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The Affect Social Class has on Education Abigail E Brushwood Eastern Michigan University WRTG121-11064: Comp II Tony Spicer October 4, 2023

The Affect Social Class has on Education Written in the equal protection clause of the 14th^ amendment is that if a state establishes a public district, no child shall be denied equal access to schooling. Where a child may go to school, the support they may have throughout their schooling, and the quality of education they receive, stems from which social class they fall under. The term “social class” is used to refer to group members based on similar socioeconomic status. There are three social classes. Upper class, middle class, and lower class. Upper class being individuals who are considered professionals, have a graduate degree, and make $70,000 plus per year. Anyone who makes between $32,000-$70,000 is considered middle class. And anything below would be considered working/lower class. There are lot of factors that play into how social class affects education. Location of a school, level of education received, opportunities in a school or district, crime rates, poverty, teacher-to-student ratio, safety. Here, we will examine how parenting within different social classes plays a role in a child's education and how social class affects their academic performance. It is thought that there is a relationship between social class and education. But how exactly does social class affect a student's education? Parenting in the Different Social Classes Parents play a significant role in their child's education. Children learn to mimic the behavior of those who are around them. They are constantly learning, processing, and repeating newly acquired information and it starts with whatever is in front of them. So, when it comes to watching the people around you, parents tend to be the figures to watch. And although children eventually learn from professional teachers, parents are the children's first teacher for the first couple years of their life. While most academic learning takes place in the classroom, there is a substantial portion that takes place at home. As a parent you are to encourage development and fundamental skills to help your child succeed. Without the additional encouragement, skills go unpracticed which lead to slower processing time. There is a lack of efficiency that follows, which is when children fall behind. Understandably, not every

Academic Achievement Students strive to achieve what is the highest academic standard. But what society has created is a never-ending, impossible to achieve, picture of the expected route of education. So, what even is a high academic standard? In society's mind, if you do not go to college, you do not deserve a respectable job. If you go to college, you must go back for a second degree because why would you stop after your first degree? This is where we see the respectable social classes play a role in the game of education. As said in the Journal of Social Issues, “over three-quarters of well-off young adults go straight from high school to college, compared with half of poor youth. Well-off students are also more likely to go to a four-year rather than a two-year college” (Hochschild, 2003). What we see here is a correlation between social class and the level of education students receive. Students who are considered “well off” would fall under the upper class. Meaning, students who are a part of the upper class are more likely to go to college right from high school, but also attend a four-year college as opposed to a two-year college. Only half of the poor youth, or middle/lower class are expected to make it to college directly after high school. But before students have the opportunity to go to college, they must make it through their primary and secondary education. This means they must actively engage in their learning material. There is no student who can be pointed to as a blueprint. So how do educators know when what they are teaching is being absorbed and processed? Well, most students will engage in their education and speak up when certain information is not completely comprehended. However, research has shown that “middle-class students use middle-class help-seeking strategies when interacting with teachers, seeking help with more ease” (Johnson, 2022). Upper- and middle-class students are more likely to get help from teachers than lower class students. This positively benefits students' academics because of the additional help they will receive. In response to seeking help, teachers are more likely to have a positive response rather than if a student were to ask after a poor academic performance. Teachers will also respond more favorably to students in the future than to their working and lower- classmates. While the

outcome of teachers providing help seeking resources is not based off what social class a student falls under, there is a correlation between what students ask for help and social class. Quality of Schooling A good education stems from a superior quality curriculum written by a school district. What is considered a good school is a school that can provide students with the education they need to achieve more past secondary education. To have a high functioning, superior quality school, a large amount of money is often required. Unfortunately, not every school has access to lots of money, meaning they are short stocked. Learning materials are often what schools who struggle to bring up money are lightly supplied with. Meaning, students miss out on academic opportunities that they might get if they had the correct resources. In situations like these it is beneficial to attend a school who has the money and resources for great learning materials and opportunities. Most of these schools are considered upper/middle class. While underfunded and underprivileged schools are more likely considered lower class. It was said that “The school systems in low-SES [socioeconomic status] communities are often under resourced, negatively affecting students’ academic progress and outcomes” (American Psychological Association, 2017). Therefore, students in lower class will receive a lower quality of education which could further affect their plans in life. Without a good base of education, students have trouble creating pathways for their future. Whether that is getting a further education in college or finding a place to work. Students who come from a higher social class have a better chance at completing secondary education. Support, encouragement, and guidance are the topmost reasons why students continue to excel in academics. The lack of resources when students feel stuck in their education is very prevalent in poorly funded schools. Mental health levels have also seen a drop in schools with inadequate funding. However, there are exceptions. Not even every upper-class school has outstanding mental health levels. It is not common for high school students to drop out before they finish their high school degree. Most

References American Psychological Association. (2017). Education and Socioeconomic Status. https://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/education. Hochschild, J. L. (2003). Social Class in Public School. Journal of Social Issues. Pages 821-840. https://scholar.harvard.edu/jlhochschild/publications/social-class-public-schools. Johnson, A. M. (2022) Collaborating in Class: Social Class Context and Peer Help-Seeking and Help- Giving in Elite Engineering School. American Sociological Review. Pages 981- 1006. https://doi.org/10.1177/00031224221130506. Manstead, A. S. (2018). The Psychology of Social Class: How Socioeconomic Status Impacts Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior. Social Psychology. Pages 267-291. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso. Potter, D. (2013). Accumulating Advantages Over Time: Family Experiences and Social Class Inequality in Academic Achievement. Social Science Research. Pages 1018-1032. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049089X13000513.