"I am not sure that is a uniquely black problem, I vaguely remember similar problems when I went to HS some 30 years ago. It didn't matter what color your skin was though. If you had some smarts, you were a target of some ridicule or shunning."
That stuff has always existed, I suppose. It certainly did over 40 years ago when I was in high school.
But, you know what? The smart kids just ignored it, went on to college, got excellent jobs, and are now retiring with plenty of bucks to last the rest of their lives.
The ones who were ridiculing the smart kids? Well, a lot of them aren't doing that well.
But, you know what? The smart kids just ignored it, went on to college, got excellent jobs, and are now retiring with plenty of bucks to last the rest of their lives. Ditto. My high school was roughly 65% white and 35% black. If my memory serves me correctly, we started out with a freshman class of over 800. The graduating class was about 400. It was equal opportunity for expulsion and dropping out of school.