Social class structures and inequalities

¶ … Education system a "ladder of opportunity" or does it simply reflect, reinforce and reproduce existing class differences?

The education system in Britain currently exists as a hierarchical system enabling class differences to continue to persist despite some policy changes that would help facilitate a more equitable program for all involved. Is the educational system a ladder of opportunity? A ladder of opportunity should be considered something that facilitates achievement for all individuals irrespective of their race, national origin or social class. Many consider the educational system a "ladder of opportunity" because education can facilitate achievement and professional growth and wealth for those that pursue it to its highest levels. However, within the UK the education system is not equitably accessible to all levels of the population, and because of this the system actually reinforces and perpetuates existing class differences that already exist within the country.

Within the UK the educational system particularly higher education caters to the upper echelon of society, those individuals who are able to afford a higher education. Because members of high society are able to acquire higher education, they are also afforded better opportunities, better jobs and more wealth throughout their life. It is this cycle that the educational system currently provides for.

Analysis

There is a large body of evidence available in the literature that supports the supposition that education within Britain is not a ladder of opportunity but rather a hierarchical establishment. Research supporting this is discussed below.

Paterson (2001) discusses the relationship between social class inequality and education in the UK, noting that the subject of social class and education have persisted as a hot topic among politicians and academians since the late 1990s. Further Paterson acknowledges that class distinctions currently influence an individual's likelihood of receiving a quality education and subsequent opportunities within British society.

Paterson suggests that the government with Britain claims that social inequalities with regard to access to education act as "an affront to the principles of social justice" and suggest that all members of society should be able to secure access to education that is "suitable to their needs and aspirations" (Paterson, 2001). He also notes however that working class citizens may not be perceived as having the same needs and aspirations of other members of society, and this is where the opportunity for inequalities lies and the cycle of inequality continues.

Social circumstances have been consistently identified that act as barriers to individuals ability to acquire a higher education within the UK (Paterson, 2001). There is a marked difference in the rate of progression to higher education between varying social groups within the UK as noted by the Labour Party's English education manifesto in 2001 (Paterson, 2001). Specifically, the following was noted: "three quarters of the children of professional parents go to university but barely one in six children of parents of manual occupations do so" (Labour Party, 2001, p. 25; from Paterson, 2001).

Morley (1997) notes that the educational system is currently set up within the United Kingdom under the "guise of a politically neutral system," however in reality the system represents a range of values which at best "confirm and reinforce the established social order of wealth and privileges" (p. 234). His comments suggest that the system is not neutral at all but represents the best interests of those in society that are already enjoying wealth and privilege. The system thus reinforces the ideals of social class inequality rather than equality.

Many researchers have in fact criticized the role the market economy has on education, and suggests that economic factors unduly influence and perpetuate inequalities that are necessary side effects of a market system (Hayton & Leathwood, 2002).

Marginson (1994) comments that any type of market exchange will lead to inequality, thus inequality is a necessary condition of an educational market (p. 4). Education should not be considered a commodity or a market if it is to succeed at providing opportunity to one and all alike. Rather it should be seen as a not for profit establishment with the intent of providing equitable opportunities for all involved rather than an elite few.

Hayton & Leathwood (2002) further lament the current state of affairs with regard to the educational status of the citizens of the United Kingdom, noting that the education system in Britain has long been seen "both to reflect and reproduce inequalities" noting that the New Labour policies are more likely to reinforce rather than reduce educational inequalities and class distinctions within Britain (138).

Secondary and higher education within Britain are generally considered very exclusive, available to those within the citizenry that are able to afford the luxury of such education. Educational opportunities are achievements are generally considered lacking among working class children and young people, and these opportunities are reflected according to some in "a range of government policy initiatives over the last century" (Hayton & Leathwood, 2002).

In particular, there have been movements to provide secondary education for all citizens to enable working class children to attend school. These are positive steps in the right direction, albeit not comprehensive by far. More emphasis needs be placed on also recruiting working class children to attend Universities before the inequality that has been established can be obliterated (Hayton & Leathwood, 2002).

Hayton & Leathwood further cite a report published by the Treasury in 1999 which stated that "over the last twenty years not only has the gap between the richest and poorest increased, but the amount of movement between the income groups has been limited" (Hayton & Leathwood, 2002; cited in Ball, Maguire & Macrae, 2000). This gap may be attributed to other factors, but by and large one may conclude that the educational system is at least partly to blame, as it allows the rich to acquire better education and better jobs time and time again.

Conclusions/Recommendations

In Britain educational opportunities and achievements are thought to represent ones class, ethnicity and gender, with minorities generally achieving less than their more well off white counterparts in the country (Hayton & Leathwood, 2002). The educational system as it currently exists does not act as a "ladder of opportunity" but rather serves to perpetuate and exacerbate the inequalities that already exist within British society. Much reform is needed from the world of academia and the government before true change can be realized.

At this time the government on the surface may acknowledge that inequalities exist, and some policy changes have been recommended to help alleviate the current social gap that exists with regard to education (Hayton & Leathwood, 2002). However, more need be done before the gap truly narrows. For one, working class children have to be encouraged to raise their aspirations, so that they seek out educational opportunities that might be afforded to them through government policies.

There has been some discourse of a more merit-based system, but this will only benefit working class children if they have the desire infused in them to seek out higher education (Hayton & Leathwood, 2002). While this desire is prevalent among the upper echelon of society, it is not necessarily infused to all people of all classes at the same level.