Conflicted, or am I?

On the This Morning show, I was shocked to learn that a mother decided that she should be the one to pick the friends her children will make. I decided to be fair and think, well maybe she doesn't want them hanging out with violent children out of fear. However as I continued to watch I realized that this woman didn't want her children hanging out with children from lower class families.

She explained that a child, in her child's class, always came to school late, his parents drop him off while they're still in PJ's, his uniform didn't match everyone else's, and he was loud and a tough on teachers. I'll admit I'll raise my eyebrows at this kid, but I should be blaming the parents, or no one at all since this family might have come from a poor background, and thus can't afford the luxuries that middle class families have. Anyway, she told her child not to hang out with him, simply because of this. She would actually prefer it if her child hanged out with smarter and well behaved children, because for some reason she thinks smartness is contagiousness. I had a smart friend, but I never caught any of it.

Now I don't have a child, but I would let her/him chose his/her friends, but if one child she/he likes to be friends with is really violent, I would want them to stay away. Am I right or wrong?

Debate time!