The education system helps children in many ways. It has many functions, preparing children for work and secondary socialisation are just examples of some of the functions. However, different sociologists have different views on what functions the educations system provides, and their different ideas tend to be conflicting.
Functionalists would say that a function of the education system is teaching role allocation; this was created by Parsons, and built on by Davis and Moore. Role Allocation is the process in education by which students are judged on aptitude and ability and suggested suitable career/work roles. This makes sure that the highest jobs, such as surgeons, lawyers, are undertaken by the most talented people. They said that inequality is necessary as it ensures that those that are talented fill the most important jobs. However there are many criticisms for this, Tumin criticised David and Moore for putting forward a circular argument, how do we know what is an “important” job? Marxists would criticise this function as it means those who can afford better education (middle class) have a higher chance of being the ones with the important jobs.
Marxists would say that a function of the educations system is to reinforce class inequality and capitalist values. Althusser, a neo Marxist, would say that the education system is part of the Ideological State Apparatus. The ISA maintains the rule of the bourgeoisie by controlling people’s belief and ideas. They would say that the educations system does this in two ways. One way it does this is by reproducing class inequality by transmitting it from generation to generation. This means that each generation is taught their place in society and they should accept it. The second way the education does this is by justifying class inequality by teaching children capitalist values. This ensures that the proletariats