Answer to Question #293943 in Sociology for Ibtisam

Question

Thinking of your school, what are some ways that a conflict theorist would say that your school perpetuates class differences?

Answer 1

According to conflict theorists, educational institutions do not improve social inequality. Rather, they claim that education exacerbates and reinforces social injustices resulting from differences in class, gender, race, and ethnicity. Conflict theorists consider education as having a negative influence, whereas functionalists see it as having a good impact. They argue that educational systems perpetuate the status quo by pushing people of lower social status to obey. Education performance is strongly linked to one's socioeconomic class. Regardless of their academic ability or willingness to learn, students from low socioeconomic origins are rarely afforded the same opportunities as students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.