Schooling and the Reproduction of Inequality: Part II

General Point: Whereas the “meritocratic thesis” proposes sorting decisions in school are based on achievement, race, class, gender, physical condition still matter

The Uneven Distribution of Educational Resources:

External to Schools • State and federal policies

– The [unintended] effects of neighborhood schools, tax structure (Anyon; Bowles & Gintis)

• Community Issues– “White Flight” response to desegregation policies– Legacy admissions: 1 in 4 vs. 1 in 8 at Stanford

Differential Distribution of Resources in Schools: Teachers

• Staffing Policies based on seniority

• Alternatives?– Incentives?

Differential Distribution of Qualified Teachers

Differential Distribution of Teaching Materials in Schools

Differential Distribution of Resources in Schools: Courses

• AP Courses in SDCS

• As of 1998• Research Question:

Any Change since 1998???

• Hi Income High Schools (La Jolla, Scripps, Pt Loma): Average: 24.5

Lo Income H.S.: (Hoover, Crawford, Lincoln)

Average: 6

Slide 1

Reproducing Inequality: TrackingProducing Equality: Contest Mobility System

Tracking and Contest Mobility Compared

Differential Access to Resources by Students

Reproducing Inequality: Tracking

Tracking

Counseling-Erickson: “gatekeeping”-Cookson & Percell: “preparation for power”-McDonough: privatecounselors

Track Placement by SES: National Data

28.3

48.8

65.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Percent Enrolled

Low Medium High

Socio-Economic Status

Track Placement by Race/Ethnicity: National

05

1015202530354045

Percent Enrolled

Asian-Am. Latino AfricanAmer.

White

Race/EthnicitySource: USDOE; Ed Trust, 1998

Access to College Prep Courses: San Diego

41

32

2623

1215

21

28

05

1015202530354045

%

White Asian-Amer.

AfricanAm.

Latino

Race/Ethnicity

Algebra Students%in District

Source: CBEDS: Oct 1997

Differential Access to Resources by Students: Classrooms

• Ability Grouping

Middle AbilityGroup

Low AbilityGroup

High AbilityGroup•Differential treatment

(self fulfilling prophecy)•GATE

Differential Access to Resources by Students: Classrooms

• Relations of Authority in Work are Recapitulated in School (Bowles & Gintis “correspondence principle”)– School recapitulates the factory– Individualism & competition from turns at

talk to PhD/LD/MD– Regimentation of time and space

Our schools, are in a sense, factories, in which raw products (children)

are to be shaped and fashioned into products to meet the demands of life.

The specifications for manufacturing came from the demands

of 20th century civilization, and it is the business of the school

to build its pupils according to the specifications laid down

(Cubberly, 1916: 338).

Differential Socialization in the Classroom: Wilcox

• Discipline and Control Messages:– Middle SES

students: • internal control

messages• Future orientation• [show gender tape--

kids in rug]

• “Our 15 minutes are up. Have you used them wisely?

• “Will this misbehavior help you become a better reader?”

• “that’s really being an independent reader”

Differential Socialization in the Classroom: Wilcox

• Low SES students:– External control

messages– Focus on orderly

work habits: • timeliness, • conformity,• docility

• “You can’t get a rat out until I say so”

• “No playing ball in the hall because I said so”

• “No running in the room”

• “No fighting”

Summary Schooling contributes to the

reproduction of inequality, perpetuates stratification

• Schools sort--on merit (achievement), but ascription (race/ethnicity, class, gender) still matters

• Achievement Ideology--used by less powerful to blame themselves for their own failures

• School as vehicle for mobility--for elites more than lower income families and their students