What is the societal function of school?

February 19 notes -- Joe and Lily


We will look at how micro-activities of schooling fit into a macro-functional picture.


The text gives three basic understandings, each with a correspondent research component:



1. Functionalism -- heavy quantitative emphasis

2. Marxism -- blending of quantitative and qualitative

3. Interpretivism -- qualitative/interpretivist research





Different research theories operate from different theories of knowledge (epistemologies).





Functionalism: any societal practice can be understood by what social need it serves and the way in which it serves that need.


A good metaphor would be that society is like an organism. All organisms have to reproduce.


All societies have certain basic needs. How do they work to meet those needs?



2 basic needs emerge, according to functionalism:

1. Role differentiation -- each member has a role; this is needed for a group to maintain its existence.

2. Solidarity -- everyone understands that they are part of a group and "we're all in this together".



There is friction between these two basic needs, so other things have to occur to maintain solidarity.



As society becomes more complex, roles become more specialized; therefore, solidarity becomes more difficult.



According to functionalists, schools serve to differentiate people into roles and bind people together into solidarity. (Class gave examples of role differentiation in the tracking of different students into academic and athletic tracks; and solidarity, which involves grades, standards we have to tach and school spirit)



The family can be understood as a relatively small, simple social unit. They used to be the primary social unit a hundred years ago, when ties to family were always strong and societal ties were always mediated by family (Dr. Pope's example of Pope-Martin Road). This tie becomes weakerthe more complex society becomes. Schools have taken over this. They facilitate and are the transition from role differentiation and solidarity of society. They do this by giving children 4 norms which are necessary for children to internalize for society to function properly:

1. Independence -- being responsible for your actions. You do this by grades, homework, specific tasks and holding him/her responsible for it, doing your own work.

2. Achievement -- how you perform on assessments. Intent and effort don't matter as much; you're judged strictly on results.

3. Universalism -- a set of rules that applies to everyone regardless of anything. Who you are as an individual is not relevant as the group. You are judged based on how you behave as a member or how you deviate from that group.

4. Specificity -- there are legitimate individual exceptions to universalism, such as learning disabilities.



All of these norms are imparted by the implicit curriculum.



In addition to these 4 norms is particularism, which are exceptions made for illegitimate reasons.



In determining legitimate exceptions, it is necessary to determine what is relevant to the societal need, e.g., tall kids should be picked for the basketball team.



Each of those norms relate to equal opportunity because with equal opportunity, roles and rewards of society have to be distributed fairly; based on achievement rather than ascribed characteristics.

As society becomes more complex, we move toward equal opportunity, which is better for society and contributes to solidarity.

Equal opportunity is necessary for political stability, e.g., you are less likely to have discontent if you end up with a low paying job because you were given equal opportunity to achieve. By ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to reach their potential, the more likely society's needs will be met. if the skill set is rare and difficult to achieve, the job comes with more status and reward.

Schools may serve these 3 functions that are essential for modern industrial capitalist society:

1. Assimilation -- groups become indistinguishable from the larger group, e.g., teaching immigrants to become Americans.

2. Political socialization -- recognizing that general government in society is one that should be followed; coming out of family into society. With this comes a widening of loyalty, e.g., student government.

3. Modernization -- the process of moving toward a more rationally planned market economy and the individual internalizing that as normal.

This all leads to capitalism, a liberal government where individual rights are prominent, but overseen by a bureaucracy.

Functionalists believe you will succeed in a modernized industrial state if you have all 3 of these and these are what schools do. Functionalists would believe that Iraq needs all of these.

Functionalists have had significant impact on U.S. schools over the last 50 years, particularly because of their belief in equal opportunity. Schools are the best place to see that students are given opportunity to achieve, but they also provide a sorting function.

Given the commitment to equal opportunity that the functionalistsmandate, how do we deal with inequality? There are 3 explanations:

Historical impediments: lack of opportunity is due to historical impediments that have had a cumulative effect and should be rectified with compensatory programs to enable those who have been disadvantaged to catch up, e.g., Head Start, Affirmation Action. (Liberal position)

Intellectual impediments: certain segments don't perform as well because they are intellectually inferior: therefore, these inequalities can't be overcome. (Conservative positions)

Cultural impediments: certain groups aren't as capable, but its due to their internal group culture which makes members of this group stand at odds with the dominant societal groups, e.g., poor people view money as a commodity for enjoyment, therefore if they get extra money they immediately spent it. The middle class would save it; the upper class would invest it. culture is highly resistant to change. The more schools try to accomodate these cultural differences, the less they can do their job, and regardless, they can't change the culture.