Social and Cultural Influences in Education

S. , & Purpel, D. E. (Eds. Critical social issues in American education: Democracy and meaning in a globalizing world. The most recent is Losing Heart; The Moral Spiritual Miseducation of America’s Children (Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005). He has also published more than 70 articles in national and international journals. David E. Purpel was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He received a doctorate from Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he later was the head of the Master of Arts in Teaching Program. Svi Shapiro and David Purpel (2005), makes a strong case for educators to look at the "big picture" to make sense of the world and to take action to promote social justice and community. Acting on the belief that knowledge is power, the editors provide stimulating readings on the social, economic, political and ethical contexts of education in the United States.

The reading selections in the book were based on a need to explain to educators some of the major dilemmas facing education today. The book is divided into five sections, each of which contains five or six readings. Social Justice and Democracy: Unmet Promises The first section provides a keen justification for critical analysis of various issues in education in terms of their economic context. The rich are getting all the power, and the gap between the rich and lower class is widening (Krugman, 2002). Krugman believed the problem is that laws are set up by the rich and it will be hard to change them unless one was in a similar class. He argues that a country that reserves rewards for the upper class leaves the middle and lower classes of society without hope of advancement.

Political involvement becomes pointless for people outside the upper class as their interests are not served. The article "For Richer" talks about the economy, the distribution of income, and American politics. In addition, society should acquire broader social values that act as safeguards against turning citizenship skills into workplace-training skills. The author also emphasizes that schooling can help students join the needs of solidarity and freedom. Giroux challenges educators to examine other models of education that go against turning schools into corporate entities (Giroux, 2000). Marginality and Difference: The Fractured Community The readings in this section address the concerns of marginalized groups and relate to the oppression of women, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and students with disabilities. There is no content on gay and lesbian students or curriculum concerns.

An informed public is able to sustain democracy in the event the public possesses the skills and inclination to question public policy and political authority. For a long time, the quality of a school has been equated to the test scores of the respective school. This has led to marginalized civic education. Discussions about moral and political topics that are considered fundamental or controversial make up the heart of a democratic and culturally diverse society. Furthermore, allowing ordinary people to participate fully in their right to make decisions is the core of democracy in any community. Over the last few centuries, human communities have come into increasing contact with each other; their collective fortunes have become intertwined. In the first part, Held explored the changing forms of political association and, in particular, the rise of the modern nation as a background against which modern conceptions of democracy developed.

Held examined some of the key assumptions and presuppositions of liberal democracy; above all, its conception of political community. Held also explored changing forms of globalization. Globalization has been with us for some time, but its extent, intensity, and impact have changed fundamentally. Racism also played a role in the education system in the country. Researchers found that African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanics were underrepresented in the top-ranked schools. This is a critical social issue in American Education that needs to be addressed by schools, the community, school district and policymakers. Every student should be given the same opportunities for a good education, no matter what race student belongs. This is what social justice is all about. However, the negatives outweigh the positives.

Some concerns of staff, students, and parents had been that the school presents an unsafe environment for all, students are not receiving an appropriate education, and racism, bullying, and discrimination are taking place. Physical fights happen almost every day. There is no staff qualified to address the behavior problems. We have a large population of students who are trauma-sensitive.  Stealing innocence: Youth, corporate power, and the politics of culture. New York: St. Martin's Press. Held, D. (1999) the transformation of political community: rethinking democracy in the context of globalization, in: Ian Shapiro & Casiano Hacker-Cordo´n (Eds), Democracy’s edges. (2012) What Matthew Shepard Would Tell Us: Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education—A Decade Later. In H. Shapiro, M. Davis & M. Fitzpatrick (eds.