Sociology Now, Census Update

584 CHAPTER 17EDUCATION

KeyTerms

Charter schools (p. 574)
Credential society (p. 556)
Education (p. 556)
For-profit universities (p. 580)

Hidden curriculum (p. 556)

Integration (p. 567)

Scientific literacy (p. 564)

Segregation (p. 567)

Self-fulfilling prophecy (p. 569)

Tracking (p. 568)

Voucher system (p. 573)

17.1 Complete Formal Schooling

These are actual survey data from the General Social Survey, 2002.

How important is it that young people should complete formal schooling?

Almost three-quarters of respondents in 2002 said it was extremely important that

the young complete formal education. Another 18 percent thought it was quite

important. Only about 3 percent thought it was not too important or not at all

important. Social class differences were not large, but those in the working class

were among the most likely (71.7 percent) to think it was extremely important for

young people to finish school, while 82.7 percent of the upper class agreed.

CRITICAL THINKING|DISCUSSION QUESTION

1. Although the social class differences in responses are small, they are interesting. Why do you
   think those in the lower class and the upper class are more likely to say formal schooling is
   extremely important?

17.2 Confidence in Education

These are actual survey data from the General Social Survey, 2004.

As far as the people running the education system are concerned, would you

say you have a great deal of confidence, only some confidence, or hardly any

confidence at all in them?Data from 2004 show that over half of all respondents

have only some confidence in the education system. Slightly more than 30 percent

have a great deal of confidence, and 13 percent have hardly any. Differences by

race were significant and interesting. Black respondents were far more likely than

White respondents to have confidence in the education system. These differences

have remained steady since the 1970s.

What

does

America

think

?