Assess the claim that the main function of education is to maintain a value consensus in society
Assess the claim that the main function of education is to maintain a value consensus in society.
Through education social solidarity is promoted; this is when individual members feel like they are part of the community. According to Durkheim without social solidarity cooperation would be impossible and every individual would go out and pursue selfish desires. The education system helps to promote/create social solidarity by transmitting ‘society’s culture’ of shared norms and values passed down generation to generation. Criticisms of this view are; not everyone shares the same norms and values as another which in the long run can lead to exclusion from the school. Durkheim stated that teaching the country’s history can help to instil a child’s sense of shared heritage and a commitment to the wider society group. The role that schools play is a ‘mini society’, preparing us for the wider world an example of this is that in both school and work a person needs to communicate and cooperate with people to may not be family or friends. At school and work everyone must interact with each other within a set of rules/guidelines which apply to everyone. Another criticism would be that Marxists would argue that the only thing that schools teach are the norms and values that support capitalism as schools are seen by them to exploit their pupils.
Another functional concept that is used is the term meritocracy; Parsons sees school as a ‘focal socialising agency’ creating a bridge between family and wider society, the bridge that school creates is essential as society and family run on two different principals; family is particularistic meaning that their interests only benefit the group also it could be rules that would apply to only that one person for example a child (family). Society on the other hand is universalistic meaning that their interests are to benefit everyone within the community for instance laws are made such as theft is illegal and anyone doing it will be
Through education social solidarity is promoted; this is when individual members feel like they are part of the community. According to Durkheim without social solidarity cooperation would be impossible and every individual would go out and pursue selfish desires. The education system helps to promote/create social solidarity by transmitting ‘society’s culture’ of shared norms and values passed down generation to generation. Criticisms of this view are; not everyone shares the same norms and values as another which in the long run can lead to exclusion from the school. Durkheim stated that teaching the country’s history can help to instil a child’s sense of shared heritage and a commitment to the wider society group. The role that schools play is a ‘mini society’, preparing us for the wider world an example of this is that in both school and work a person needs to communicate and cooperate with people to may not be family or friends. At school and work everyone must interact with each other within a set of rules/guidelines which apply to everyone. Another criticism would be that Marxists would argue that the only thing that schools teach are the norms and values that support capitalism as schools are seen by them to exploit their pupils.
Another functional concept that is used is the term meritocracy; Parsons sees school as a ‘focal socialising agency’ creating a bridge between family and wider society, the bridge that school creates is essential as society and family run on two different principals; family is particularistic meaning that their interests only benefit the group also it could be rules that would apply to only that one person for example a child (family). Society on the other hand is universalistic meaning that their interests are to benefit everyone within the community for instance laws are made such as theft is illegal and anyone doing it will be