As a teacher, I’m sometimes faced with students with horrible learning impediments. Some of them have medical problems that keep the children from achieving in school, others have family and home life problems that make them into not-so-stellar pupils. But there’s the whole other category to consider: just plain stupid.
Oh, stop gnashing your teeth. I’m not suggesting that we wash our hands of these youngsters and put them to work in the factories straight away. I’m merely pointing out that once upon a time people recognized that humans are born with varying levels of intelligence, but now we’re not having any of that.
If your child just cannot understand fractions, a long time ago we would send him to the lower math class where he would cut up plastic pizzas into different sized wedges until he understood it better. Odds were awesome that he was never going to grow up to be a pharmacist if he couldn’t figure out how to divide doses, but that was okay. He could do something else.
If your daughter struggled with reading, she used to be in the Blue Birds reading group and she got extra attention from the special reading teacher. Chances were excellent that she wasn’t destined to be an author if reading wasn’t her favorite subject, but there were plenty of career paths still open to her.
Now, there’s something wrong with your child and with you if he’s just stupid. You didn’t use enough flash cards or he’s not on the right medication or you didn’t breastfeed like you were supposed to. It can’t just be luck of the draw that he can’t remember to keep his shoes tied, it must be because of asbestos in the walls of your house.
Years ago, Governor Fob James made a startling announcement on the news, “ALL children in Alabama can be above average.” Wow, the governor sucked at math, too. Apparently, you can be in the stupid-kid math class and still succeed in politics. That’s a career path that thrives on stupid.
Lorca Damon 
I think you should get an “I parcipitated” special purple ribbon for that post. It takes a whole lotta courage to actually set in web-stone what others are really thinking.
Exactly! Thank you! Sometimes you just deserve a ribbon for doing it! (Still NOT going for the pig testicle purple ribbon)
pick a color, any color. and it should be really, really big!
Oh, I want a ribbon like the Wizard had in Wiz of Oz!
ROFL!!But It would be much funnier if it weren’t so true. As W said ” even the c students can be President”. Listening to the blatherings of the new crop of presidential wannabes is positively frightening. Teachers! You are our only hope!
Hmm, I understand your point but I really hate the word stupid. Less than intelligent I can go with or “lowering the bar” seems okay but stupid well that is such an ugly word and yet, like you said, some people are just dim bulbs. It isn’t their fault really, not everyone can be G&T although the world acts like if you aren’t G&T there is something wrong with your family’s gene pool. We have kids who are just slower than others to pick up certain tasks. I was awful with math until college, then I FINALLY got it and made an “A” that was hard earned. We all have our strengths and weaknesses but we need to acknowledge both and give kids who don’t quite “get it” the opportunity to get extra help without being put in classes that make them feel dumb but in which they can get some learning aids that will bring up their grades and self-esteem. I think I am dreaming. Those days seem to have gone past us and that is too bad.
Ardee-ann
I think the word became ugly when we applied it to everything that wasn’t gifted. Sadly, MOST people have to be average. That’s what makes it average! :~)