Social Inequality and American Education

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Many have claimed that the American educational system is the "great equalizer among men." In other words, the educational system gives everyone a chance to prosper in American society regardless of each person's social origins. In this course, we explore the validity of this claim. Do schools help make American society more equal by reducing the importance of class, race, and gender as sources of inequality, or do schools simply reinforce existing inequalities and reproduce pre-existing social relations? Topics covered include unequal resources among schools, sorting practices of students within schools, parents' roles in determining student outcomes, the role of schooling in determining labor market outcomes for individuals, and the use of educational programs as a remedy for poverty. This is an education-focused course.