I always considered being smart, and doing well in school are two different things. The smart thing to do, to me, is to not take a lot of what you are taught in school, especially those lessons taught at such a young age where you're likely to believe anything, to seriously. Being smart is one thing, being good in school is completely different.
Example, I had a teacher who was politically biased. Anyone who showed interest in the opposing side of his political ideals, tended not to get a lot of extra points on their tests.