Examining the Different Sociological Theories on Education

Education and schooling are important in modern societies because it can create

opportunities for people to succeed. It is greatly influential to the development of our

mentality and morality. Through education and schooling, one gains knowledge and

insight that can help with the survival and advancement in society.

However, the three main sociological theories have different views on education

and its purpose. From a functionalist perspective, this theory focuses on how education

operates a society through unification and stabilization. According to Emile Durkheim,

the “latent role” of education is to sort people into society’s mainstream. Other “latent

roles” of education from the functionalist theory are to teach the core values that will

help maintain social control in society. Education exists for several purposes, and these

purposes are known as “functions.” Socialization is one of the functions of education.

Socialization is the continuous process which one forms a person identity, and learns of

the culture of their society. The teachings of the culture includes things such as the

merit worth of something, what to believe, and customary practices. These are known

as values, beliefs, and habits. Societal norms and behavior are also taught and

practiced in schools to control and prevent the occurrence of deviant behavior. Another

function of education is to train people and give them experience for jobs in the future.

Certain occupations and professions require training or some degree, and occupational

training gained through education helps prepare people for these.

Though functionalists believes that education in society achieves certain needs

for socialization and training, the confl...

... middle of paper ...

...erment. If that was the case, the

students born under unfortunate circumstances such as poverty, would not be able to

create a better life for themselves if they could not have access to education. This would

cause unfortunate lives to never be able to reach or exceed a pre-determined level of

wealth. However, society can aim to make educational opportunities and outcomes

more equal by increasing systems such as welfare and scholarship programs for the

poor, minorities, women, less fortunate, etc. But this can be flawed because a truly

equal system would run along with the beliefs of socialism, and result in everyone’s

outcomes being either reduced or raised into sort of a middle-ground. This would

eliminate workers’ and students’ incentive to strive to be the best or perform to their best

potential, seeing as he or she already knows the outcome.