1. Chapter 3: Class & Socioeconomic Status Donna M. Gollnick and Philip C. Chinn Merrill/Prentice Hall (2009) Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition ISBN: 0136154743 Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved. 1

2. 2 Social Class Few variables impact a student’s future more than class. Children from privileged classes have advantages at home (for example, computers, books, and travel) to enhance school success. Those students from privileged homes have access to the best K-12 schools and the best higher education. Social class often determines the types of employment one can obtain. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

3. 3 Class Structure Views One view… One can be socially mobile and can move to higher class with education and hard work. Those not achieving middle class status are inferior. Hardships of low-income groups are due to their lack of middle class values/behaviors. It’s the individual’s fault for not achieving (blaming the victim). Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

4. 4 Class Structure Views Another view… Distinct class divisions include: A privileged upper class who own and control corporations, banks, and so forth. The professional managerial elite who depend not so much on ownership but on manipulation of information and professional expertise. Middle and working classes who make their living selling their labor. Those unable to work or do so sporadically. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

5. 5 Class Mobility The political-economic system ensures that most persons remain in the class to which they are born. There are few persons who are truly socially and economically mobile (for example, professional athletes and coaches, successful entertainers, and movie stars). A college education is the most reliable means for social mobility from low income to middle class or higher. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

6. 6 Family Background Family background is the major determinant of educational and occupational attainment. Individuals born into wealth are likely to achieve wealth. Those born into poverty have difficulty achieving wealth no matter how hard they work. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

7. 7 Inequities in Class Most people in the United Stated receive high or low ranking in the social stratification system on the basis of characteristics over which they have no control. For example, the following groups typically rank lower in prestige: Women Individuals with disabilities The elderly Children, and Individuals of color Members of those groups may be found at all class levels, but relatively few are at top tiers. White males are not guaranteed access to top tiers but achieve top levels at disproportionate rates. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

8. 8 Socioeconomic Status Socioeconomic status (SES), or economic condition, is usually based on three determinants: occupation, education, and income. Two other factors—wealth and power—in determining SES are closely related, but they often are difficult to determine. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

9. 9 Occupational Prestige Occupational prestige is typically determined by the requirements for a job (education and training) and the characteristics of a job. Best predictor of occupational prestige is usually the amount of education acquired. Compensation is usually higher for occupations requiring more education. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

10. 10 Income Income is the total amount of money that one earns or comes to the individual through various sources—one’s job, investments, royalties, rental properties, and so forth. Income and wealth are not synonymous. One can have a high income but little accumulated wealth. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

11. 11 Income Disparities Average total compensation for CEOs of the 365 largest U.S. companies in 2004 was $11.6 million. Among persons earning the minimum wage, average annual income was less than $11,000. Compared to most industrialized countries, the United States has the greatest gap between high and low wages. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

12. 12 Wealth The net worth of a family includes savings accounts, insurance, corporate stock ownership, and property. Twenty percent of all families have zero or negative net worth. The wealthiest 10% of U.S. households have net worth of $1.3 million or more. Wealth provides comfort, security, and often power or access to power. The 255 richest people in the world have a combined wealth equal to the annual income of the poorer half of the world population. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

13. 13 Maintaining Wealth with Education Children of wealthy families typically attend prep schools or better public schools. Wealth provides them with access to better colleges and universities and better preparation for success. Wealth provides access to better graduate or professional schools, ensuring perpetuation of the “better life.” Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

14. 14 Occupation Occupation generally determines income. White-collar workers are those that do office work and typically supervise others. Blue-collar workers are those that typically do manual labor and work under the supervision of others. One’s occupation is generally an indication of one’s education and degree of authority and responsibility over others. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

15. 15 Education Education is viewed as a way to enhance SES. Higher family SES means a greater likelihood of entering and completing college. In 2001, the median income of those with a ninth- grade education or less was $18,990. For those with 4 years of college or more, median income was $55,751. The school one attends may determine access into a profession (the best law firms, for example) and the highest compensation. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

16. 16 Power Those who head large corporations often set the compensation policies that can further their wealth. Those at the highest SES levels often control the policy of the media, and they can support ballot measures and political candidates who benefit their interests. Ninety percent of individuals in families with incomes over $75,000 vote as compared to fifty percent of individuals in families earning less than $15,000. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

17. 17 Unemployed and Homeless Includes the long-term poor as well as those who are temporarily in poverty due to illness or job loss. The hard core unemployed lack skills to secure and/or maintain a job. That group includes those who have given up and are no longer listed on the government’s unemployed lists. They are the last to be hired and the first to be laid off in bad economic times. Families in poverty are disproportionately headed by single mothers, and are also often socially isolated. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

18. 18 The Homeless In the past 20 years the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased dramatically due to poverty a lack of affordable housing domestic violence and/or mental illness, addiction, or estrangement from their families Children from homeless families are those at greatest risk for school failure, and they often face limited educational opportunities. If members of this class can find jobs, they are usually the lowest paying, dirty, and dangerous, and typically lack benefits. Eight million members of this class were unemployed in 2002. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

19. 19 The Homeless and Schooling Between 500,00 and 1.3 million children and youth are homeless during any year. The Mckinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act requires public schools to provide educational rights and protections to homeless children and youth. Schools cannot deny enrollment to homeless students because they lack traditional enrollment paper work. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

20. 20 The Working Class The working class includes those involved in manual labor—service workers, crafts and precision workers, farm workers, operators, and others who work under supervision. Income varies widely. Depending on skill requirements, some jobs may pay more than the lower paying professions. The working class often has less job security. The working class makes up 40% of employed population. Those at low end of pay scale are considered the “working poor.” Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

21. 21 The Middle Class Occupations and incomes vary greatly (between $40,000 and $85,000 in 2004). Some middle-class members have comfortable incomes but little or no wealth, little savings, and no protection against catastrophic occurrences. The middle class includes white-collar workers as well as professionals, managers, and administrators, who have more prestige than white-collar workers. About 37% of all families are considered to be members of the middle class. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

22. 22 The Upper Middle Class This group includes the elite of middle class: judges, lawyers, professionals, managers, and administrators, and perhaps physicians, educators, and scientists. Their professions usually require advanced degrees and credentials. The income of some allows a lifestyle different from blue-collar and white-collar workers. Members of the upper middle class typically play an active role in civic organizations. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

23. 23 The Upper Class The upper class includes two groups: Individuals and families who control inherited wealth High-level administrators, controlling stockholders of major corporations, and professionals. Members can include those who hold prestige positions (rather control than great wealth), including highly paid positions in industry and very high level government positions. Disparities in wealth between this class and members of other classes is a astounding—they earn about 411 times as much as the average worker. They are typically a homogeneous group of well-educated, white, protestant members born in the United States. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

24. 24 Interaction of Class with Race, and Ethnicity, Gender, and Age Poverty is most likely to affect the young, persons of color, women, full-time workers in the lowest paying jobs, and illiterate persons. The poor are a very heterogeneous group. Ten percent of all U.S. families live in poverty. Source: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Federal Register, Vol. 69, No. 30, February 13, 2004, pp. 7336-7338. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

25. 25 Ethnic Groups in Poverty Those in poverty represent the following percentages of ethnic groups: 8% of Whites 23% of African Americans 21% of Latinos 7% Asian Americans Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

26. 26 Characteristics of Those in Poverty They are less likely to have a high school diploma. They typically experience unemployment. They represent a group that has had historical experiences of oppression and discrimination, resulting in limited access and opportunity to higher education and employment. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

27. 27 Gender Inequality Women earn less and are more likely to suffer from poverty than any other group. The reasons for gender inequality are based on institutional discrimination in a patriarchal society, in which women were expected to be mothers and wives, not part of the formal workforce. Yet, seventy-five percent of married women with children are now working outside the home. Jobs held by women, however, are typically low prestige and low-paying. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

28. 28 Gender Discrimination Gender is used to determine (lower) wages for women. (Women on average earn 81% of what men earn for the same job.) Discrimination occurs for women in hiring and job promotions. Yet, there is currently a greater number of women enrolling in higher education and earning advanced degrees than men. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

29. 29 Age Inequities The highest incidences of poverty are among youngest and the oldest population groups. Children suffer from poverty rates higher than others. Many of the elderly receive financial and medical support from the government. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

30. 30 Elderly Many of the elderly have no pension plans and have only Social Security. The amount of Social Security benefits is dependent on income while participating in the plan. Those at low income levels have meager benefits. Some who worked as private domestic workers have not paid into Social Security and have no regular income in advanced years. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

31. 31 Role of Education An education is perhaps the best insurance for having a living income. Schools must do everything possible to help students complete their education and, if possible, seek higher education opportunities. Schools must also teach and instill in students the importance of issues of equity, so they will work toward this end as adults. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

32. 32 Role of Teachers To reverse inequalities, high expectations for all students are critical. Teachers must work to resist classism and subtle and overt discrimination based on external characteristics of students. Instead of blaming individuals, they must also work to understand systemic and social conditions that lead to lower SES for students and families. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

33. 33 Tracking “Tracking” is the practice of assigning students to differential classes or school programs based on intellect or language or ability status. Tracking is typically highly related to social class. A student with a high SES is more likely to be placed in the more advanced track. Tracking perpetuates social and economic inequities. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

34. 34 Equity Curricula Curricula need to represent views and experiences of all students, not just those in power. Schools must work to expand teaching about the types of diversity that exist in schools, in the labor force, and in the country as a whole. They must also teach for democracy, equity, and social justice. Gollnick & Chinn Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society 8th Edition Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.