From Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work Analysis

Celeste Martinez
English 1102- Burnier
May 6, 2014

Education in Chicago Public Schools On May 22, 2013 the largest closing of public schools, in history of the United States, occurred. The board of education of the Chicago Public Schools voted to close down 50 schools in the Chicago area (Bartlett). To no surprise, most of the schools if not all came from areas that had low-income neighborhoods consisting mainly of African Americans and Latinos on the south and west side of Chicago (Bartlett). Although the ex president George Bush said popular quote“ No child left behind”, what is happening in the Chicago Public schools is exactly the opposite. Even if every kid is given the opportunity to go to school some are being given a
The schools that are in wealthy communities are better than those that are in the poor communities because they have better teaching methods and resources (Anyon 172). In the essay “ From Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work, ” by Jean Anyon, he describes the difference between a “ working- class school” and an “ executive elite school”. The working-class school consists of parents that have blue-collar jobs such as, factory workers, pipe welders, and maintance workers (Anyon 170). These jobs do not require much skill other than following orders given by their employers. Students that attend this type of school are taught to follow the steps of procedures without any decision making because they are being tracked to follow the footsteps of their parents (Anyon 169). For example from the essay “ Class in America” by Gregory Mantsios, the profile of Cheryl Mitchell shows that she went to a large public school that was patrolled by security guards in Brooklyn, New York (Mantsois 309). She was taught basic skills and was conveyed the importance of doing everything under someone
In the article “ Update: Chicago’s School War” by Rob Bartlett , children that got their schools closed down by him live on the west and south side of the city in neighborhoods with high poverty and crime rates. The population of these areas of Chicago consists mainly of Hispanics and Blacks with blue collard jobs (Bartlett). Most of Chicago’s homicides took place in the west and south side areas in 2012, were there is a high poverty rate ( Drehle). Also the murder rate in Chicago was the highest of the three largest U.S. cities ( Drehle). From murders per every 100,000 residents, Chicago stood at 18.6 percent. This left Los Angeles and New York City behind with below 8 percent. The offenders were from 15 to 24 years old, 77% were black, 20% were Hispanic, and 3% were white (Drehle). Out of the 506 murders that took place in Chicago, 82% were shootings did not occure on the north side ( Drehle). This goes to show how dangerous it is to live in these areas of Chicago, however these children have no choice because it is all that their parents can afford. With the Mayor closing down their schools around their homes, children are now being forced to transfer to other schools, which puts them in greater risk of violence because they have to