Class Differences In Child-Rearing

When people hear the word inequality they think of inequality as a circumstance just involving race, things like being unequal with another person cause of your skin color or cause of your traditions. However, inequality covers many other broad factors one factor other than race being income inequality. In “Inequality Has Been Going on Forever…but That Doesn’t Mean It’s Inevitable.” (The New York Times, 02.05.14), David Leonhardt points out that Income inequality has come to be extremely high, the middle class is shrinking while the rich become richer. This attitude is encouraged by various factors: society, taxation, and how much time has passed. The inequality is said to last for decades.

The way we view each other in terms of finance, education, and family aspects depends on a person’s social class. Students from lower backgrounds usually experience difficulty in the educational system. The educational standards of their family’s life differ from those in the higher classes because teachers teach according to the student. Meaning, not only does having a particular social class already separate you in terms of the educational system, but it also determines how and what you learn. From personal experience I’ve learned how to see from the perspective of a student who is of a lower social class than majority of his peers and teachers. Over the course of grammar and middle school, I’ve notice that there are things that students and teachers find relatable and have in common. I faintly but truly remember math word problems involving things like video games, devices, and other toys that I couldn’t afford most of the time. That separated me from the connection shared from teacher to student on a mental level. Many people perceive that people in higher social classes are more educated than those in lower social classes just because of their social status. That perception is usually made by people of a higher social class. Which of course is illogical

Working-class and poor parents are in constant strife to satisfy the basic needs of their families and in most cases, are socially considered low in status. Thus the construct of social classes, being built on the notion of status, places such families in positions where they have almost no bargaining power over issues. In a world where one’s words are mostly measured by their worth - in this case, status- it is easy to see how social class positions will influence the engagement in the usage of resources. I do see also, that the sense of entitlement established in families from different social classes is directly proportional to their ranks in these social classes. That is, the higher the social class, the bigger the sense of entitlement. In that, I think Ms. Driver shows typical signs of inherent inferiority complex that grows on most people from working-class or poor families as a result of the low sense of entitlement established in them. This shapes how these families take advantage of the resources around them as well as interact with institutions that require that they show more assertiveness (which, to me, translates as exhibiting signs of higher entitlement - something attributed to the higher social classes). That being said, I think the author makes a salient point in stressing on the influence of social class on the views, the distribution of and engagement with economic and educational

Lower-class families frequently do not have the educational background to equip their children with the needed social skills to pursue success. He states, “his mother permits that casual incivility because she wants him to learn to assert himself with people in positions of authority… this kind of interaction simply doesn’t happen with lower class children (106-107)”. Wealthy and middle class parents are more often able to introduce social and analytical skills into their child’s life, which cannot be learned in a classroom. This enables the skill to interact with authority figure capable of making unintended opportunities occur. In the school environment social classes are irrelevant because they are all presented with the same education that allows them to learn at the same pace. Gladwell comments that when the educational environments change, “virtually all of the advantages that wealthy students have over poor students are the result of differences in the way privileged kids learn while they are not in school (258)”. The wealthy students are able to indulge in extra curricular activities, books, programs that enable them to advance their knowledge. This opportunity and support is rarely presented to the lower-class families, because parents have a harder time paying for programs and activities, providing educational support, as well as providing time while they are

In James W. Loewen’s “The Land of Opportunity,” he states that social class affects the way children are raised. He discusses the inequality in today’s society and how the textbooks in high school do not give any social class information. The students in today’s time are not taught everything they should be taught. He states that your family’s wealth is what makes up your future. Loewen discusses that people with more money can study for the SATs more productively and get a better score than someone who has less money.

The prevalence of poverty in the city of Baltimore is not only based on location,but the education, race and dynamics of the family. According to the Maryland Alliance For The Poor (MAP) “25.2 percent of people in Baltimore City live below the poverty line - $23,492 for a family of four – in 2012.” and “The median income for households in Baltimore City is $39,788. Baltimore City, has one of the largest participation in free and reduced lunch along with the second highest unemployment rate in the state of Maryland. In addition, when it comes to food benefits Baltimore is one of top cities that receive food benefits. Baltimore, was one of the cities that benefited from the booming steel industry between the years 1950-1995. When the steel

The study focuses on children coming from either the Lower Richmond School or Swan School. Lower Richmond School is an urban city elementary school, mainly attended by poor or working-class children. While many parents have positive views of this school, they are constantly low on supplies and even teachers, with the lower salaries than suburban schools leading to classes often being run by substitutes. This makes it harder for these children to get the education they need. Swan School, located in the suburbs, is mainly attended by middle-class children. Unlike Lower Richmond, Swan does well financially, with no shortages of teachers or supplies. Compared to Swan, Lower Richmond cannot afford to give their students as much as they would like to increase their chance of even finishing high school, much less college.(Lareau, 2011) This shows that middle-class schools are more likely to have students finish their education and go on to have better jobs, while poor and working-class schools have students who are more likely to stay confined to their social classes. While most of the children from the study who went to Swan, such as Garrett Tallinger, went to college and looked to have bright futures, none of the children in the study who went to Lower Richmond went to college, although Tyrec Taylor took four courses at a community college. Some children, such as Katie Brindle and Billy Yanelli, dropped out of high school.(Lareau, 2011) This shows just how much your social class affects your

They understand the sacrifices their parents have made for their children and to support their family. But, upper classmen might not be able to understand why inequality causes consequences because they do not experience the same situations. Those who earn more do not need to work more hours and sacrifice little things, such as vacations, in order for their children to go to school. They may not even notice any changes to their lives because they make more than enough to live stress-free, while low income families spend most of their time struggling to make ends meet. Although this essay was written about 11 years ago, I believe it is still just as effective as when it was first written because the economy is constantly changing and always leads to consequences because of the inequality present in society. As a whole, this essay was effective for social justice in accordance to my personal experiences but, it might not have the same effect on those who have not experienced what Collins talked

Paul Krugman, an economics professor at Princeton, writes “Confronting Inequality” chapter 7 in his book. Equality in America is what makes America, what it stands for. Social and economic inequality still is a part of everyday life in America. Education is making parents struggle because they want to give them a good education; but also, health care for those who need it. Middle-class starts to scramble more every day while the high-class gets more prosperous. Inequality in America is creating trouble to the lives of Americans.

When Plato wrote the Myth of Metals in the timeless classic The Republic, it was used to describe citizens of Kallipolis, a fictional utopia. As the myth follows, the citizens of Kallipolis are descendants from the same god. While this higher being was forming these individuals, he instilled within each of their souls different metals. Gold for those capable of ruling, silver for the guardians, and iron and bronze for the farmers and craftsmen. Socrates presents this myth in order to demonstrate how lying is beneficial to the rule of the state. It is clear to contemporary readers that the citizens of Kallipolis are not truly equal, the same statement can be said of the citizens of the United States. The Myth of Metals seems to persist in ways that are not as fanciful as describe in The Republic, but through social stratification.

Income inequality might be the biggest problem our new president will face. There are many reasons why it’s a problem in America. Income is a difference in opportunity chances if you have more money you have a better chance of getting a better job. Examples of income is are food drives in schools some people with income have trouble going to places like school, job, or stores when needed. There are many more problems than this. Income inequality is still a problem in America, but there are ways to fight against it.

The American economic system can be defined by a baseball metaphor. The wealthy would begin the game at third base ready to rush home with a decent hit. The second and first base are filled with the middle class, far from the home plate, but still within reach. Finally, the lower class is stuck on the benches waiting for their chance to hit. There is no guarantee that the poor will cross the home plate. Although Poverty in the U.S. is minor compared to countries like Niger, Haiti, Yemen, and many more, 14.5% of our population is still living under the poverty line. This might be a small number against other countries, but compared to our immense economy, 48 million Americans under poverty is an enormous number. Within the 48 million, 22% (16 million) are children

Economic inequality is the uneven distribution of wealth and differences in economic security found in each individual in a specific country or region. Today, the topic is being discussed profusely by the American presidential candidates and by many writers around the world because of the beliefs of whether there should or should not be wealth redistribution policies put into action. Larry Schwartz, the author of “35 Soul-Crushing Facts about American Income Inequality”, makes a valid claim that economic inequality is the foundation of the problems that the entire American population face such as poverty and a hindrance of economic growth.

The essay Inequality Undermines Democracy by Eduardo Porter discusses the income gap in today’s world. The first main point Porter describes how Americans are not concerned with the income gap even though it is wider than other developed countries. The United States government has expressed little concern over this issue as well since they have done little to anything to restrain the trend. I believe this has caused opportunities across classes to shrink and the middle class does not exist anymore. I would consider my family a working middle class and I hear my family talking about how the middle class has diminished and it is either the rich or the poor. This has made it very difficult on my family because all of their hard work is not being accounted for. Most importantly, I believe there is not a change or a movement in regards to the income gap because the

This journal article illustrates that many countries have enormous disparities in health. To accomplish advancements in health systems, it is essential to strive to eradicate major fatal diseases and to manage poverty. Life expectancies are considered on a global level concerning age, sex, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, region as well as the level of education, resulting in alarming statistical data. The objective for enhanced health systems incorporates decreasing the rates of morality. The social gradient greatly contributes to social inequalities around the world. Social conditions, for example, the environment in