From the moment the article appeared, Harry had to endure people, Slytherins mainly, quoting it at him as he passed them, and making sneering comments.
Nowadays the terms " cynical" and " cynicism" have come to mean a sneering disbelief in human sincerity, and they imply insensitivity to other people's suffering.
This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can't learn; that those kids who don't look like us are somebody else's problem.