| Larabee describes social efficiency as an educational | | | | parents, the community at large, and the students |
| framework in which the school sees its role as that of | | | | come into play. Certain questions emerge as important: |
| preparing the students to become workers. Curriculum | | | | What responsibility do teachers have toward their |
| responds to society's needs in a pragmatic manner; | | | | students in terms of pushing them towards a type of |
| hence, it is seen as a public good designed to meet | | | | education that does not coincide with the the student's |
| collective needs. Society depends on the school to | | | | social background? How motivated should a teacher |
| meet its human capital needs in all phases of | | | | be to push certain students toward more advanced |
| economic life. In this model, schools must necessarily | | | | classes? How inclined should a teacher feel or feel |
| adapt to existing socioeconomic and social structures. | | | | impelled to make available certain types of information |
| While maintaining the status quo, they realize their full | | | | that may permanently and favorably alter the student's |
| educational, political, and cultural impact. | | | | future? Which students get pushed toward a more |
| Society has the responsibility of enhancing productivity | | | | vocational education? Which ones get steered toward |
| in all phases of life. This means that schools must | | | | a more academic program? |
| seriously prepare students of all levels, for all levels. | | | | The position that principals, guidance staff, the |
| However, some very interesting assumptions are | | | | community, etc. take depends on their philosophical |
| taken for granted. It is implicit that all societal positions | | | | stance. If these educators are operating from a social |
| are not equitable. The objective of social efficiency is | | | | efficiency perspective, they may not very well |
| not to elevate or demote people socioeconomically, or | | | | consider themselves immoral, or unethical for choosing |
| socially. It is the overall, collective benefit of the public | | | | not to inform students of certain channels leading to |
| that is being served. Hence, schools are induced to | | | | positions that would enhance their lifestyle. They may |
| replicate, with unerring accuracy, society's hierarchical | | | | feel that as long as they equip the students with the |
| form and complete structure. Tasks in the society | | | | tools to help them fill positions like those held by their |
| need to be done by everyone. So it is everybody's | | | | parents, they are fulfilling their obligation to their |
| place to contribute and do what needs to be done for | | | | charges. |
| the public good. | | | | Joel Spring describes the type of community in which |
| To get this model to work, certain institutions had to be | | | | the labor market does not depend on a high level of |
| artificially contrived. Tracking, on the basis of perceived | | | | education. He refers to these communities as inert. |
| abilities and preferences, vocationalism, ability testing, | | | | The primary consideration of educators with regard to |
| educational standards, and other forms of stratification | | | | inert communities is to provide the best possible basic |
| were all instituted with one aim. They separated | | | | education to students to fill just these needs. |
| students into different groups to fill different societal | | | | Apparently, many schools adopt the social efficiency |
| roles. Many of the roles were based on society's | | | | model for their students of color. This model is also |
| historical perceptions of which groups of people should | | | | being used in several African American and Hispanic |
| be performing what tasks, or on actual abilities and | | | | communities which have come to expect that their |
| talents the students possess. Hence, the question | | | | members will hold only certain types of menial |
| came down to whose children should be educated for | | | | positions, simply because that is what they have |
| what roles in society. People upholding the social | | | | always held. Hence, only certain professional |
| efficiency ideology can be perceived as blocking | | | | expectations are developed and enmeshed within the |
| chances for social mobility and political equality. | | | | community. Moreover, the dominant community overtly |
| As said earlier, social efficiency is not designed to alter | | | | and covertly expect that members of the subjected |
| the status quo of society members. In other words, | | | | community will continue to hold those positions. |
| children of the elite will not be trained to fill societal | | | | Notions about what roles members in these societies |
| roles not already consistent with their status. Nor will | | | | will hold are reinforced and maintained by teachers |
| children of people working in menial positions be | | | | responding to stereotypes about the quality of thinking, |
| expected to be trained for those held by the elite. | | | | work ethic, disposition, etc. of minority students. |
| These would be taught vocational skills for different | | | | Teachers can also make deliberate efforts to maintain |
| array of jobs, and would be channeled directly into | | | | the status quo of students' potential social positions |
| these jobs. In this sense, education can be seen as a | | | | through their attitudes and behaviors, overt and covert. |
| duplication of what already exists. The education is | | | | These behaviors and attitudes reinforce within |
| designed to predict working class job roles for working | | | | students self-defeating ideas and help them enliven |
| students and to prepare them so precisely as to | | | | self fulfilling prophecies. |
| render all other options impossible. Some would see | | | | Defining or understanding concepts such as social |
| this as not being unfair since it does not rob those who | | | | efficiency and democratic equality is relatively easy. |
| already have nothing. What specific groups had | | | | Being in a position of educator and knowing how to |
| previously is what they continue to have. Society's | | | | act fairly towards students depends on the educator's |
| needs are met, and things continue to run as they | | | | embraced philosophy and sense of fairness and |
| always have. | | | | responsibility towards all students. |
| But not so, some say. Democratic equality must prevail. | | | | Larabee, D. Public goods, private goods: the American |
| It must be interpreted to mean equal access to all | | | | struggle over educational goals. American Educational |
| students for all possible positions. Here as everywhere | | | | Research Journal. Spring 1997, vol. 34, No. 1, pp. |
| else, the philosophical framework of educators, | | | | |