Education serves an important role in our society. It is a socializing influence, it provides educational foundation for career oppurtunties and at a micro level it allows many parents to work and provides oppurtunities for many children to eat.

Unfortunately, education, like many other things is not equal across the board in the U.S.. Because most school districts are funded by local property taxes, some schools recieve significantly more funding than others, giving indivduals in areas who already have advantages even more advantages by allowing them updated textbooks, access to current technology, fewer students in the classroom per teacher, accomodations for disabilities and greater extra-curriculor activities.

This has long-reaching affects. Here is one example: the new rules for HOPE scholarship in Georgia for incoming freshman will require that students must complete a minimum number of AP courses to qualify for HOPE but did you know that many inner-city highschools do not offer AP courses due to lack of teacher funding? So not only do they miss out on the oppurtunity to take AP courses but, those students who are most likely to need college funding may be restricted from its use due to their lack of access.

The student population living in poorer urban areas are largely made up by Black and Latino/a Americans. As a result, they are much less likely to have equal educational oppurtunities and less access to higher education.

Based on what you read in your text, what are your thoughts on the fact that these inequalties exist and what solutions can you propose? Why does the educational system appear to be failing minorities and low income indivduals?

How do you think the Jane Elliot study from your text translates to todays educational system?