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Chapter 8: Education- Inequality and Justice

  • Page ID
    330925
    • Aimee Samara Krouskop, Ben Cushing, Kimberly Puttman, and Avery Temple
    • Open Oregon

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    Learning Objectives

    This chapter offers you the opportunity to:

    • Discuss how sociological perspectives view the role of education in unequal societies.
    • Describe the relationship between education, poverty, and wealth with an intersectional lens.
    • Illustrate the importance of social and cultural capital in education.
    • Identify how policy can impact access to education and educational outcomes.
    • Discuss how education can be a vehicle to advance genocide and cultural hegemony.
    • Explain how education can support social justice and cultural restoration.

    • 8.1: Chapter Story
      This page explores the Panamazonic Biocultural Pluriversity AWAI created by the Indigenous Inga Tribe in Colombia, focusing on blending traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern education. It emphasizes the importance of safeguarding cultural identity and biodiversity through an education based on "Buen Vivir" values.
    • 8.2: Perspectives on Education in Unequal Societies
      This page explores sociological perspectives on education, focusing on functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. It critiques the notion of education as an equalizer, highlighting systemic discrimination against marginalized groups and the influence of class, race, and gender on access. Mechanisms like cultural capital, hidden curriculum, and credentialism perpetuate inequality, while educational outcomes are often linked to wealth.
    • 8.3: Policy Matters for Social Justice
      This page discusses the impact of government policy on equitable education access, focusing on Indigenous communities in Bolivia and Colombia, and issues of segregation affecting African American and Latinx students in the U.S. It highlights the Rise School's inclusive model for students with special needs, governed by federal laws ensuring equitable education.
    • 8.4: Genocide and Cultural Restoration
      This page explores the historical and ongoing impact of American Indian boarding schools as tools of cultural oppression and assimilation, detailing the suffering inflicted on Indigenous communities. It highlights current initiatives aimed at healing, such as the Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, promoting truth-telling, and revitalizing Indigenous languages.
    • 8.5: Teaching That Transforms
      This page explores strategies for enhancing educational equity through community cultural wealth, transformative teaching, and cultural responsiveness, drawing on the work of Dr. Tara Yosso, Paulo Freire, and bell hooks. It also addresses decolonization and indigenization in education, urging a challenge to colonial ideologies and the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge.
    • 8.6: Conclusion
      This page examines the interplay between education and social change, focusing on how education influences national identities and often sidelines marginalized cultures. It addresses the resistance of oppressed groups and advocates for culturally responsive education. Key concepts include the achievement gap, cultural capital, and social justice.
    • 8.7: References
      This page provides an extensive collection of references on educational practices, covering topics such as oppressive curricula, decolonization, equity, and social justice. It includes significant contributions from various authors discussing the experiences of marginalized groups and systemic inequalities. Key issues explored are public education struggles, the legacy of Indian boarding schools, and the challenges faced by students with disabilities and racial minorities.


    This page titled Chapter 8: Education- Inequality and Justice is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Aimee Samara Krouskop, Ben Cushing, Kimberly Puttman, and Avery Temple (Open Oregon) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.