Genius Student Sues University
Posted on 30 March 2010 by LynThomas in Uncategorized
Genius, 13 years old, Colin Carlson, says smart kids are not really catered for.
Colin is an honours student with a 3.9 grade point average and a sophomore of the University of Connecticut. He says the university has discriminated against him, because he is under age. This is one time when too-high grades are an proving to be an impediment.
Colin is seeking a double major in ecology and evolutionary biology, as well as environmental studies. He is an expert in the behavior of the common snapping turtle.
However, he has been knocked out by the university’s rejection of his request to take a class, which includes summer field work in South Africa, telling him he is too young for an overseas course.
Colin has filed an age discrimination claim with the university’s Office of Diversity and Equity and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.
“If you don’t feel comfortable taking a 13-year-old, then it’s the same thing as if you don’t feel comfortable having a black student, or a woman on your trip,” Carlson told the Courant.
“I’m losing time in my four-year plan for college,” Colin said. “They’re upsetting the framework of one of my majors. It’s important to have a world-wide view.”
Michael Kirk, a spokesman for UConn, would not comment on Colin’s case, but said “Generally speaking, student safety is our No. 1 concern, when it comes to trips abroad.”
“I could get eaten by a lion, but am at just the same risk as any other student,” Colin said.
The university would not let Colin enroll, even after his mother, Jessica Offir, offered to release UConn from any liability and she would accompany her son, as a chaperone, at her own expense.
At around the age of 2 or 3 years Colin began reading on his own and was up to “Harry Potter” by the time he was 4. As an only child, he had problems because of his ability. His kindergarten teacher would not allow him to take books with him at nap time and he was ridiculed by other children, who fired math questions at him to entertain themselves.
“You have no idea what kids like this experience,” Offir said.
Colin skipped two grades in public school and began taking psychology, history and other courses at UConn when he was 9. He graduated from Stanford University Online High School at age 11 and soon after enrolled full-time at Uni Connecticut.
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[...] With grades of 3.9 average, genius student Colin Carlson was put off his studies by the University of Connecticut. They say he is too young to go on a South African field trip. Read how Carlson has filed a discrimination claim against the university. [...]