Class: Education
Document Actions
Class Notes
Education is the central way a society transmits knowledge, values, and expectations to members, both formally and informally. Education first became compulsory in Massachusetts in 1852. Before 1900, less than 2% of Americans finished high school. Now, about 70% finish high school. Georgia has the lowest graduation rate with 54%, whereas Iowa has the highest with 93% About 25% of Americans have college degrees.
No Child Left Behind, the American school legislation, was passed in 2002. Each state is responsible for testing every student in its public education system at specific grade intervals to determine levels of success. Low performing schools are required to improve student and teacher performance. Parents have the option of removing their child from low performing schools and place them at another school in the district. Many have concerns that No Child Left Behind is not working and is harming the most vulnerable, including those with disabilities and those in the lower-classes.
Sociological Perspectives:
Structural Functionalism- Education serves manifest and latent functions. Educational inequalities prepare students for occupational inequalities later in life.
Conflict- There are often significant differences between schools. Because the wealthy control the resources and will allocate those resources to their children's schools, the poor are often locked out of higher quality education.
Symbolic Interaction- labeling theory; stereotype threat; pygmalion effect
College: Attendance is related to socioeconomic status. Those with more money tend to apply to better schools, and are more likely to attend college at all.
Required Reading:
"Education is the Great Equalizer," Ruane and Cerulo (Second Thoughts, pp. 273-287)
"Savage Inequalities," Kozol (Electronic Reserves)
"Preparing for Power: Cultural Capital and Curricula in America's Elite Boarding Schools," Cookson and Persell (Sociology Reader, pp. 200-227)
Recommended Reading:
Review "Institutions and Socialization" and "Education," Newman (Sociology, pp. 142-144)
Keywords: education, No Child Left Behind, labeling theory, stereotype threat, pygmalion effect
