Reflections on the documentary "Waiting on Superman"

I just finished watching the documentary Waiting on Superman...finally saw it. It triggered many thoughts for me, but particularly lead me to think about my experience in the American education system.  I was in "regular" classes all the way up until 8th grade.  My family kept encouraging me to get into GT or accelerated classes.  When I was in 6th grade, I tried, but I failed the test.  When I was in 7th grade I went to a new school and my sister knew the school counselor.  She told me to ask him to test me again.  So I did.  I don't remember ever getting scores back, but the next thing I knew I was in accelerated classes.  He was a White counselor.  I have often wondered if there was injustice there as in I didn't really pass, he just let me do it because I was White.  I went to a majority Black and Hispanic school...only 5% White.  I can say that I made A's all the time, but when I took the test again in 9th or 10th grade, I failed again.  Anyway, my educational experience between "regular" and "accelerated" classes was drastic. I have no doubt it would have really changed my life if I had stayed in "regular" classes.
  First, I'd like to point out that it seemed like all the White kids in the school were in these classes.  At that age, I actually liked it because there were more people that looked like me.  Now I see that as potential injustice and racism.  There were also Hispanic, Black, and Asian students for the record.  Second, the teachers would often threaten us saying "you are accelerated students, we expect more of you".  I've wondered how it would change things if that was said to the "regular" students.  I know for me, I suddenly had higher standards for myself.  Third, the behavioral challenges were extremely different.  In my regular classes I had some teachers that just could not control the class.  I was constantly being begged to copy off of.  I was bullied.  So it was a big relief to switch to accelerated.
  Despite being in accelerated classes, by the time I graduated high school, I still did not know what a revolution was. That may be because I cheated on every homework assignment in 8th grade history.  I cheated because I did not understand how to find the answers to the homework after trying many times and I eventually gave up.  However, I stopped cheating in 9th grade because I felt convicted by God.
  When I started college I cried the first few weeks of school because I felt completely unprepared.  It was because of my sister and her husband, both teachers, that were patient enough to teach me things I did not learn in grade school.   From the start of college I learned quickly my need for prayer every week to make it through.  I also had to get tutoring.  I feel like I have an acute awareness that I don't deserve to have made it as far as I have educationally.  It has been God's grace and some hands extended to help me up.   My willingness to work hard for it and persevere did have a role as well.  The sad part is that there are so many children with so much potential that get robbed because of all the flaws in our educational system.  Some may get stuck in classes with so many behavioral problems they can't learn.  Some are told they won't amount to anything at a young age and have lowered expectations and standards.  Some are segregated and stereotyped.  Some have to battle being bullied all the time.  And all of that could have been me.  So, was it because I was a more intelligent student or was it because of the social aspects of the accelerated classes that I made it?  Whatever the case, I pray that God help me to make a difference...somehow!