Quite understandably, there's a lot of wishful thinking in education. Most teachers have good intentions and want to see their students succeed, so they struggle with the reality that a lot of students just aren't academically inclined and really struggle with the basics of the curriculum. It would be nice to think that everyone is a genius; the "learning styles" and "multiple intelligences" theories offer the very appealing notion that everyone is gifted deep down and a teacher just needs to find the appropriate tools to unlock that inner brilliance.

Unfortunately, this wishful thinking can lead to an inadvertent cruelty of unrealistic expectations. Through no fault of their own, some people just aren't very intelligent and have no real chance of excelling academically. We encourage those people to go to college, without considering whether they have any real chance of graduating. We lumber them with a few semesters worth of student debt for no good reason. We offer them no good alternatives in terms of vocational training or apprenticeships. We don't provide them with the educational, social and emotional support they need to make the most of their potential and find a path towards a fulfilling life. The flip side of "anyone can succeed if they really set their mind to it" is the rather callous "if you didn't succeed, it's only because you didn't try hard enough".