Each school serves a community. These communities are defined by geography, collective identity, or economics (private schools). The social class of the school community usually defines what is expected in school and what is expected of its students and teachers. The community has a social class structure to which educators are expected to respond. Class issues get into the schools primarily through community pressure and through the students because schools tend to take community priorities seriously. Communities that vary by social class want different things for their children. However, school communities of the same social status do demonstrate diversity in priority and expectations because those are only one of a variety of conditions that flavor the community; aspects of race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, and political climate also must be considered.
The economic well-being of the community influences schooling. High social economic communities often have more resources to provide to schools, teachers, and students, whereas shortages of resources and less adequate facilities are common among schools serving lower class communities. Higher class schools often take active steps to advocate their interests as a group, to advocate the interests of individual students, and will utilize political clout to make themselves heard. Lower class schools are more likely to advocate less for their students and/or for academically challenging instruction, and are more likely to expect tight control over instruction and student behavior while not readily accepting models for high achievement in mathematics and/or science. The more diverse the school community, the more mixed signals the schools receive from the community.
Return to "Remembering the Child: On Equity and Inclusion in Mathematics and Science Classrooms."