It was the 60s, Star Trek TOS was very progressive for its time. Gene Roddenberry had Majel Barrett playing the first officer in the pilot, but the network made him change it.
He who has much will be given more.
Teachers encourage students who they believe are smart and discourage students who they believe aren't smart. Double blind studies have shown that if you tell a teacher that a student is smart, then that student will probably do better.