Page 196 - Šolsko polje, XXVIII, 2017, no. 3-4: Education and the American Dream, ed. Mitja Sardoč
P. 196
ššoollsskkooppoolljjee, ,lleettnniikkxxxxviii,i,šštteevvililkkaa33––44
hood effect: “growing residential segregation by social class is a key under-
lying cause of differences in kids’ educational experiences”. Children at-
tend schools of different quality. Again, the solution to this problem does
not seem to be very realistic: Putnam suggests moving poor families to
better neighbourhoods. (If poor families are moved to better neighbour-
hoods, what then becomes of the poor neighbourhoods? Are better ones
still better?)
Extracurricular activities are described by Putnam as “a near-perfect tool”,
invented by the Americans, to foster equal opportunity (as they provide
a natural and effective way to provide mentoring and inculcate soft skills,
says Putnam). But, as they are mostly provided in a form “pay-to-play”, one
can see them as just another dividing factor. Putnam suggests that this
should be amended, but his proposals somehow do not look quite realis-
tic: his appeal is for more funding for extracurricular activities.
Indeed, it is the anger factor that I miss sometimes in this documentation
of the expansion of inequality, and that is why I read this as a cautious tale:
documenting, but not really seeking reasons for it (culprits?) and realis-
tic and/or political changes. The rise in inequality recognized by Putnam
in this book seems “to spring if not from natural causes, then from un-
lucky but well intentioned policy choices,” as put by M. Eisenberg (Eisen-
berg, 2015: p. 294). Putnam touches upon possible causes for “this breath-
taking increase in inequality”, but does not put a finger to it. They are, as
he says, much debated: globalization, technological change, de-unioniza-
tion, changing social norms, post-Reagan public policy … So the prem-
ise of American national independence “all men are created equal”, as im-
portant as it may be, looks in these murky waters very much devoid of any
contents, even if claimed by Putnam, that “Americans of all parties have
historically been very concerned about this issue”.
The George W. Bush administration is mentioned as an example of try-
ing to improve things: it is said to pursue an array of policy experiments
designed to enhance marriage and marital stability and rigorously evalu-
ated the results. Putnam does not make any comment on such policy ex-
periments (by the way, he acted as a consultant to several American pres-
idents) nor takes a stand as regards various political decisions. He does,
however, state that
The absence of personal villains in our stories does not mean that no one
is at fault. Many constraints on equal opportunity in America today, in-
cluding many of the constraints apparent in our stories, are attributable
to social policies that reflect collective decisions. Insofar as we have some
responsibility for those collective decisions, we are implicated by our fail-
ure to address removable barriers to others’ success.
194
hood effect: “growing residential segregation by social class is a key under-
lying cause of differences in kids’ educational experiences”. Children at-
tend schools of different quality. Again, the solution to this problem does
not seem to be very realistic: Putnam suggests moving poor families to
better neighbourhoods. (If poor families are moved to better neighbour-
hoods, what then becomes of the poor neighbourhoods? Are better ones
still better?)
Extracurricular activities are described by Putnam as “a near-perfect tool”,
invented by the Americans, to foster equal opportunity (as they provide
a natural and effective way to provide mentoring and inculcate soft skills,
says Putnam). But, as they are mostly provided in a form “pay-to-play”, one
can see them as just another dividing factor. Putnam suggests that this
should be amended, but his proposals somehow do not look quite realis-
tic: his appeal is for more funding for extracurricular activities.
Indeed, it is the anger factor that I miss sometimes in this documentation
of the expansion of inequality, and that is why I read this as a cautious tale:
documenting, but not really seeking reasons for it (culprits?) and realis-
tic and/or political changes. The rise in inequality recognized by Putnam
in this book seems “to spring if not from natural causes, then from un-
lucky but well intentioned policy choices,” as put by M. Eisenberg (Eisen-
berg, 2015: p. 294). Putnam touches upon possible causes for “this breath-
taking increase in inequality”, but does not put a finger to it. They are, as
he says, much debated: globalization, technological change, de-unioniza-
tion, changing social norms, post-Reagan public policy … So the prem-
ise of American national independence “all men are created equal”, as im-
portant as it may be, looks in these murky waters very much devoid of any
contents, even if claimed by Putnam, that “Americans of all parties have
historically been very concerned about this issue”.
The George W. Bush administration is mentioned as an example of try-
ing to improve things: it is said to pursue an array of policy experiments
designed to enhance marriage and marital stability and rigorously evalu-
ated the results. Putnam does not make any comment on such policy ex-
periments (by the way, he acted as a consultant to several American pres-
idents) nor takes a stand as regards various political decisions. He does,
however, state that
The absence of personal villains in our stories does not mean that no one
is at fault. Many constraints on equal opportunity in America today, in-
cluding many of the constraints apparent in our stories, are attributable
to social policies that reflect collective decisions. Insofar as we have some
responsibility for those collective decisions, we are implicated by our fail-
ure to address removable barriers to others’ success.
194
