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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I don't know where some of you are getting that these kids were "average", much less "below average". I understood that their parents chose to enroll Idris and Seun at Dalton because, at age 5, they were incredibly bright and precocious kids. It is not spelled out, but it appears that their other children did not go to Dalton, probably because they did not show the same exceptional promise early on. Unfortunately, their intelligence at 5 did not translate into academic success at 18. It is unclear how much that had to do with the unique challenges of being black in America, or AA at a mostly white school, and how much came from the fact that a high-stress environment coupled with parental pressure and micromanaging isn't always conducive to intellectual growth. [/quote]

Both boys were diagnosed with learning disabilities that could have been addressed much earlier.  Seun's dyslexia and Idris' ADHD probably was clear to their teachers at least by third grade.  From what was shown in the documentary, neither family seemed to appreciate the academic stress that was placed on their sons in that pressure-cooker environment.

In Idris' case, he also endured parental stress at home regarding academics, glad he didn't turn to drugs or act out in other negative ways.  Seun also, later on given the trials in his family, revealed that he is a person of deep character.

To "succeed" at a Dalton as a URM, it requires the ability to academically compete with the top students in your grade, achieve something of distinction, excel at a sport (it really helps), and socially network.  Girls have it a bit easier because they have the gift of micromanaging their relationships.[/quote]

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