What’s the one thing humans can’t seem to resist? Labels. We name, sort, and categorize everything. From the dawn of time, we’ve been obsessed with putting things in boxes—sometimes literally. And nowhere is this habit more entrenched than in education.

We label students. We label classrooms. We label entire schools. “At-risk.” “Gifted.” “Special ed.” “Low-performing.” “High-achieving.” The list never ends. But here’s the real question: are these labels helping us—or quietly hurting the very people we claim to serve?

Think about the term “at-risk student.” Sounds harmless, maybe even compassionate, right? Except it isn’t. It’s a warning stamp, a flashing red sign hung around a kid’s neck. Poverty, unstable housing, limited resources—these are real barriers. But once a child is branded “at-risk,” the risk shifts. Suddenly, teachers lower expectations. Peers view them differently. Worst of all, students start to see themselves through the label. And that’s how a word becomes a prophecy.

We do the same with classrooms. “Advanced Placement.” “Inclusion.” “Remedial.” These labels might help with scheduling and resources, but they also carve invisible hierarchies into the school culture. Students quickly learn where they’ve been placed—and what that supposedly says about their intelligence, their future, their worth. Once you’ve been slotted into a category, how easy is it to climb out?

And then there are campuses. “Title I.” “Low-performing.” “Failing.” Yes, those words drive funding and policy, but they also brand entire communities. A Title I school may be full of brilliant kids and dedicated teachers, but the label often overshadows everything else. Who wants to be defined by a deficit before they even begin?

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: labels aren’t neutral. They carry weight. They shape mindsets. They reinforce ceilings. And when used carelessly, they trap students and schools in narratives they may never escape.

So, who is really at risk in education? Not just the students. All of us. Because the moment we start believing our own labels, we stop seeing possibility. We stop investing in growth. We stop imagining more.

Education should be the great door-opener, not the great box-builder. Labels may tell us where someone starts, but they should never decide where they finish.

The next time you hear someone described as “at-risk,” ask yourself: at risk of what? Failure—or being underestimated into failure?