Transcript Chapter11 - biggerstaffcp

Understanding
Human Differences
Multicultural Education for a Diverse America
3rd Edition
By
Kent L. Koppelman
Section 3
Chapter 11
Classism: Misconceptions and Myths
about Income, Wealth, and Poverty
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Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
Chapter 11 - 0
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
Chapter 11 - 1
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Cultural Classism
Refers to a society promoting
negative beliefs and practices
that portray people having low
incomes and few resources as
responsible for their situation
and as inferior to those having
higher incomes and more
resources
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What was the response to
poverty in AMERICA
during the colonial period
• Initially, neighbors provided
temporary assistance
• Eventually built poorhouses
similar to those in England to
shelter and feed poor people
until they could take care of
themselves
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Why were people who had
jobs so close to poverty
Workers were usually
exploited by employers who
kept wages so low that it was
difficult for workers to support
their families
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Why did people think
POORHOUSES were
the solution to poverty
In the 19th century, INSTITUTIONS
were regarded as the solution for
many problems:
• Hospitals for the mentally ill
• Orphanages for abandoned children
• Reform schools for juvenile delinquents
• Prisons for convicted criminals
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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Why were children
removed from
poorhouses
• Believed that children of the poor
would learn bad habits if they
stayed with their parents
• If placed in an orphanage they
could learn good habits and could
be adopted by middle class
couples
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What was the response to
the needs of poor people
by the 20th century
• Studies reported that people were
poor primarily because of
circumstances they could not
control rather than a deficiency
• States stopped taking children away
from poor parents
• States provided financial support,
especially to single mothers
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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How did the federal
government address
unemployment in the 1930s
For the first time, the federal
government:
• Provided relief funds to states
• Initiated the Civilian Conservation
Corps (CCC) to employ single men
• Established the Works Progress
Administration (WPA) to employ
adult workers
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What was the outcome
of the NEW DEAL
• Americans now expect the federal
government to play a role in
addressing poverty issues
• Youth programs (e.g., Peace Corps,
Americorps) continue the practice of
involving young people in federal
projects
• Anti-poverty programs such as social
security, welfare, and unemployment
insurance continue to be federally
funded
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Individual Classism
Refers to prejudiced attitudes
and actions against others
based on the perception of
someone’s level of income,
education, or status as being
inferior
Understanding Human Differences
3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How are children from low-
income families
disadvantaged in
SCHOOLS
• Studies show that student scores on
standardized tests (e.g., SAT) increase
as family income levels increase
• Many educators attribute this to the
significant disparities for low-income
children:
• School facilities
• Learning opportunities
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How has the federal
government addressed
the disadvantages for
low-income students
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act:
• Sets stringent standards
• Mandates testing
• Rewards or punishes schools based on
student performance
Critics argue that the program has been underfunded so schools in poverty areas have not
received funds to improve student performance
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Why should problems
outside of school affect
a child’s performance
in school
Children living in POVERTY
• Often do not receive appropriate nutrition
which affects cognitive development
• Often lack stable home lives that promote
financial and personal security
• Often suffer from environmental
deficiencies that may lead to health
problems (e.g., asthma)
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How will addressing SOCIAL
PROBLEMS of children in
poverty improve academic
achievement
Studies show that children’s cognitive
development and standardized test
scores improved:
• When they received adequate nutrition
• When their family’s economic security is
improved
• When their health is not adversely
affected by environmental conditions
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Who is eligible for
WELFARE payments
Some welfare funds support
widows, orphans, and people with
disabilities
90% of welfare recipients are
SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES under
the Transitional Assistance to
Needy Families (TANF) program
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What are some MYTHS
about welfare recipients
MYTH: Welfare rolls are increasing
REALITY: Welfare numbers increase as the
overall population increases; as a percentage
of the overall population, the percent of people
on welfare has stayed about the same
MYTH: Welfare families are large
REALITY: The size of families on welfare is
similar to families not on welfare
(70% have one or two children)
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MYTH:
People on welfare live comfortably
because they abuse the welfare system
REALITY: Seven states with
the most generous
welfare programs bring recipients up to the
poverty level; all other state recipients live below
the poverty level
(According to the IRS, less than 2% of welfare
claims are found to be fraudulent; far more fraud
is committed on middle class tax returns)
MYTH: Welfare recipients stay on welfare forever
REALITY: The majority of children on welfare do
not become recipients as adults. About 30% of
welfare recipients are in the program for one
year; 75% go off welfare within five years
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
MYTH:
Welfare recipients are too lazy to
get a job
REALITY: About 2/3 of those on welfare are
children, and under TANF, single parents
are required to enter training programs and
work to be eligible for benefits
MYTH: The federal government only helps
people on welfare
REALITY: The federal government helps
wealthy corporations by providing over $160
billion annually
(In one year, $1,400 per taxpayer was paid
in “corporate welfare” compared to $400
per taxpayer to the poor)
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Institutional Classism
Refers to institutional policies
and practices that EXPLOIT
low-income people and
BENEFIT middle or upper
class individuals
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Why is the DISPARITY
between the richest and
poorest Americans
increasing
Federal policies have played a major
role to divert more resources to the
richest Americans through
Tax Cuts
Tax Exemptions
(The number of BILLIONAIRES
in the U.S. has increased from
TWO in 1980 to 374 in 2004)
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How have salaries in the
U.S. been affected by
recent economic changes
Wages for full-time workers
(especially males) have
STAGNATED or DECLINED since the
1980s:
Average of $678 per week in 1979
Average of $646 per week in 2000
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How large is the
DISPARITY of WEALTH
in the United States
IN 2002:
TOP 1% of Americans had MORE WEALTH
than the BOTTOM 90% of all Americans
American CEOs made 431 times the
average workers salary
Brazil ranks 2nd among global
corporations for the most highly paid
CEOs
Brazil’s CEOs make 57 times the
average worker’s salary
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How do INCOME LEVELS
determine SOCIAL CLASS
in the United States
Scholars define “middle class” as a set of
attitudes, beliefs, and practices rather
than based on income levels
Official government poverty levels are
specifically defined according to income:
Single Person
$11,201
Single + One Child
$14,840
Single + Two Children
$17,346
Two Adults + One Child
Two Adults + Two Children
$17,330
$21,834
Source: United States Census Bureau, 2006
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Who suffers most
from poverty
• 31% of women in single-parent
families live in poverty
• 24% of all women are below
the poverty line
• Many elderly women worked in
minimum wage jobs and now
have low social security
payments
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Who suffers most
from POVERTY
Children pay the highest price
beginning at birth:
• Low birth rates
• High infant mortality rates
• High child mortality rates
The U.S. has the highest percent of
children living in poverty of all
developed nations except Mexico
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Who suffers most
from POVERTY
Elderly people encounter
stereotypes, prejudice,
and discrimination
(called ageism)
Social security: One of the
federal government’s best antipoverty programs, yet about 10%
of elderly Americans still live in
poverty
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What are some
examples of AGEISM
• Stereotypes of the elderly as
helpless, dependent, even
infantile
• Anti-aging creams and other
products that imply aging is a
disease
• Prejudices assuming
diminished cognitive abilities
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
Why does “ageism”
now include youth
• Age related prejudices and
stereotypes about youth result
in job discrimination
• High unemployment for
teenagers at the workplace
• Unfair treatment reported by
young workers (18-24)
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How do INSTITUTIONS
exploit poor people
•
Banks engage in redlining
Loans are denied due to deteriorating
neighborhoods
• Banks require minimum checking balances
Low-income people live paycheck to
paycheck and cannot maintain the minimum
• Poor people without checking accounts are
exploited by check cashing stores
Excessive fees of up to 10% of the check
• Private lenders charge higher interest rates
than banks are allowed, then sell loan
packages to banks for a quick profit while
banks collect the high interest
Understanding Human Differences
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
How do BUSINESSES
discriminate against
poor people
• Blank Price Tags: Merchants quote higher
prices to some customers
• Bait & Switch: Advertising a product at a low
price, but persuade customers to buy a more
expensive product
• Rent-to-Own: Rental paid for a product that
will be owned eventually, usually resulting in a much
higher price (e.g., rental of $14.99 for 74 weeks =
$1,109.26 paid for a TV that retails at $329)
• Pawnshops: Source of personal loans for poor
people at interest rates as high as 20% per month
($240 per year)
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
What can federal and state
GOVERNMENTS do to assist
families living in poverty
• Provide services to address
critical needs (e.g., shelters for
battered women)
• Subsidize child care for single
parents enrolled in education or
training programs
• Federal government should
require businesses to pay a
living wage to workers
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc
• State governments must increase
funding for schools serving low-income
children
• Make it easier to apply for Earned
Income Tax Credit and offer other tax
relief
• Offer tax incentives to corporations to
locate in inner cities
• Increase the availability of housing
vouchers
• Offer incentives for multinational
corporations to keep jobs in the U.S.
rather than outsourcing overseas
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3rd Edition - Koppelman
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc