Grades as the Gatekeeper to Privilege in Schools

I think there's a common misconception that school is the only thing that matters. And the school system makes a lot of people feel like if they're not doing the best academically or kind of meeting the limit, then maybe they're not going to do as well later in life or maybe there's something wrong with them. I feel like that's a whole, really incorrect kind of idea that's perpetuated by the school system.