Explanations of Educational

Inequality
Chapter 9
Conflicting Theories of
Educational Inequality
Functionalist vision of meritorcratic selection
of the best and brightest regardless of family
backgroundschooling produces unequal
results based on individual differences and
unequal educational opportunities
Must insure the elimination of structural
barriers to educational success and provide
all groups a fair chance to compete in the
educational marketplace
Conflicting Theories of
Educational Inequality
See the role of schooling to reproduce
rather than eliminate inequality, that
educational outcomes are largely based
on family background is consistent with
Conflict Theory
Concerned with both equality of
opportunity and equality of results or at
least significantly reduce differences
Interactionist Theory
One must understand the interaction of
families and schools in order to understand
the factors explaining academic success and
failure
Functionalists tend to favor out of school
explanations, conflict theorists tend to favor
in-school explanations
Multidimensional approach: societal,
institutional, interactional, intrapsychic
variables
Student-Centered
Explanations
Economic disadvantaged children attend
inferior schoolsbutresearch suggests there
are far more significant differences in
academic performance among students in the
same school than among students in different
schools
Coleman Report suggested factors of
difference has more to do with the students
themselves, their families, culture, makeup
Genetic Differences
The genetic or biological argument is the
most controversial
Arthur Jensen (1969) argued that unequal
performance due to genetic differences in
intelligence
Preponderance of research suggests that the
most significant factor affecting intelligence is
social
The Bell Curve (1994) Herrnstein and Murray
made a similar argument
Cultural Deprivation Theories
Argued that students came to school
without the requisite intellectual and
social skills necessary for school success
Working class and nonwhite families
seen as lacking the cultural resources,
having a deprived culture and
inappropriate values for success
Project Head Start based on this theory
Cultural Difference Theories
Attribute cultural differences to social forces
such as poverty, racism, discrimination and
unequal life chances
Tension between standard English required
for school success and slang-English
Linguistic codes are at the heart of unequal
power relations
Subordinate groups often see little reason to
embrace the culture of schoolinglabor
market barriers exist regardless of schooling
School-Centered Explanations
School financinggenerally vast
differences between districts
Inequality of funding not a moral issue
alone but also a political issuedoes the
political will exist to close the monetary
gaps between schools
Effective School Research
A climate of high expectations
Strong and effective leadership
Accountability processes
Monitoring of student learning
A high degree of time on task
Flexibility to experiment and try new
things
Between-School Differences
School climateauthoritarian or more
student-centered
Different school environments allow
students to dream different dreams,
different life expectations
Within-School Differences
Curriculum and Ability Grouping
Functionalist perspectivetracking is valuable
tool if it is fair and meritocratic
Conflict theorists see tracking based on
ascriptive characteristics reproducing
inequalities
Tracking has a significant effect on
educational attainment at both elementary
and secondary levels.
Gender and Schooling
Second wave of feminism began in 1960s and
challenged the view that biology is
destinydifferences between men and
women more cultural than biological
Gilligan sees women as valuing
connectedness and caring rather than
Kohlbergs justice orientationdifferent not
less thanschools tend to reinforce
stereotypes through hidden curriculum