Some kids were seen as lost causes, because they were disruptive or too slow to master a subject. When those kids were still young, they received some support, and some sympathy. But the longer they struggled, the less patience and compassion they got. Eventually people stopped talking about those students’ needs or limitations. Instead, the conversation became about how lazy they were. Once someone was deemed lazy, they were much likelier to get yelled at than they were to be helped.
