The Role of Education

• In a nutshell


  Functionalists value education in the respect that it provides necessary functions for the rest of society. Similarly, the New Right determine in order to fulfil such functions, schools should be centred around the consumer and their choices. However, Marxists criticise both Functionalists and the New Right in arguing the education system merely serves the needs of capitalism, by ensuring the failure of working-class pupils. Feminists also reject the education system for producing gender inequalities.
• Functionalism - DURKHEIM


  Durkheim identifies two main functions of education: social solidarity and specialist skills.  The education system helps to create social solidarity by transmitting society's culture from one generation to the next. Schools also act as a ‘society in miniature’ preparing us for life in wider society.
• Functionalism - PARSONS 


  Parsons argues that schools are meritocratic. This is the belief that all pupils have an equal chance to succeed through talent and abilities, irrespective of class, gender, ethnicity etc.

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  Parsons also sees the school as an agent of socialisation, acting as a bridge between the family and wider society.
• Functionalism - DAVIS AND MOORE


  Davis and Moore believe schools perform the function of selecting and allocating pupils to their future work roles by assessing individuals aptitudes and abilities, schools help to match them to the job they are best suited to. 
• Marxism - Althusser


  The education system performs two functions for the ideological state apparatus:

  Reproduction - the education system reproduces class inequality by failing each generation of working-class pupils

  Legitimation - the education system tries to convince people that inequality is inevitable and failure is the fault of the individual, not the capitalist system
• Marxism - BOWLES AND GINTIS


  Schools create the new generations of workers to serve the capitalist system.

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  There is a hidden curriculum in schools (lessons that are 'learned' but not taught), which is used to serve the capitalist system (Eg. pupils accept hierarchy, competition, alienation)

  The functionalist idea of meritocracy is a myth; success is based on class background, not ability or educational achievement.
• Marxism - WILLIS (NEO-MARXISM)


  Pupils can see through the ruling class ideology and resist attempts to indoctrinate it in school.  Male working class pupils formed a distinct counterculture that flouted school rules.
• LIBERAL FEMINISM 


  There has been a steady improvement in girls experience of school and girls achievement.
• RADICAL FEMINISM


  Radical feminists believe that one of the primary roles of education is to maintain gender inequality.

  Gendered Language - school teachers and textbooks use gendered language

  Gendered roles - textbooks present traditional gendered roles (for example, women as housewives)

  Gendered stereotypes - textbooks and teachers tend to stereotypes males and females (for example, girls are presented as more caring)
• The New Right


  The new right believe schools should be centred around competition and choice, this is mainly done through marketisation. By creating an ‘education market’, schools are forced to respond to the needs of teachers, parents and pupils.
• The New Right - CHUBB AND MOE


  State education has failed to create equal opportunity because it does not have to respond to pupil’s needs.

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  Parents and communities cannot do anything about failing schools when the schools are controlled by the state.

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  Private schools deliver higher quality education because they are answerable to paying consumers (parents).
• Functionalists


  View education as one component within a larger whole.
• Marxists


  See education as a tool used by the powerful to exploit the working classes.
• Feminists


  Claim education reinforces patriarchy.