Film Discussion Assignment: SOCI_3243, Fall 2023, Oct 5th
Film: Separate and Unequal
Members: Zulfiqar Ali, Christina Christian, Yewande Agboluaje
1. How did the parents who wanted their children to be bussed into the schools and the parents
who wanted to incorporate the city of St. George justify their choices? What values do they
express? (Back, 2012, Ch. 4 & 6; Lareau, 2003; MacLeod, 1995; Wray, 2014).
Ans:
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To begin with the school system was not efficient and the parents agitating for a new
school (St. George) hasvereservations on what the school has to offer to their children. In
their argument the parent beliefs the school was not instilling knowledge, which is the
reason why their children were in school. Apart from the school been tagged as one of the
t
worse schools around Baton Rouge, students are also caught on videos fighting, basically
these parents do not want their kids to be tagged as violent as this is what the school is
known for. The parents who are advocating for this new school are whites, this led to the
belief that the advocacy is segregating the rich from the poor and a racial fight. However,
the leader of the advocacy for the new school Norman Browning claims that the division
was for the good of their children who are from the middle class, and he is also
advocating for a sense of ownership he feels that their middle-class children will lose
their sense of ownership when they continue to mix with lower class children.
This reflects Wright (2005) position of class, he distinguished how the word class is used
and how the concept is understood. according to him class as a position is measured by
the material achievement, standard of living (income, occupation and wealth) of others.
This can also be seen in the interview with Nikki Dangerfield a single mother of four, in
her position, she works hard to be able to give her children good life, she also believes
that social class position is a major reason the parents advocating for division are
ves
agitating. To her she beliefs in equality; however, the division will bring about
segregating the school system.
Ron Ray wrote an article in 2014 regarding child and youth resilience and the whole
community approach in maintaining it. In this he outlines several factors including
individual, social and environmental factors that shape a growing Child’s resilience and
success overall. Obviously, parents want the best for their children within the given
circumstances and the opportunities or obstacles they face, that are in turn an issue for
everyone involved in the process. Ray argues that social and environmental factors
influence individual and family resilience factors heavily. It can be seen in this situation
clearly where parents are faced with many social problems to begin with, and their social
reforms for the educational system and the government at the same time are highly tied to
the status quo of each community. This in fact is an issue itself rather than a solution to
just one problem.
The parents that wanted their children to be bussed to school and the parents who wanted
to incorporate the city of St George expressed that they wanted better education for their
children and though they are advocating for different outcomes this was their justification
for their choices. The African American family expressed values of hard work, that they
would want their children to be exposed to different cultures and different people which
would allow them more opportunities and this might in turn offer them upwards social
mobility. While the advocates for St George school was advocating for an education
system centered around community but not in the sense of a blended community but one
that was more whitewashed or one that comprised of people/children that weretoof the
same economic standing and by default the same race. Browning can be said the hold
exclusionary values as he would be fully aware that the creation of this school would
leave schools that are predominantly black without adequate funding (telling people to
protect their pocketbook), and it would lead to African American students being pulled
from these schools that offered them a better education. The lower-class families were
aware of the structural forces that Mcleod alludes to that work against them, their
children and people of the same skin color that keeps these groups oppressed and that’s
why it is so important for everyone that the school system isn’t carved up in a way that
will further deepen the wounds of inequality and unfairness.
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2. Do you think the aspirations of the children, or their parents differ by race or class?
Why or why not? (Back, 2012, Ch. 4 & 6; Lareau, 2003; MacLeod, 1995; Wray, 2014).
Ans:
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For the children it can be said that their aspirations may not be much different from any
other children, but they still be within a fold of the culture and race they belong to.
Building an identity for a child is the most important task of a community, that
sometimes may lead to the aspirations of invasive nature as well, as can be seen in this
case. The children simply wanted the best, they seek what other children in their
community are seeking, but their resources were limited, even though most of the
resources being used were on one type of group only.
The aspirations of the parents in a wider sense should be the aspiration of same nature,
every parent would want the best for their children, but the race and status quo play a
serious role in this as well. For instance, a royal family would always seek their child to
be a royal like them, a business family may seek that their children become more capable
in solving their business problems than them, this can also be extended to racial and
psychological aspirations, where not necessarily social or economic harm that can be
inflicted on other groups is considered desirably. It can be seen in this film as well that
one group brings in conservative policies into play; Tea Party known for its strong
capitalistic control ideals and less government control, to make it even worse for the
other groups, but in their own understanding this would be simply an aspiration for their
kids, and for the protection of their cultural capital.
The aspirations of the children we heard from were from the minority groups. Aaron said
he would like to attend Woodland High as he would like to play high school football and
because the school has science and technology courses which are of interest to him.
Aaron's mother wanted the best education for her children as this would allow them to
escape the lower-class employment world of working multiple jobs (sometimes menial
jobs) that would exclude them from having leisure time as people in the middle class do.
Macleod spoke to people of these racial group and classes accepting menial jobs with
poor working hours and no opportunity for advancement,;this was what Aaron’s mom
and other parent were trying to save their childrensfrom by sending them to better
schools.
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Browning, even though he has not overtly said it is aiming for his children to maintain
their middle class standing and mixing with these lower income families would put that
in jeopardy. He mentioned that they should separate the children that are fighting and the
ones that want to learn, insinuating that the ones that want to learn of their children or
children from the middle class. This is ironic because Macleod already pointed out that
white youth were more likely to engage in criminal behavior.