<p>To me, there are two issues:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Kids being able to learn higher level material earlier, and go at as swift a pace as their hungry minds can absorb.</p></li>
<li><p>Kids who are competing at the top of their class with other top kids in an ever-spiraling arms race of GPA and #of AP classes, for top rank or other “trophies”. Especially when the impetus is not coming from the student, but from the parents.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Number 1 is healthy and desirable, and Number 2 is often stressful and undesirable. I don’t mean that a little competition is a bad thing, but there are lots of negatives that flow from the #2 situation if it gets out of hand. Sometimes when we debate, some people are talking about #1, and some people are thinking of #2.</p>
<p>Just my two cents.</p>