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Education and Religion
Chapter 12
Sociology
An Overview Of Education And
Religion
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Education and religion are socializing
institutions.
The sociology of education examines formal
education or schooling in industrial societies.
The sociology of religion focuses on religious
groups and organizations, on the behavior of
individuals within those groups, and how
religion is intertwined with other social
institutions.
How Much Do You Know About the
Impact of Religion on U.S. Education?
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True or False?
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The Constitution of the United States
originally specified that religion should be
taught in the public schools.
How Much Do You Know About the
Impact of Religion on U.S. Education?
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False.
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Due to the diversity of religious
backgrounds of the early settlers, no
mention of religion was made in the original
Constitution.
Even the sole provision that currently exists
(the establishment clause of the First
Amendment) does not speak directly of the
issue of religious learning in public
education.
How Much Do You Know About the
Impact of Religion on U.S. Education?
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True or False?
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Virtually all sociologists have advocated the
separation of moral teaching from academic
subject matter.
How Much Do You Know About the
Impact of Religion on U.S. Education?
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False.
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Most contemporary sociologists do not think that it
is their role to advocate specific stances on a topic.
Early sociologists were less inclined to believe that
they had to be “value-free.”
Durkheim strongly advocated that education should
have a moral component and that schools had a
responsibility to perpetuate society by teaching a
commitment to the common morality.
Education
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The social institution responsible for the
transmission of knowledge, skills, and cultural
values within a formally organized structure.
In all societies, people must acquire certain
knowledge and skills in order to survive.
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In less-developed societies, this might include
hunting, gathering, fishing and farming.
In developed societies, knowledge and skills are
related to the requirements of the job market.
Functionalist Perspective on
Education
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Contributes to maintenance of society
Provides opportunity for selfenhancement and upward social mobility
Contemporary functionalists believe
schools should teach US values
Manifest Functions of
Education
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Socialization
Transmission of
culture
Social control
Social placement
Change and
innovation
Latent Functions of Education
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Restricting some
activities.
Matchmaking and
production of social
networks.
Creating a
generation gap.
Conflict Perspective
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Education perpetuates class, racial-ethnic, and
gender inequalities
Education reproduces existing class
relationships.
Unequal funding is a source of inequality in
education.
Access to colleges and universities is
determined not only by academic record but
also by the ability to pay.
Cultural Capital and Class
Reproduction
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According to the sociologist Pierre
Bourdieu, students come to school with
different amounts of cultural capital.
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socially approved dress and manners,
knowledge about books, art, music
The educational system teaches and
reinforces values that sustain the elite’s
position in society.
Tracking and Social Inequality
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Tracking is the practice of assigning
students to specific groups based on
their test scores, previous grades, or
other criteria.
Conflict theorists believe tracking affects
educational performance and overall
academic accomplishments.
The Hidden Curriculum
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Transmission of cultural values and attitudes
through implied demands found in the rules,
routines, and regulations of schools
A study of five elementary schools in different
communities found:
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Schools for working-class students emphasize
procedures and rote memorization.
Schools for middle-class students stress the
processes involved in getting the right answer.
The Hidden Curriculum
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Schools for affluent students focus on activities in
which students express their own ideas.
Schools for students from elite families work to
develop critical thinking skills, applying abstract
principles to problem solving.
Gender Bias
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Embedded in formal and hidden curricula
Symbolic Interactionist
Perspective
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Administrators and teachers label
students in different ways
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy- students
perform according to expectations of
teachers.
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Girls learn to attribute success to effort.
Boys learn to attribute success to
intelligence.
Polling Question
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How far do you intend to go in school?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Two years of college
Four years of college
Master's degree
Professional degree (law, medicine, dentistry)
Ph.D.
Unequal Funding of Public
Schools
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State and local governments contribute about
47% each toward education and the federal
government pays the remaining 6%.
In recent years, some states have been held
accountable for unequal funding that results in
“rich” and “poor” school districts.
Voucher systems would allow families to spend
government money to purchase education at
the school of their choice.
Dropping Out
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About 10% of people between the ages
of 14 and 24 left school before earning a
high school diploma.
Dropout Rates:
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Latinos/(Hispanics) - 24%
African Americans - 12.2%
non-Hispanic whites - 7.9%
Asian Americans - 1%
Racial Segregation and
Resegregation
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In 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that
“separate but equal” segregated schools
are unconstitutional.
Five decades later, racial segregation
remains a fact of life in education.
Efforts to bring about desegregation or
integration have failed in districts
throughout the country
School Violence
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In the
1990’s
violent
acts
resulted in
numerous
deaths in
schools
across the
nation.
Polling Question
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How far do you intend to go in school?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Two years of college
Four years of college
Master's degree
Professional degree (law, medicine, dentistry)
Ph.D.
Community Colleges
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In 1948 a presidential commission report
called for the establishment of a network
of public community colleges that would:
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charge little or no tuition
serve as cultural centers
be comprehensive in their program
offerings
serve the area in which they were located.
Community Colleges
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According to the American Association of
Community Colleges (2005):
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There are 1,166 community colleges in the U.S.
They enroll almost 12 million students.
Community college enrollment accounts for 46% of
U.S. undergraduates.
Almost 40% of community college students receive
financial aid.
Women make up 58% of community college
students.
The Cost of a College
Education
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According to some social analysts, a
college education is a bargain at about
$90 a day for private schools or $35 for
public schools.
Others believe that students who lack
money may be denied access to higher
education, and those who are able to
attend college tend to receive different
types of education based on their ability
to pay.
Racial and Ethnic Differences
in Enrollment
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Latina/o enrollment as a percentage of total
college enrollment increased from 5.7% to
9.8% between 1990 and 2001.
Although African American enrollment
increased between 1990 and 2001, today it
remains at 11%.
Native American enrollment rates have
remained at about 0.9% from the 1970s to the
2000s; however, tribal colleges on reservations
have experienced an increase in enrollment.
Educational Achievement: Persons 25
and Over
Polling Question
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How important would you say religion
is in your own life?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Very important
Fairly important
Not very important
No opinion
Religion and the Meaning of Life
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Religion seeks to answer important
questions such as why we exist, why
people suffer and die, and what happens
when we die.
Religion seeks to explain suffering,
death, and injustice in the realm of the
sacred.
Things that people do not set apart as
sacred are referred to as profane—the
everyday, secular or “worldly” aspects of
life.
Four Categories of Religion
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Simple supernaturalism - the belief
that supernatural forces affect people's
lives positively or negatively.
Animism - the belief that plants,
animals, and elements of the natural
world are endowed with spirits that
impact events in society.
Four Categories of Religion
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Theism - belief in a God or Gods.
Transcendent idealism - belief in
sacred principles of thought and
conduct, such as truth, justice, life and
tolerance for others.
Major World Religions
Current
Followers
Founder
Date
Christianity
Islam
1.7 billion
1 billion
Jesus
Muhammad
1st century C.E.
ca. 600 C.E
Major World Religions
Hinduism
Buddhism
719 million
309 million
Founder
No specific founder
Siddhartha
Gautama
Date
ca. 1500 B.C.E
500 to 600 B.C.E.
Current
Followers
Major World Religions
Judaism
Confucianism
Current
Followers
18 million
5.9 million
Founder
Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob
K’ung Fu-Tzu
Date
ca. 2000 B.C.E.
500 B.C.E
Functionalist Perspective
Religion has 3 functions:
1. Providing meaning and purpose to life.
2. Promoting social cohesion and a sense
of belonging.
3. Providing social control and support for
the government.
Conflict Perspective
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According to Karl Marx, religion is the
"opiate of the people."
Max Weber argued that religion could be
a catalyst to produce social change.
Symbolic Interactionist
Perspective
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Religion serves as a reference group to
help people define themselves.
Women’s versions of a certain religion
usually differ from men’s versions.
Characteristics of Churches
and Sects
Organization
Church
Large, bureaucratic
organization,led by
professional clergy
Sect
Small group,high
degree of lay
participation
Membership
Open to all;
members usually
from upper and
middle classes
Guarded
membership,
usually from lower
classes
Characteristics of Churches
and Sects
Worship
Salvation
Church
Formal, orderly
Granted by God
Sect
Informal,
spontaneous
Achieved by moral
purity
Characteristics of Churches
and Sects
Attitude Toward Other Religions
Church
Tolerant
Sect
Intolerant
Major U.S. Denominations That
Self-identify As Christian
Religious Body
Roman Catholic
Southern Baptist
Convention
United Methodist
Church of God in
Christ
National Baptist
Convention,USA
Members
67,260,000
Churches
19,431
16,440,000
42,972
8,251,000
35,102
5,500,000
15,300
5,000,000
9,000
Major U.S. Denominations That
Self-identify As Christian
Religious Body
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints
Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America
National Baptist
Convention of America
Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.)
Members
Churches
5,503,000
12,112
4,985,000
10,657
3,500,000
N/A
3,241,000
11,064
U.S. Religious Bodies
Membership
Religious Body
Members
Protestants
91,500,000
Roman Catholics
Muslims
Jews
Orthodox Christians
Buddhists
Hindus
63,683,000
6,000,000
5,602,000
5,631,000
1,864,000
795,000
Polling Question
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Do you believe in God?
A.
B.
Yes
No
Sociological Perspectives On
Education And Religion
Functionalist
Education
Religion
One of the most important components of
society: Schools teach students not only
content but also to put group needs ahead of
the individual’s.
Sacred beliefs and rituals bind people together
and help maintain social control.
Sociological Perspectives On
Education And Religion
Conflict
Education
Religion
Schools perpetuate class, racial–ethnic, and
gender inequalities through what they teach
to whom.
Religion may be used to justify the status
quo (Marx) or to promote social change.
Sociological Perspectives On
Education And Religion
Symbolic Interactionist
Education
Labeling and the self-fulfilling prophecy are
an example of how students and teachers
affect each other as they interpret their
interactions.
Religion
Religion may serve as a reference group for
many people, but because of race, class, and
gender people may experience it differently.
Quick Quiz
1. According to the cultural capital model:
A.
B.
C.
D.
a student will be taught by teachers of
one's own culture.
children with less cultural capital coming
into school will have fewer opportunities
for succeeding.
children with less cultural capital coming
into school will catch up with the rest of
the nation.
going to school provides one with the
necessities of one's culture.
Answer: B
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According to the cultural capital model
children with less cultural capital
coming into school will have fewer
opportunities for succeeding.
2. The assignment of students to specific
courses and educational programs
based on their test scores, previous
grades, or both is called:
A.
B.
C.
D.
positioning
assessment
placement
tracking
Answer: D
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The assignment of students to specific
courses and educational programs
based on their test scores, previous
grades, or both is called tracking.
3. According to Pierre Bourdieu, schools
legitimate and reinforce the social
elites.
A.
B.
False.
True.
Answer: B
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According to Pierre Bourdieu, schools
legitimate and reinforce the social
elites.
4. According to Sociologists, religion
attempts to:
A.
B.
C.
D.
bridge the gap between the known and the
unknown.
have a personal relationship with God.
all of the choices.
save every soul.
Answer: A
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According to Sociologists, religion
attempts to bridge the gap between
the known and the unknown.
5. Who said "religion is the opiate of the
masses?”
A.
B.
C.
D.
Emile Durkheim
Karl Marx
Max Weber
Talcott Parsons
Answer: B
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Karl Marx said "religion is the opiate of
the masses?”
6. A relatively small religious group that
has broken away from another
religious organization to renew what it
views as the original version of the
faith is referred to as:
A.
B.
C.
D.
an ecclesia
Catholicism
a sect
a denomination
Answer: C
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A relatively small religious group that
has broken away from another religious
organization to renew what it views as
the original version of the faith is
referred to as a sect.