Chapter 4: Broken Promises Bowles and Gintis

1. Chapter 4:Broken PromisesBowles and Gintis

2. Current Approaches • Liberal Reformers: integrative function egalitarian function developmental function • Functionalist (underlying assumption: meritocracy): most qualified fill occupational positions equal opportunity independent of race,class/gender inequality  human differences

3. Education  the Great Equalizer • Solutions  change people, not the system • Data consistently demonstrate major predictor of level and type of education  parental SES • Parents w/ HS education  children attend community college • Equal test scores  High SES parents  children achieve higher levels of education • Top 25% of high ability students  high SES 2X as likely to attend college • Cause  differentiation of resources in school/home  roots of inequality outside of the education system

4. Student Assessment • Student performance based on conformity independent of ability: Natl Merit Scholarship Finalist Study (top 10%) Personality variables significant difference  teacher ratings: “citizenship/desire to achieve” • School reward docility/obedience penalizes creativity/ spontaneity • Not conducive to personal growth

5. Education a Capitalist Enterprise • Education dictated by business (corporate) interests  notions of “efficient management” Teacher becomes a “simple” worker vs. Professional  student as object (tests) • Function of capitalist privilege and authority  i.e. business values and social relationships

6. Conclusion • Schools  hostile to needs of personal development • Historical trajectory counter to notions equality of opportunity • Schools reproduce economic inequality via an alienated and stratified labor force • Capitalist system shaped Educational system