<p>
Okay, the air’s starting to get a little thick in here. ;)</p>
<p>I’m an advocate of opportunities for kids, too–age-appropriate, preparedness-appropriate opportunities. (I take it, from the way you discuss this issue, that if a kid who’s never climbed higher than the second floor of his parents’ duplex wanted to climb Mount Everest, you’d object to anyone standing in his way?) Yes, kids need opportunities to challenge themselves–but they also need wise adults to tell them when they’re biting off more than they can chew.</p>
<p>And as for the first sentence quoted above–I’ve never claimed that APs have a “deleterious effect.” I only challenged your assertion that the beneficial effect of taking APs was a settled fact. Maybe the question “does taking APs help kids?” has an answer like, “yes, for some kids, in some subjects, at some stages in their high school careers.” </p>
<p>
Should we describe flawed data as authoritative just because there isn’t better information available?</p>