Poverty, Lunch and Test Scores

So one of my more favorite online websites to read is Huffington Post.  Take a look at this article written awhile back.  The article contains 4 graphs that link school-reduced lunches to test proficiency.  It is quite interesting.  And below the graphs you will find slideshow that list the top countries for an education.  Also sort of interesting.  What are your thoughts on both topics?  Poverty-Test scores

Marx’sTheory

Communist Manifesto – written in 1849 by Marx and Engels

            -Written in response to the horrendous conditions in factories

-Blamed the system of industrial capitalism for the terrible conditions.

-Solution to problem was a new social system- eventually known as communism

                        Marx’s beliefs

                                    -All of history was a “history of class struggles”

                                    -Oppressors vs. oppressed is a constant throughout history

-Oppressors own means to production (land, raw materials and money)

            -Controlled government and society

-Oppressed- dependent on the owners of the means of production

-“Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into tow great classes directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat”.

-Bourgeoisie- the middle/upper class- also known as the oppressors

                        -Proletariat-working class –also known as the oppressed.

-Struggle between proletariat and Bourgeoisie will eventually lead to a revolution.

            -Proletariat would overthrow bourgeoisie

-Abolish economic differences that create separate social classes

-End up with a classless society

Conflict Theory

Conflict theory is especially useful in understanding war, wealth and poverty, the haves and the have-nots, revolutions, political strife, exploitation, divorce, ghettos, discrimination and prejudice, domestic violence, rape, child abuse, slavery, and other conflict-related social phenomena.  Conflict Theory claims that society is in a state of perpetual conflict and competition for limited resources. Marx and Weber, were they alive today, would likely use Conflict Theory to study the unprecedented bailouts by the U.S. government, which have proven to be a rich-to-rich wealth transfer.
Conflict Theory assumes that those who have wealth perpetually try to increase their wealth at the expense and suffering of those who do not have wealth. It is a power struggle that is most often won by the wealthy elite and lost by the common person of common means. Power is the ability to get what one wants even in the presence of opposition. Authority is the institutionalized legitimate power. By far the Bourgeoisie, or wealthy elite (royalty, political, and corporate leaders), have the most power. Bourgeoisie are the “Goliaths” in society who often bully their wishes into outcomes. The Proletariat are the common working class, lower class, and poor members of society. According to Marx (see diagram below) the Bourgeoisie and Proletariat cannot both have it their way, and in order to offset the wealth and power of the Bourgeoisie the Proletariat often rise up and revolt against their oppressors (the French, Bolshevik, United States, Mexican, and other revolutions are examples).

Figure 2. The Core Issues in the Conflict Theory

© 2009 Ron J. Hammond, Ph.D.

In fact, Marx and Weber realized long ago that society does have different classes and a similar pattern of relatively few rich persons in comparison to the majority who are poor -- and the rich call the shots. Look below at the photographic montage of homes in one U.S. neighborhood that were run down, poor, trashy, and worth very little. They were on the west side of this gully and frustrated many who lived on the east side, who were forced to drive through these “slums” to reach their own mansions.

Photo Montage of Haves and Have Nots in a US Neighborhood

© 2009 Ron J. Hammond, Ph.D.

The Conflict Theory has been repeatedly tested against scientifically derived data, and it repeatedly proves to have a wide application among many different levels of sociological study. That is not to say that all sociological phenomena are conflict-based. But, most Conflict Theorists would argue that more often than not Conflict assumptions do apply.

Functionalist theory

This theory assumes that certain roles in society must be carried out for society to function.  The higher rewards for performance ensure that these roles will be filled.  So I guess I am saying the higher or more important the role and the more skill needed for the role, the higher the reward should be.   So there should be a ratio that's appropriate between the job or skill and the reward.  For example, why spend the money and effort on education to be a brain doctor if one won't be rewarded handsomely.  What if a burger flipper was paid the same as a nurse.  Would a high school kid flip a burger or clean sewers if the pay was the same.  A weakness of the theory is that not everyone has equal access to resources such as education.  And also they cant explain why rewards don't always fit the social value of the role.  Why should movie stars get paid millions when a teacher is paid less.  Why do professional athletes get paid more than a member of the armed forces (military)?

 But Functionalists also look at two types of functions: manifest and latent functions. Manifest Functions is are the apparent and intended functions of institutions in society. Latent Functions are the less apparent, unintended, and often unrecognized functions in social institutions and processes.


As you can already tell, Functionalism is more positive and optimistic that Conflict Theory (the basis for much criticism by many Conflict Theorists). Functionalists realize that just like the body, societies get “sick,” or dysfunction. By studying society's parts and processes, Functionalists can better understand how society remains stable or adjust to destabilizing forces when unwanted change is threatened. According to this theory, most societies find that healthy balance and maintain it (and others collapse, as many have in the history of the world).

Tammy, Appalachia and poverty

Preschool Privilege

One of the final points that the People Like Us movie made was that we are separated by class from a young age.  For example, when the wealthy take steps to ensure their child be accepted into the upper-upper class, they begin early. A few recent articles and a documentary highlight this subculture. Wealthy parents in New York City hire consultants and special tutors to get their child into a handful of elite preschools and then they pay costly tuition ($15,000+) to send the child there. This article from Bloomberg News highlights the competition to get in,

...An average of 15 applicants vie for every spot in about 200 preschools, Uhry said. According to its Web site, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, received 22,754 applications for the freshman class entering in last fall and admitted 2,124 -- 11 applications per admission.

From the New York Daily News,

Consultants charge $10,000 a pop to share their secrets of success. A nose-picking habit is considered special needs.
As the mother of an 11-month-old already bemused by Manhattan's hypercompetitive baby-rearing culture, I watched the film with amusement and dread.
If, like Moon, I want my child to attend one of these nurseries - popularly perceived as "Ivy League feeder schools" - finding the annual $20,000 tuition would apparently be the least of my worries.

 

Tammy, Appalachia and poverty

The movie People Like Us introduces us to Tammy and her sons from Pike County, Ohio. (Watch the videoon youtube here or watch it on mediacast here.) They live in poverty. Tammy was from a family of 22 kids and she grew up in poverty. She wants to be a teacher. Her son wants to be an architect or a lawyer. Will they be able to achieve these goals? What are the factors that will hold them back? What will their life chances be? One of the ways that Tammy’s son copes with his situation is by trying to dress preppy and act preppy. He cleans the house so it looks better and he tries in school, winning awards and succeeding in sports. Can these actions move him up to a higher class or is he kidding himself? What are the chances he succeeds in the "American Dream"?

Update:  So we watched the update to Tammy's story.  So you can still answer the questions above-you will just have to base your answers off of your initial thoughts before we watched the updated parts.


 

High School and Social Class

"Well, your CD collection looks shiny and costly.
How much did you pay for your bad Moto Guzi?
And how much did you spend on your black leather jacket?
Is it you or your parents in this income tax bracket?"
- Cake

How does class play itself out at our high school, or in high school in general? Does high school reinforce or prepare you for fitting into a social class? If so, how? Give some examples from our high school. Additionally, how do you think moving up or down would affect you? Which would be tougher? What if you married/dated someone who was very low income or someone rich? What difficulty would this cause in your family and friends? One last question I have is what group do you think you would have ended up in based in the high school "People Like Us"-Anderson High in Austin Texas?

 

Social class and your possessions

In the movie People Like Us, they show many different things that people buy that represent their social class such as a Tuscan style kitchen, a 4 foot Mitsubishi TV, a Volvo. What possessions do you or your family own that represent your social class? Do you think that class is related to the things we own? Think about a possession that you own that could be much cheaper or much more expensive - why do you have the one that you have and not a cheaper/ more expensive one? You can go to the following website and take a quiz about how the things you prefer represent your class:
Chintz or shag

Then We see Karen Hess (bread expert) who says the bread we eat reflects our class. We develop tastes that reflect our class. What stores do you shop at and what types of bread do you eat? How do your possessions reflect your own social class? You can visit the following website and take the quiz "Identify this" or "Name that class" and see if your values represent a class:
Identify this

 

Also, This graph displays the inequality by occupation.

If you are interested in how your community's income looks, click on the American Factfinder and search by zipcode. Then scroll down to "Economic Characteristics" and look next to median family income. It is in 1999 dollars in most cases, but that is still an accurate portrayal for comparison's sake.

Wealth: Wealth in tricky to understand.  It is everything that a household owns, such as the home, vacation home, cars, 401K, savings, stocks, jewelry, etc...But, you must subtract what the household owes.  So, if my house is $200,000 but I owe $160,000 then my wealth is only $40,000 on the house.







Education:
In the US, here are the percentages of adults over the age of 23 who have attained each degree in 2012:

High school graduate	87.65%
Some college	57.28%
Associate's and/or Bachelor's degree	40.58%
Bachelor's degree	30.94%
Master's degree	8.05%
Doctorate or professional degree	3.07%

  This link shows that on average, the higher a family's income, the higher the ACT score. 

And this link shows the higher one's educational level, the more he or she earns.

This graph shows that the less education that parents have, the less education their children obtain.





Prestige: People view different occupations with different levels of prestige.  This prestige can translate to real power such as being appointed to boards or committees.  It can also simply give you credibility or respect in social situations.  Here is a chart of prestige ratings.

All of these combine to form a rough picture of social class. Here is one representation of how all of those components might work together:

 

Marx's Social Theory on Class Structure
1.  What is the function of social class structure?
2.  What conflict naturally exists between social class structures?
3.  What symbols do we associate with the various social class structures in our society?
4.  How would you change the social class structure?
Social Class in the United States of America (1957)
 For each of the following social classes, list at least three characteristics mentioned in the video.  Explain in your own words whether or not those characteristics define those same social classes today.
1.  What is the difference between ascribed and achieved status as discussed in this video?
2.  For each of the following class distinctions, give examples from the video that define each class.  Then remark if those characteristics are still true for 2013.
a. Upper Class
b.  Middle Class
c.  Lower Class

POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES

Growing up in poverty can have serious and long-lasting effects on children’s health, development, and overall well-being. The effects of poverty have a well-documented impact on young children’s developing brains. And children who grow up in poverty are more likely to experience harmful levels of stress, more likely to struggle in school, and more likely to have behavioral, social, and emotional problems than their peers. Below is a video (The Line) documenting some of the struggles people living at poverty level.  Also, there are some articles I have included detailing the serious and long-lasting effects of poverty on children.  You are all young adults now so the path you choose from here on out is mostly on you, but someday you will be moms or dads and your social stratifications as a parent will have a direct bearing on your children. 

The Line is a documentary about people living at the poverty line.  It highlights the difficulties of different people who share a common struggle: life in poverty.

What I want you to see are the effects of poverty on individuals:

Physical Health (Here is a comprehensive list of research on health effects of poverty):
- a lower class person has a higher chance of dying at any age than a wealthy person!  Some other health outcomes for those in poverty:

From the American Journal of Pediatrics; Poverty and lack of nurturing in early life may have a direct effect on a child’s brain development, according to a study that found smaller brain volumes in poor, neglected children.

 Impoverished black children, for example, are twice as likely as poor Hispanic or white children to have levels of lead in their blood that is at least 2.5 micrograms per deciliter. Some researchers have found that even that small amount of lead is enough to cause cognitive impairment in children — especially the kind that impacts their reading ability.

Environment: the poor are more likely to experience asthma and other health issues;

...poor black children are more likely than poor white or Hispanic children to be diagnosed with asthma — another ailment that plagues poor children in Jacksonville and one that is linked to living in older, more industrialized areas.Poor white children, though, are more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke, or to be born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy than poor black or Hispanic children.And poor Hispanic children, it found, are twice as likely to have no place to go for health care, as compared to poor white or black children.

Lifestyle = less access to healthy food (i.e. fruits and vegetables); see this link for a TED talk about one man who is arrested for planting a vegetable garden in a poor neighborhood!, smoke, Drug use and abuse, exercise less,

One reason may be that violence tracks with poverty, thereby preventing people from being active out-of-doors. Similarly, parks and sports facilities are less available to people living in poor counties (5), and people who live in poverty-dense regions may be less able to afford gym membership, sports clothing, and/or exercise equipment. There are multiple individual and environmental reasons to explain why poverty-dense counties may be more sedentary and bear greater obesity burdens.

Medical Care = less access and poorer hospitals, lack of health insurance.
Mental Health = higher stress, children feel effects of stress for life.

Some sociologists will argue that there is a culture of poverty among those in the lowest income levels. This culture of poverty represents individuals making choices that create or worsen the impoverished situation they are in. So the theory goes that by spending your life deprived of money, opportunity, adequate food, etc., one will resort to learned helplessness.  Basically, I give up, there is no way out type of thinking.  And with lack of resources and help people in general feel they are "stuck."  So people see the future as the same or even worse.  So I guess I am saying that poverty influences attitude and behavior, therefore promoting the same attitude and behavior or even worse.
So I would call it a vicious spiral.

And it is important to note that 20% of the children in the US are growing up in poverty! That's 1 out of every 5 kids in the United States is living at the poverty level! Yes you read that correctly - 1 out of every 5 children in the United States is living in poverty right now!  That's a higher rate than 34 out of 35 Western countries.  So many of these children will not have the help or resources to improve their class mobility.  So what can be done? 

So I want you to create a blog titled "Poverty in the United States."  I want you to set it up just like I did above.  I want you to find articles or websites (not mine) for each of the five black boldfaced words (Mental Health, Medical Care, Lifestyle, Environment, Physical Health) that tie poverty to
children's health, development and overall well-being.  And don't forget to give a summary of each-(I did not do that).  Finally comment on the culture of poverty theory including your overall thoughts on all of this.

 

Heroin is a deadly opium derivative causing addition and often death. This episode of Drugs INC. will show you a remote Afghan heroin lab that processes the raw materials and then on to Chicago, where a dealer demonstrates its final preparation for street sale and later to  witness a police raid on a heroin distribution network in New Jersey.  So where does one draw the line on this lucrative business?  What can be done?  Can anything be done?  Click to watch documentary