Carolina Molina

SOCI 1301-Fall 2016

Professor Johnson
Mon/Wed 12:00-2:00 pm

Social Stratification and the Inequality of Education in the Unites States

One would like to believe that if one worked hard enough to be successful, anything
standing before us will be easily overcome. However, this is not the case for everyone in our
country. As young students, we are taught that by going to school and putting in effort, we will
graduate and later on have a well-paying job. This ideology is later confronted by discrimination
and walls built by others. The truth is that in the home of the brave and land of the free, there is
an imbalance and inequality of education amongst the people living in the country.
As a country, we are seeing a decline in the success of our education system. Differences
between state education and differences between the levels of education that people receive are
much more apparent now. People live with an ideology that because anyone can go to school and
there is free education for all, people will be successful. In addition to that, there is also the belief
that due to different teachings in the states, students will do better. Each state has a certain
amount of standardized tests for students to take, creating different curriculum and measures of
student education. Just how each state has differences between standardized testing, there is a
different population, race proportion, and social structure.
According to the 2015 edition of Quality Counts released by Education Week, the
overall quality of the education system in the United States of America is a C on a A-F scale,
with A being the highest. This score was given in comparison with other countries around the
globe. When comparing the states in the country, the highest letter grade given was a B for
Massachusetts while the lowest was a D for Mississippi. If we compare the statistics of the states
we can see the differences between both. Based on statistics recorded on June 2015, 81.9% of the

Carolina Molina
SOCI 1301-Fall 2016
Professor Johnson
Mon/Wed 12:00-2:00 pm

population in Mississippi over the age of 25 have a high school diploma or higher. In
comparison, 89.5% of the population in Massachusetts over the age of 25 have at least a high
school diploma. In addition, 40% of the population over the age of 25 have at least a bachelors
diploma, while only 20.4% of the population in Mississippi over the age of 25 have at least a
bachelors diploma. The difference between both states is by 50%.
Moreover, the educated population is not the only difference that both of these states
have. We also see a distinction in the race population. For example, 37.6% of the Mississippi
population is Black or African American, 0.6% is American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1.1% is
Asian. As for Massachusetts, only 8.4% of the population is Black or African American, 0.5% is
American Indian or Alaska Native, and 6.6% is Asian. These numbers come into consideration
when studying the amount of poverty in the states. In Massachusetts 11.5% of the total
population is in poverty compared to that of 22% in Mississippi. Based on the Wall Street
Journal, Massachusetts is within the states that have a lower poverty average, and Mississippi is
in the group with the highest poverty population along with the states of West Virginia,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. One
fifth of the country has 16% or more of its population in poverty.
The problem of an unbalanced education system for all goes beyond the statistic part of it
to a more personal one. As stated by the textbook Children Psychology, children are a
reflection of their parents. In other words, if the parent had completed high school or earned a
degree, the child will have a higher probability to do the same. Most of the children that go
through this are children of minorities. Due to the lower social standing of minorities, students

Carolina Molina
SOCI 1301-Fall 2016
Professor Johnson
Mon/Wed 12:00-2:00 pm

are influenced much more by the society around them. According to Education Week, over 50%
of the young Black male population who attend urban high schools will not earn a diploma. We
see a similar pattern going on with urban schools. Research has found that inner-city students
are scoring less on the SAT and ACT tests than rural students.
Most of the minorities live in urban areas. People who belong to the working class or low
class tend to live in the city, because they are able to have more life chances. This term by Max
Weber describes the opportunities that people have to better their own lives. In an urban setting,
people are able to have more of these than in a rural one. However, children born of immigrants
or minorities are not exposed to the same learning environment as those born into wealthier
families. 247 Wallst says children from wealthier families are often exposed to more
enriching activities and often have greater stability within their family lives. In addition, the
U.S. Education Department website says On average, schools serving more minority
populations have less-experience, lower-paid teachers who are less likely to be certified.
Research from the Center for American Progress shows that 58% of Black students, 74% of
Hispanic students, and about 80% of Asian students have access to a full range of math and
science courses.
The inequality in education will reflect the inequality in the work force. Children of
minorities receive lower opportunities and chances for being successful. The number of people
that actually succeed might encounter what is called the glass-ceiling. Due to the discrimination
and stereotypes that others might have, these students and future workers would not be able to
gain a spot and be stopped by an invisible barrier. This glass-ceiling could be seen not only in the

Carolina Molina
SOCI 1301-Fall 2016
Professor Johnson
Mon/Wed 12:00-2:00 pm

workforce but in admission to schools or academic programs. The social class that students are in
might influence the thoughts of board members and others in charge. Since education is a major
factor that determines what class you are in, the person might not move at all, letting that
movement be a horizontal or vertical movement of class. As a result, many people will be stuck
in the same lower class, not having the life chances that others obtain and work for.
There is not an actual way to stop this education inequality. Some people are lucky
enough to fight it and succeed, yet others are not as fortunate. One way that the imbalance might
lessen is through what is known as the contact theory. The more people are exposed and interact
with other members of social class or race, the more the person will realize that some stereotypes
are nothing but false generalizations. With time this conflict might open up and be hindered.