling like your childhood finally makes sense. But instead of buying into the idea that your elementary school GATE program was a secret government experiment, maybe take a step back and ask: What was my actual experience? What was hard? What was valuable?

Because giftedness isn’t a mystery, and it’s not a conspiracy. It’s just a different way of learning. And if we want to make sure that gifted students get the support they need, we have to push back on myths like these—even when they come with cool, eerie TikTok aesthetics.

So, next time you see one of these videos pop up on your feed, maybe instead of diving into the comments to see what wild theories people are throwing around, start a different conversation—one about what giftedness actually is, and what it isn’t. Because that conversation? That’s one worth having.