You're Never Too Young To Learn

Prodigy, 13, claims age discrimination by UConn
By STEPHEN SINGER/Associated Press Writer

STORRS, Conn. – Even at 13, Colin Carlson believes he's running out of time.

Colin is a sophomore at the University of Connecticut, seeking a bachelor's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology and another in environmental studies. But he's been knocked off course by the university's rejection of his request to take a class that includes summer field work in South Africa.

He and his mother say university officials told them he is too young for the overseas course. So he's filed an age discrimination claim with the university and U.S. Department of Education, which is investigating.

"I'm losing time in my four-year plan for college," he said. "They're upsetting the framework of one of my majors."

Michael Kirk, a spokesman for UConn, would not comment on Colin's case. But he said that generally, safety is the university's first concern when travel is involved.

The university would not let Colin enroll, even after his mother, Jessica Offir, offered to release UConn from liability and accompany her son as a chaperone at her own expense, she and Colin said.

Colin was 2 or 3 when he began reading on his own, Offir said, and was up to "Harry Potter" by the time he was 4. An only child, he has faced trouble before because of his brainpower. 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, she said.

"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 UConn.

"I'm actually like any other student, he said. "The faculty and students have better things to do than worry about a 13-year-old holding his own."

Colin says the course in conservation work in South Africa would have been critical to his studies and the rejection has forced him to change his thesis plans.

He said that once he's completed his undergraduate studies, he wants a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology and a degree in environmental law for a career in conservation science. He intends to earn the two degrees by age 22.

I think the Huskies are dead wrong about this one. What do they care is some twitchy little freak wants to head tp South Africa to study? It's not skin off their ass. Plus, I'm sure he's going to be in a class the whole time or in his room reading. it's not like he's going to be strolling Sierra Leone for blood diamonds. I think he needs to get Jim Calhoun on his side and have him give the President a good cussing.

What's most surprising about this story is that this kid is taking four years to graduate. if you're a prodigy shouldn't you be able to knock out college in three years at the most? Shoot, Wormser from 'Revenge of the Nerds' would have that knocked out in two years.