School & Society: Ch. 1 Study Questions

1. In the example of feudal schooling, the hierarchy of feudal society was said to be reflected in the limiting of schooling to a privileged few. Some forms of higher education in U.S. society are also limited to a small portion of the population. To what degree does this reflect, and to what degree does it not reflect, a hierarchical social system in the United States? Explain.

The term "hierarchical" has really been splattered by the Democratic world. Some of this has doubtless been progressive, as in dismantling archaic notions such as the divine right of kings (as opposed to the divine appointment of kings.)

It must be remembered that talent and effort are rewarded in ways that mediocrity and apathy are not. This holds true in both Biblical and practical contexts. Therefore, it is impossible to avoid a system that is at least to some degree "hierarchical". The goal, as Milton Friedman so well put it, is not to make sure that everyone ends at the finish line at the same time, but rather that everyone starts at the starting line at the same time.

It makes precious little sense to spend money on under-performing students in the interest of "equality." Every student should have access to the same assistance and the same incentives: nothing less, nothing more. (Subsidizing outstanding achievement with scholarships and grants is another matter.)

The United States seems to have walked this line about as well as it has been walked, by providing a common, impartial framework and yet recognizing and rewarding performance. Pursuing this balance is foundational in a free and forward society.

2. Aristotle believed that in a democratic society all citizens ought to have the same basic education: one that would equip them to serve as legislators and to obey legislation intelligently. In a nondemocratic society, the basic education would differ among the population, for some would be equipped to rule, others to follow. Judging from your own experience in schools, which of Aristotle's models more resembles American schooling? Explain.

An answer to this question must discuss ideas of schooling, education, and ideology as defined in this chapter.

In the area of schooling, the American system seems almost unilaterally democratic. Aside from the unavoidably arbitrary nature of circumstances, most young people have access to an equal education, especially at the elementary level. Moving on into higher grades, the dynamics mentioned under Question 1 begin to come into play, as individual skills and aptitudes begin to rise to the surface.

Having hardly set foot in a public classroom, it is rather difficult to feel the democratic pulse of education. I will venture that democracy and civil responsibility are intangibles that must be communicated to students and woven into curriculum in such a way that they encourage creative, critical thinking on social issues.

The real issue is ideology, and whether the society sees their government as dynamic and accessible, or static and secluded. Debilitating social trends, (such as rampant lawsuits, the deification of entertainment, or an eroding work ethic,) deteriorate a society's ability to relate to one another intelligently and with purpose.

So I would feel that American schooling used to be more democratic than it currently is, and that society as a whole, and not the education system specifically, is responsible for the lost ground.

3. Given that the Athenian citizen was expected to participate directly (not just through representatives) in forming the laws of the city-state, but that this citizenship excluded women, slaves, and metics, was the Athenian view of democracy less restricted, or more restricted, than our contemporary view? Explain.

For the woman, metic, or slave, it was more restricted, for sure. And it seems political participation should be optional for the citizenry. But on the whole, while restrictive, the system was perhaps more reasonable.

The modern world's democratic experimentation has not been entirely conclusive, especially in large, complex, multi-faceted nations such as The United States. The Bible's unapologetically patriarchal perspective, found in verses such as Isaiah 3:12, seems to indicate that God has designed men, not women, to oversee civil affairs. This pattern continues in the New Testament throughout Paul's teaching on Church matters.

The lottery system used the Athenian democracy is one element that is much less restrictive than American's electoral system, which requires candidates to have or raise huge sums of money for their campaign.

4. Aristotle argued that the primary purpose of education should be to develop human rationality. In your view, how does this compare with the primary purpose(s) of education in U.S. schools today? Defend your view.

It seems that the U.S. considers the primary purpose of education to be employment; and the rest of the world has basically followed suit. Employment is pursued as an end in itself, rather than an incidental benefit of having developed diligence, an ability to learn, and a keen sense for the finer points of communication.

On the whole, raw rationality seems a loftier ideal than job market monomania. In the Biblical view, however, the pursuit of God is paramount, and while education is not incompatible with this end, it should remain subsidiary to it.

5. Choose any single feature of schooling as you have experienced it - its organization, its rules, its processes, its curriculum content - and explain how that feature reflects elements of the ideology and political economy of the larger society.

My education began early, learning to read. The array of subjects broadened quickly, revealing society's conviction that we live in a broad world and that a broad foundation is required to 1) familiarize yourself at least on a basic level with the different branches of knowledge, and 2) determine your specific interests and aptitudes.