Final answer:
The educational system perpetuates social class structures through practices that favor the dominant culture's values and knowledge, advantaging those with more cultural capital. Students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds often have lesser access to resources and support, which hinders their educational opportunities. Global disparities in educational resources further cement this inequality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The educational system reproduces the social class structure through processes that benefit those with more cultural capital, a term extensively studied by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. Social class reproduction occurs as a result of educational practices that inherently favor the values, knowledge, and competencies of the dominant culture. Standardized tests like the SAT are often cited as tools that measure cultural ability more so than natural intelligence, thereby advantaging those students from higher social classes who are more familiar with the dominant culture's norms.
Moreover, the disparity in access to resources and support systems between students of high and low socioeconomic statuses provides different levels of opportunity. This was exemplified in the scenario of a working-class student struggling to balance schoolwork with familial and work responsibilities, in stark contrast to his more affluent peers who have greater support and resources. Consequently, education systems perpetuate class systems, as children are raised to follow the footsteps of their parents' social class, be it through obedience and conformity or through judgment and creativity.
Finally, the amount of resources and money a country allocates to its education system greatly affects its quality. This contributes to global educational inequality and suggests that educational inequality reflects broader socioeconomic disparities. Thus, the education system functions both as a means for upward social mobility and a mechanism maintaining existing social structures.