Those with money and means, can often provide the best education for their children. Private schools, tutors, after-school programs, extra-curricular activities, membership in exclusive clubs, and countless other learning experiences, are the norm for this class. On the other side of the coin, is extreme poverty, social, emotional, and language barriers, and the ever increasing deficit of money and resources. How then, would a child on the "poor" side of the coin compete for opportunities with those more privileged? Similarly, how can public schools become the great equalizer in a society comprised of such inequality?
The stories are intimate and eye-opening. Those who care deeply about educational reform should read this book. Closing the academic achievement gap will take more than just an academic focus, common standards, and national assessments. The will and innovation to modernize using interdisciplinary methods will be central to the solution.
The reason is that upward mobility requires what sociologist describe as the twin pillars of success: human capital and social capital. Human capital is a person's education, job, credentials, and employment. Social capital usually means emotional support and encouragement from a reliable stakeholder in one's life, an asset commonly associated with marriage that is itself a form of wealth.Class Matters was written by correspondents of the New York Times, with an introduction by Bill Keller.
