Stupid

A few nights ago, following a day of teaching, I sat down and watched "Becoming." Like many, I devoured Michelle Obama's memoir and wished I had had access to her wisdom and insight while in Boston. What stood out for me, though, was a moment where Michelle talked about going to Princeton and being thrown into the "elite" world. Particularly the point she makes about how they aren't actually any smarter than the rest of us.

I've been thinking about this a lot over the past few years during my time and then exit from the Ivy League university I worked at. I remember a particular class where the topic was on the genetics of intelligence, with all the students completely engaged as the professor spent the lecture period walking through all the research trying to determine if there's a heritable link. The answer, which disappointed them all was "it's unclear, but likely no." It's far to complex, with environment and access playing far more of a role, which is something everyone there was visibly uncomfortable with. And yet its a truth I can attest to both after working with students from all walks of life. And the pandemic has shined a glaring spotlight on it.

Grey and I are both products of the U.S. public education system, starting from kindergarten and ending with PhDs. Additionally, since undergrad, we've both lived in city environments, usually sharing walls with people who live on the poverty line. There's a lot of good that comes from public education, giving access to those who would otherwise not have it. But there's also a clear divide in quality when private options are readily available. A little over a year ago, our environment changed when I started my current position and we moved out to the suburbs to be close to work. A consequence of this move was we ended up in one of the better school districts in California, with active PTAs that make sure the schools have access to funding so that the kids can thrive. Similar to what Grey and I grew up in, private schooling isn't a readily available option here,  which results in the benefit of everyone having to swim in the same waters and, hence, people either invest or move due to the pressure for not investing.

Since the shelter-in-place orders, this advantage has become glaring, especially as we talk with Moon and Lucus about what their experiences are with distance learning on their region of the Bay Area and how much more structure Maddy and Teddy are getting. Within a week of lockdown, the district provided both kids with laptops, the teachers have been mastering Google Classroom (and giving me ideas as I set up my own form of virtual learning), with a weekly updated schedule and daily assignments that have allowed both kids to continue their schooling without burning them out on from video conference. But most impressive has been how the community has rallied around the teachers and staff, making it clear that all their hard work is beyond appreciated and supported. Teacher Appreciation Week has always been mandated in this district, but students and parents were actively encouraged to go all out, fueling the engine that is getting us through this period. I've been blown away by all of this because I know that if we were still living in our previous environments this wouldn't be happening. That the teachers would be figuring all of this out without support from the community and many parents wouldn't be able to be as invested in distance learning. It's been so shocking to see how the gaps, though there, are being minimized. It's that minimization that I want others to see so we can mandate it globally.

There's still a myth that persists in our culture that being "smart" is a fixed trait; you're either born that way or you aren't. With this assumption comes the idea that those who are "smart" should be the ones we invest in. That poverty is something people living in it deserve and those in power are superior because they have the brains. But the reality is intelligence is very malleable and what is holding most people back is access and opportunity. And the gatekeepers have very fixed ideas about who is worthy to that access, aiding to maintaining this myth. One "blessing" of this pandemic is the glaring light we have on how utterly stupid most of those in power are. Yes, we have hard, messy problems that aren't going to be resolved overnight, but one thing we can no longer ignore is that. Another blessing is those that normally can afford support and resources giving their children access are suddenly tasting lives without those safety nets. The ability to work remotely during this pandemic is a privilege, allowing many to be able to continue supporting their families that those at the poverty line don't have, but the lack of childcare and help is something most in positions of privilege don't consider. Frankly, the only ones who aren't struggling with this are completely disconnected with the 99% and it shows.

Like Michelle Obama, I've finally found the courage to start speaking out about the myth of deserving and those in positions of power being inherently "smarter." It's a myth that needs to be shattered and my hope is that this pandemic is thoroughly doing that. This now means that we have a moral obligation to do better and make sure everyone has access, not just those who can throw money at the gatekeepers. If we want to preserve the future, we need to fund it. If we want to see the end of the poverty cycle, we need to build support systems so people can permanently exit. If we want smart leadership, we need to stop promoting those who can buy access. We need reform throughout.

It's not going to be easy. Frankly, anything worth doing rarely is. And so many will resist because they have spent a lifetime in the previous mindset. But looking at the world around me, seeing the quiet and safe neighborhood that just over a year ago seemed inaccessible, I'm driven to see this change for so many.

It's stupid not to.