It's because it is stigmatized within the black community. It is called "acting white". Young black students who try to succeed academically are bullied and beaten down and accused of "acting white".
It's been recongized as the "bucket of crabs" effect. If you've ever seen a basket full of live crabs, when one tries to escape the basket, the others grab it and drag it back in.
I hadn’t heard that, but I guess it makes sense. That’s so sad.
Imagine how Ben Carson and his brother were treated in school. And Charles Payne. Glad they followed the right path.