What is this from (maybe a short story)?

Organichu

I guess this will be, by its nature, a spoiler. I remember reading a scene from a book (or this scene may have been the entire story).

It was like a dystopia, I guess, because they wanted to cut down on anyone smart. Every time a smart person was found they'd be 'taken care of', and every time a dumb person was found they'd lower the bar for everyone so nobody would feel bad about being stupider than average. The protagonist was a smart little girl. She'd fake her test results so nobody would know her intelligence. The only one who realized her intelligence was her teacher at school who, against regulations, continued to give this girl 'advanced' lessons in various subjects. I believe it ended with her dad ratting her out (maybe?) and the government goons come and snatch up her teacher. I think.

Any help?

Trowizilla

It sounds a bit like Harrison Bergeron, by Vonnegut. Different characters, but same sort of dystopia/everyone is equal thing.

Organichu

Ok, I just Googled and read Harrison Bergeron. Cool story.

It's not it, though. Thanks anyway.

There are some other thoughts coming back to me. I remember that one of the other characters in the story is a dimwitted girl. The main character begins to feel sorry for her and I think the smart girl might leave the dumb girl a journal of her thoughts.

Man, my recollection of it is so fragmented.

shutz

Based on your OP, I would also have said Harrison Bergeron, even though the main protagonist is a guy.
I know it's not the story you're looking for, but if you haven't also read Flowers for Algernon (read the short story, it's better than the later novel adaptation) read it, as it's often considered the best or one of the best SF short stories, ever.

Another similar story (but still not the one you're looking for) is Profession, by Isaac Asimov. Definitely not dystopian, but it deals with similar themes.

Gotr

Without knowing exactly, I'll almost guarentee it's Vonnegut. It's definitely his genre of Sci-Fi. Specifically, it sounds familiar. Try to get your hands on "Welcome to the Monkey House"; it's a great read anyway, and it might have your story in it. It's a collection of various short stories Vonnegut wrote, mostly revolving around Dystopia.