Joe,
and I can say from my experience, that being poor does NOT motivate you to do well in school. It can be a very depressing thing. In poorer families, there are more family problems, like the divorce rate is higher among lower income families, and domestic violence is higher too.
You answered my point to yours.
Poor people are not dumb, nor do they lack intelligence.
Most are simply not motivated.
That doesn't make them less intelligent.
If you can't understand the difference, then you are the "less intelligent" one.
Have fun,
Phil