09: Education Flashcards
(16 cards)
functionalist view
schools = agent of socialization that train/sort students into roles
**we need certain roles to allow society to run smoothly
conflict theory view
schools = legitimize existing inequalities
schools reward social and cultural capital
ex) private boarding schools contribute to an elitist mindset that they deserve elite things
symbolic interactionism view
expectations of others (teachers, parents) affect students’ performances and educational choices
social class disparities in education - trends
differences in spending per student in US depending on where you live
florida, texas -> below national average
new york, cali -> above national average
social class disparities in education - causes
property taxes -> values of homes in school districts matter for school funding -> wealthier = more given to schools through state and local sources
role of college degree in class mobility
college degrees generate social mobility
trends in racial segregation of schools
brown v board of ed 1954 : integrates schools
increased to 44% of black students in schools with at least 50% white students in 1989 -> peaked
decreases to 23% in 2011 due to white flight (white fams moving away from desegregated schools)
school to prison pipeline
children from young ages are set up or prepared to go to prison -> actions seen as a threat so they get policed and watched over instead of educated -> black kids overrepresented in all forms of school punishment while white kids are underrepresented
gender disparities in educational attainment
women -> increases from 1967 to 2015 by 30%
men -> increases from 17% to 30%
women surpass men in 1990
supply side reasons for gender gap in STEM
belief in cognitive sex differences in ability -> stereotypes
preferences and interests -> socialization
demand side reasons for gender gap in STEM
lack of mentors and role models
chilly climate
having more female STEM teachers in HS lead to more girls majoring in STEM
how do schools socialize
gender socialization, social class socialization
Martin 1998: pre school teachers engaged in hidden curriculum process of molding girls and boys into gendered roles/bodies
hidden curriculum
other components that people learn in school -> how to socialize with peers etc
how schools sort
schools pick the best students and sort them into roles -> tracking
tracking
students placed in different course paths -> racially based
poor, working, black/latino students less likely to be placed in higher tracks
trend of social class inequality in K-12 schools
social class disparity → not closing from ages 3 to 18, schools aren’t leveling the playing fields (gaps haven’t grown either)
