An Analysis of Social Stratification Within American Schools

Conflict theorists believe that schools reproduce social stratification. Use the “Tale of Two Schools” virtual fieldwork assignment and explain how the two-featured schools refute or support that view.

Social stratification is a universal system that affects the way people think, behave and view themselves. Within societies there are multiple ways of stratifying, such as race, gender, age, or social class. Often, social stratification is reproduced through the media and even through our families. Schools are another way in which social stratifications are reproduced. In a fieldwork assignment “Tale of Two Schools “social stratification is highlighted by the different aspects of each of the schools. These schools show a huge theme within our society that we try to keep the underprivileged down and keep the privileged rising.

The first school observed in this fieldwork was School A. In the first two pictures the school has Autumnal decorations in the back of the school and had decorated portables. The decorations on and around the school show that it is a norm for the students to be involved in maintaining a nice school. This shows administrators and faculty instill values of involvement, student activity, and appearance to their students. School B entrance is plain, showing no value of student creativity, the parking lot is unsafe with wood lying around and potholes, and has trash on the steps and trash along the front of the school. Littering is a norm at the school and therefore students do not value care for their environment like students in School A would.

School A’s campus has signs saying, “Smoke Free Campus “ and “Limit of one hour per week when others are waiting: Doubles play encouraged.” The school has lots of activities available for the community, including tennis courts where women are playing, playground, basketball court, hopscotch, park with benches, log jump, soccer field, and a sit-up platform. The signs on the campus use neutral language opposed to the signs at School B that use demanding language like, “Positively No Smoking”, “No Softball or Handball activity “, “We Earn Money When you Recycle Here”, and there is a handicap sign pointing to where disabled people need to go, which would stimulate deviant behavior in people. School A also promotes and values activities. School B has options to be active, but they are not appealing. School A also values inclusion amougst everyone no matter gender age, or ability status, which can be seen through the sign welcoming all people and the ASL alphabet board. School B lacks inclusion between different groups.

School A has an outdoor classroom are, water fountains and a station where you can learn. By having open areas for the student they feel like the are in an inviting and safe environment and not like prisoners like in school B were they are caged in while they play. School B also has graffiti on walls saying R.I.P., which makes it seem that the environment they grow up in is unsafe and would turn students off from coming to school to seek safety. Both of these schools are promoting different messages their students. School A is sending a message to their students that they matter and that they have the ability to achieve high statuses in society. School B sends the message to their students that they are not as important to society and they will only be a product of the school. Students from these school would use the looking glass self as a way to judge their self worth, which would either encourage them to great. This is one way how schools reinforce social stratifications.

The main reason why social stratification is reinforced through schools is primarily due to intersection theory. School A is a predominately white school located in suburban Baltimore County. The students from this school come from a decent location and most likely are apart of a nuclear family and are middle class. The student’s from School A are majority white of a high social class/status that they achieved from their parents. The parents at this school are satisfied with the school because it is strong academically due to the teachers with high education. Also attendance and suspension rates at the school are very low. School B is the exact opposite being located in urban Baltimore city with a predominantly black student population. The school has teachers that are new and are only there to start their careers, parents are dissatisfied with the school, and suspension rates are high and student attendance is low. Race, social status, income, family structure, and geography all come into play to reinforce social stratification in school. Whites and Asian are more likely to attend better schools than Blacks, Hispanics or Native Americans because they most likely live in nicer areas. They live in nicer areas because they live in two parent income earning home and many blacks come from single parent homes, often the mother, which means they’re mostly low income and have less opportunities to education and work according to the feminization of poverty and the child often will reflect the same status as their parents. All of these factors combined create a mentally within these students one saying you can achieve great while having the resources and the other kids have the opposite. Therefore, by looking at schools we see that social stratification is reinforced by keeping resources to achieving high statuses in society to the privileged and giving little to no help to the underprviled

II. Everyone must answer this question: How has your sociological imagination changed over the semester? What concepts will stick with you as you move forward? Why are they important/what do they help you to understand? (8 points)

Over this semester I have been opened to a new way of thinking about how we connect to each other and how our society functions. I learned that sociology is not just the study of society, but how people interact with each other. My sociological imagination has also changed in the way I view people’s customs and views on different opinions. Although, I may not agree with others opinions, I know there is always a cultural reason behind their behavior.

The two concepts that will stick with me are gradual escalation and intersection. Gradual escalation will stick with me because I find it interesting how far people will go when they have power over others. I also enjoyed learning about the Stanford Prison Project and seeing how people that normally would not act in an evil way gradually perform cruel acts. I also find it interesting how people will conform to the power of a person. I will remember intersection theory because I can relate to the most because I’m an African American female of the low middle class. I think it is interesting how I would have many disadvantages, but I was able to overcome the disadvantages of my statuses.

These two concepts are very important when it comes to society. Gradual escalation applies to all types of leaderships. For example many cult leaders may often have good intentions, but as they see how they have power and can control peoples way of thinking they abuse that power and use it for bad things. This concept can be applied to how management works, dictatorships, etc. Intersection theory can be applied to how every thing works in our society because of social stratification is created by thing such as race, gender, and social class. Intersection theory is a huge part of how our society works and dictates who twill is privileged or not.

Professor Greenburg,

I really enjoyed your class this semester and hope to take other classes in sociology. I would also like if next semester I will be able to talk to you about what you do, since I did not get a chance to this semester. Hope you have a great break. And thank you for the extension.