Answer to Question 1
Educational opportunities and life chances are directly linked. Some functionalist
theorists view education as the elevator to social mobility. Improvements in the
educational achievement levels (measured in number of years of school completed) of
the poor, people of color, and white women have been cited as evidence that students'
abilities are now more important than their class, race, or gender. From this
perspective, inequality in education is declining and students have an opportunity to
achieve upward mobility through achievements at school. Functionalists generally see
the education system as flexible, allowing most students the opportunity to attend
college if they apply themselves to their studies. In contrast, most conflict theorists
stress that schools are agencies for reproducing the capitalist class system and
perpetuating inequality in society. From this perspective, education perpetuates
poverty. Parents with limited income are not able to provide the same educational
opportunities for their children as are families with greater financial resources. Today,
great disparities exist in the distribution of educational resources. Because funding for
education primarily comes from local property taxes, school districts in suburban areas
generally pay higher teachers' salaries, have newer buildings, and provide state-of-the-
art equipment. By contrast, schools in poorer areas have a limited funding base.
Answer to Question 2
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In the 1800s, most people were poor, and formal education beyond the first several grades was a ...
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When parents actively support higher education, their children achieve more in their future careers.
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