The Assessment Of Social Mobility Essays - Social Inequality

The Assessment Of Social Mobility Are the 35 million Americans who fall below the poverty line there because they are lazy and have let all opportunities for social advancement pass them by? Or is there currently a social structure that successfully reproduces classes and limits upward social mobility in America? Certain institutions in American society, including education, work and occupational structure and the family help perpetuate social class stratification. These institutions widen the gap between the rich and the poor by placing inherent restrictions on opportunities for those born into different classes. Although the degree of effort put forth by each individual is critically important, their relationship to the aforementioned institutions can severely limit upward social mobility. The current educational system creates a unique contradiction. While traditionally the best way to climb the ladders of society, American schools are now reproducing social classes. Those children born into poor families and neighborhoods usually begin their school career at a steep disadvantage. Public schools that are run down and lack sufficient funding or other key resources like good teachers are endemic to these lower income areas. The idea of class reproduction, or the correspondence principle, is obviously present in education. As mentioned above, differences between schools and school districts exist. In his article on the inequalities of public education in New York, Kozol describes an elementary school in North Bronx where 63 children share an average sized classroom. The room has no windows, for the building used to be a roller-skating rink. Consisting of 90% black and Hispanics, the student body of 1,300 has only 26 computers. (Kozol, 95) On the other hand, educational s tandards in upper-middle class communities are far superior. Here in Grand Blanc, Michigan an average second grade class would have one teacher for under thirty students and more than one computer in the room. When their parents can afford it, the technology and quality of teaching is even superior for students enrolled at private schools. Although bussing and other programs aimed at leveling these inequalities have been implemented, the majority of children born into lower income families are not presented with any choices. They are confined to minimal technology and deprived of individual attention from teachers, just to name a few disadvantages. Even a student with a high I.Q. and mental capacity for college might not fulfill his potential because of these restrictions, which are also present at the high school level. Variations within schools also help to restrict opportunities for some students. Admission to certain programs like G.A.T.E. and magnet schools can be class based. Once on a higher track or in one of these programs, a student is exposed to many useful and intellectually stimulating opportunities. Unfortunately, many minority students and those from lower income households are not encouraged to enroll in these programs despite their potential. In a lower track, they are confined to remedial education and poor teachers with emphasis on basic and monotonous tasks. The differences within the classroom have also been shown to limit opportunities for some students. Depending on a student's social class, a teacher may be more apt to help or disregard that student. A student with poor mannerisms and speech pattern may be presupposed to have little room for improvement, while one from a higher class background could receive much more help from a teacher. In addition, education tends to provide a hidden curriculum promoting cultural capital. For example, a rich school might emphasize self-confidence and proper speech patterns, while a poor school might stress subordination to authority and other basic ideas that would prepare a student for a lower class existence. These inequalities in the educational system severely limit opportunities for some students, while opening up windows for advancement for others. Even with a high I.Q., a child born in the north part Flint, Michigan would have to overcome great obstacles to get on a path to college. On the other hand, the superior educational environment at a rich school, like Grand Blanc would tend to promote and foster a desire for higher education among the students, thus granting them access to upward social mobility. Another institution in this country that has a tendency to preserve the current separation between