Narineh T, 1. In LA, Missing Kindergarden Is A Big Deal is a social problem because it’s a pattern of behavior that has negative consequences on child future goal and educational aspects. As a result of that society recognize missing kindergarden as a problem and it became issue. This issue achieved recognitions by larger community such as Los Angeles Unified district. Students miss school because of illness, family emergency, and car trouble, lack of transportation and lack of child care. Students who miss school they will have difficulty passing their courses so with a far below basic knowledge it’s obvious that those students will have struggle at higher division level due to miss out valuable instructional time. In addition, poverty is another social problem. 2. The conflict perspective, urge from the ideas of Karl Marx, who focused on conflict based on class. Conflict theorist would say an unequal distribution of wealth is a problem. After all, higher education in the U.S is not free. As result, low income families (have not) cannot afford to pay for their child education because of limited sources such as money. However, those families who consider as wealthy family (haves) will benefit from this opportunity and can afford to pay for their child education. Conflict would mention the point that inequality favoring one group (the wealthy) over other groups (the poor). The conflict theory might also concern about health care or child care. The poor families due to lack of resources cannot provide healthy foods such as natural food for their child so when their kids get sick they are not able to pay enough for health or they have poor health coverage. 3. I chose this topic because kid who doesn’t have perfect attendance is because of poverty which brings different type of issues such as inequality, discrimination, class conflict or competition among have and have not . According to “In LA, Missing Kindergarten Is a Bid Deal” article, researchers also indicate that “attendance is a problem in many low-income communities”. U.S is responsible to provide any kind of needs for those low income families that are not able to send their kid to school. U.S can provide bus for kids who are in lack of transportation. Another solution would be, increasing the job opportunities so families can work and earn more money. As we all know, U.S collect taxes from people so government is actually able to provide this basic needs for low income families. Also schools need kids to know why it matters, recognize kids for improved attendance, and build a culture where everyone expects to be there every day. These solutions are significant because we need to educate our kids not because for having a better future only but also one day they may become decision makers for their people or government. As a result of that U.S needs to make sure to provide education for all kids regardless to their socio economic status in order to have educated man and women in the community who can make right decisions for country.
1. In this article they are talking about the concern in children missing various days of kindergarten. This has become a social problem because many children whose parents work for minimum wage or live on paycheck-to-paycheck will one day be those parents, not all but some, this will become a cycle. These kids are missing school because they cannot afford things like healthcare. Money can make many things not possible for these kids. Kindergarten is where the most important concepts you will learn begin to be taught to you and these children are missing out. Most schools will pass them right along without them understanding a concept, which also leads these students to drop out later in high school. When looking at this social problem we can use Blumer’s model to better understand how it is a social problem. (1) The problem is that these kids are missing many days in school and are always catching up. Not all kids learn the same and not all kids will understand concepts the same. (2) This problem becomes recognized because schools, teachers, parents start to realize that their child is not doing well in school, that they are missing days, that the child is being passes along. They notice that the reading level and the comprehension level is not up to par. These children are struggling and they begin to have doubts and just give up all together. Then they start noticing it is not just a couple children its 10,000 or more children that are having this issue. (3) People start to get involved. They start to make tutors more available to families that cannot afford to pay one. They have after school care at the schools to help the children with homework. The teachers become more involved and the schools higher ups start to pick and choose the educators for their schools. (4) Then this is where they find the solution. The solution in this case was the teacher became more involved. He reminded the students to come to school. He showed them how exciting it will be. He uses peer pressure to get these kids to come and finds tactics on how to get these parents more on track with their child coming to school.
2. A conflict theorist would address how these children at these schools are not progressing enough, like the children of parents that have the money to afford health care and even private education. They are able to afford transportation, gas, healthcare, healthy foods, they do not have to work long stressful hours and are able to cook at home or have someone cook. Their children can do sports and stay active. With conflict theory it is about who has the power, they are the ones that decide social order. The children that are missing kindergarten are going to miss grade school, middle school, junior high, high school, and might even drop out in high school or never advance to college. It’s about keeping the workers as the worker. It seems as though those that are the workers now are just producing and creating the future workers. Those in power do not want to make healthcare affordable and their companies do not want to make healthier foods more affordable. They do not want the affect the social order. They want the workers to have class-consciousness and be aware of where they are in the social ladder. The children soon become aware as well. Children missing school keeps the lower class from the upper class.
3. A solution to the problem would be raising the minimum wage or having better paying jobs available for these low-income families. This is needed because with a higher pay they would be able to afford public transportation or even their own transportation. They would be able to afford healthier foods and a variety of them. They would be able to afford better healthcare when the child is sick. They would be able to get tutors, counseling, whatever the child needs. Money will make things more available to these families. They would be able to live in better areas with better schools. I think money has the biggest role because without it in LA you cannot do much.
Dina A. In this article, we come to identify a problem that is individual; yet, that will later be identified as a social problem. In kindergarden, missing three to seven days of school is not frowned upon. However, missing 10, 20, or 30 days of school is unquestionably unacceptable. According to the school district officials of Los Angeles, more than 10,000 kids were persistently absent from kindergarden. This is due, because of the lack of transportation, healthcare, low wages, and so on. This problem has let itself to be socially recognized and to be counted as a social problem because of the clear verification; in which a 2008 report from National Center for children in poverty had founded that, “Those children who missed more than 10% of school in kindergarden, were the lowest achieving kids in the first grade.” This is a huge social problem, because we want our society to have well educated people that are able to complete simple/hard tasks, provide solutions to our problems, and make this society a better place. This problem can easily be applied to the conflict theory, where it would define the problem to be power. Conflict theory views the society as characterized by tension and struggle between groups. According to conflict theory, capitalist economic fixture unfairly entitles the rich, who have the power to achieve an unfair system that works to their benefit. However, the "Losers" who are at the bottom of the social stratification, meaning the hierarchical arrangement of social classes within the society, have little opportunity to enhance their condition, as those at the top tend to have increased political and economic power. Conflict theory of stratification recognizes that inequality is damaging to society. Nevertheless, it generates a fixed system of winners and losers. The “winners” being the parents of the children that make it to school everyday in kindergarden are in fact able to provide transportation because of their power; in which they can also provide better, healthier foods for their children in order to keep them from getting sick. Additionally, the “losers” being the parents of those children that are missing the school in kindergarden, cannot provide transportation, healthcare and have low wages. Hence, their children, not being able to gain education, will continue to keep the classification of “losers”,because they were never given a chance. I chose this topic, because inequality and power has always been a problem for our society. There are many solutions regarding this problem. One, would be if the society could provide more schools within walking distances; where having a transportation issue could be almost impossible. Another solution would be to lower the price of riding the bus, so that the kids can ride it to school and not miss a day of gaining significant education. The most crucial solution to this problem would be increased wages. Money is always an issue; however, if the parents had higher wages, they would be able to accomplish so many more things for their kids, such as transportation, and healthcare. These solutions are vital to our society, because continuing without them would create a social problem; in which the kids would not be able to achieve more in life, and will have a hard time doing simple/hard tasks, or finding solutions to our societal problems.
Michael A. 1. It is obvious that the future of this world is the youth. In this article, the main problem explained is the fact that due to poor lifestyles of of families in the LA area, students are missing their kindergarten classes which is the foundation for learning in the future. The reasons why parents of these children are examples like having no transportation to get them to school, illness because of not providing proper nutrition for such fragile immune systems, and heavy work that is demanded on the parents where the pay is not cut out right. Lets not forget that it is mentioned that a kindergartner missing a day of school would add up to four days of attendance just to catch up to the others. There is also a line in the article where Hugo Villavicencio speaks to a parent claiming a student has missed 30 days of school. The theory or concept that can best be used to explain the situation is that of the conflict perspective.
2. In this struggle for limited resources these parents have for the kindergartners because of the much more powerful groups, it is hurting their future. The powerful people on top of the food chain shape the patterns for everyday life of these families and kids. They also create ethnic, class, and racial inequality. This all leads to this gap created where the middle is slowly diminishing and you will end up with the upper and lower class. The jobs along with the wages earned are not up to par, and parents don't have means for transportation, and the health care to aid for the sick children. A child getting sick is very easy if you think about it if they aren't given the proper resources which are in the hands of the powerful. The government would rather spend the money that would benefit themselves and in the end, that's all that matters to them. A conflict theorist would say that the power must be evenly distributed so that the families in the area get wages to provide transportation and ways to nourish their kids correctly in order so that they don't miss any days of school.
3. What I think about this topic is very simple. What I have noticed over time is the importance of the youth. IF you think about it, they are the groups of kids that will shape what tomorrow will look like in a sense. The children that are under the care of the parents at the top of the food chains will have the means to create a mind that will just keep doing the same abuse over the years, and the kids under the poverty line will be abused. That is one of the reasons I commented on this, along with the fact that I have little cousins growing up now and I would really want the best for them. I look at them and tell myself that I hope all the kids growing up now will truly make this world a better place. They are going to decide the direction of where our world is going to go. The solution I propose is that we need to find a way to stop the gap between the upper and lower classes. More of our tax money should be poured into the schools that are teaching our youth so that they get their minds shaped correctly. A good way of looking at a young mind is that of a sponge. They absorb all information being thrown at them, and it will carry on and direct them through high school and what not. Raising the minimum wage won't help at all because the prices around us will only go up. This problem is the allocation of our tax money not being distributed correctly. Again, all we have to do is protect the youth in order for them to create our new world filled with fair opportunities for everyone.
Arpine M. 1) “In LA, Missing Kindergarten Is A Big Deal” talks about the bad outcome of students missing various days of kindergarten and how this is effecting the students education. This has become a social problem due to many parents living in poverty and not being able to find transportation in order to bring their children to school, stated in the article. For example, Zaida Ayala whose son attends Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School in South LA, explains the reason as to why her son has been missing so many days of school. In the article she says, “because she lives far away and because of the prices of transportation going up she is not able to bring her soon to school”. Even though every parent knows how important their child's education is and how important it is for them not to miss a day of school, due to money some families don’t have a choice.
2) According to conflict theorist, this problem addresses how students whose parents are living in poverty can’t achieve as much as the students whose parents actually do have money and can afford transportation, gas, healthcare, organic food, etc. Conflict theory is about power and who has that power. The people with the power are the people with the upper hand in society. Children who are born in a low-income families are likely to grow up and also find themselves in this situation. Due to lack of sources some people cannot achieve and the people with the money can. A conflict theorist would say that the bourgeoisie don't want to see the proletariat achieve in order for them to keep all the power. Children who are missing days of school can't get the education needed to succeed.
3) I think that even though schools are doing their best to avoid the high number of absences, at the end it all comes down to money. This topic got my attention because of how money can play a major role in everyone’s life. I feel as though if schools could offer transportation services at low cost, maybe just maybe this would help the parents be able to send their kids to school.
Amber A. 1. The problem at hand is that Kindergarten students in LA are missing copious amounts of school days, due to micro level problems within the family such as: illness, poor health care, transportation issues, work conflicts, etc. Many families in LA are low-income families and sadly a typical school day many of us take for granted, is hard to achieve for these families of LA. Children in kindergarten are in their prime time learning stages of development, and every day is valued for their education, growth and development. The National Center for Children in Poverty states that, “children who missed more than 10 percent of school in kindergarten were the lowest-achieving group in the first grade”; missing kindergarten puts these children in a disadvantage for later years. This is the objective reality. NPR states that research shows that if you miss a lot of kindergarten that you will probably drop out of school. This problem is a social problem because it has negative consequences for individuals. Herbert Blumer’s first two stages of Social Recognition and Social Legitimation can be applied to this issue. Society has recognized that missing copious amounts of Kindergarten put individuals at a disadvantage. This problem is being recognized and legitimized by the larger community of school district officials and NPR. 2. The Symbolic Interactionist perspective can be applied to this problem. The Symbolic Interactionist focuses on the micro level problems at hand, parents unable to get their child to school, and children missing copious amounts of kindergarten. This perspective looks at how interactions between people can influence behaviors and have an impact on society. When a five year old is exposed to the institution of education, they are not only learning book smart materials, but they are becoming exposed to other individuals and in turn shaping ones individuality and behavior. This can be identified as Cooley’s Looking Glass Self. The interactions they experience in school, whether it be with peers, teachers or bullies shape how that individual interacts later in life. This NPR article states that children who get in a habit of missing school at a young age are more likely to drop out of school in later years. One solution that was brought up was to give the children who attend school prizes, more like an incentive to come to school, a positive sanction. They also used peer pressure to try and reinforce children to go to school. This is another example of Symbolic Interaction between peers. Another solution that they tried was personally calling the parent to see why their child was missing so much school. The symbolic interactionsit perspective would say that by having face-to-face interactions with the parents and children we could try and solve this social problem. 3. This topic caught my attention because education is a driving competitive force that only opens up more options and opportunities for people. I decided to write on this topic because education is a staple that ever person needs in order to succeed, and seeing Kindergartners miss school is a path leading to a dead end. Personally I feel that once someone is set at a disadvantage income wise, whether it be from: poor healthcare, low wages, not enough work hours, immigration, minimal education or other financial issues, it is very hard for them to break free from that disadvantage, and their well being and family often suffer. This was seen through the interview with Zaida Ayala, she is a low-income mother who cannot afford transportation to get her child to school. One solution that I suggest to aid in Kindergarten attendance would be to provide a school bus for families who cannot afford a car or taking a bus everyday. This is needed in order ensure Kindergarten attendance. When schools have a high volume of absences, they might not be able to get the funding they need. With school busses provided there is less excuse for absences.
Gabby H. 1. Hugo Villavicencio, a Kindergarten instructor at Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School, along with many elementary educators is highly concerned with the long-term effects of children not being in attendance at public school. This particular school is located in Los Angeles, California, the nation’s second largest school district, whose attendance is repeatedly is of concern to the district and its educators. Listeners are presented with statistical data, which states that in 2012, “10,000 kindergarten students were chronically absent”. A student is deemed chronically absent after 10, 20, and in extreme cases 30 days. These absences not only prevent the child from thriving academically, but also hinder the child’s ability to adapt to the Social Structure; Social Integration, Social Placement, and Culture of a public elementary school. A report from The National Center for Children in Poverty (2008) reports “children who missed more than ten percent of school in kindergarten subsequently became the lowest-achieving group in the first grade”. This level of absentee discrepancy has fueled educators towards increasing incentives for children who demonstrate perfect, or near perfect attendance. It is the educators hope that an increase in incentives with lead to an overall increase in attendance rates. It is estimated that for every one day that a child is absent, “it will take four days to bring the child up to speed”. At Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School, the teacher to student ratio for students in kindergarten is 22 to 1 on average annually, according to the LAUSD. According to the teachers at Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School, the number of kindergarten absence is directly related to the number of neighboring low-income communities and families. In one mother’s words, “ I live far and don’t have transportation”. Obstacles such as a lack of financial resources (ie. Transportation, Jobs, and SES) have disempowered neighboring residents from the ability to send their children to school. As noted in the NPR clip, “the lowest months for school attendance are December and January (52%)”. These particular months serve as an interesting addition to the already low rate of attendance when we consider the numerous financial variables that low-income families face during the seasonal months. Unstated in the NPR clip, it is also important to note that the ultimate responsibility for children being absent from school is due to the confounding variables presented by each parent. The issues presented in this case are of particular importance when we consider the interactionist perspective, which looks at the social integration of the parent to the classroom, and the child to public education as a result of the parents modeling.
Gabby H. 2.According to the interactionist perspective, we look closer at the relationship between the child and his/her education system. Systematically, we are able to observe an importance between one child and another interacting on the playground, classroom, meal interaction, and instruction from an adult figure. Children are introduced to gender roles, teacher’s expectations, and are able to recognize their intellectual ability as a result of the interactions between the child and its educational environment. The child is able to tangibly feel through what elementary school culture is asking of him/her. In doing so, this not only fulfills the component of expected behaviors within school, but also the society by which they are being integrated. This value system helps the child understand more deeply what is being asked of them once they have aged out of elementary school. The interaction between male and female kindergarteners is of high interest to the symbolic interactionist because side-by-side play helps the student to realize his or her gender role in socialization, along with gathering information on how instructors treat boys and girls. This perspective also affords an understanding of what the surrounding culture and norms of the parental unit values. As presented by one parent in this segment, affordable (and reliable) transportation seems to be an issue of importance. Many individuals living in urbanized areas of Los Angeles struggle to make ends meet both educationally for their children, and financially. Education is not a priority when parents are unable to provide the means. Upon my own research to better understand the relationship between community and SES, I was able to pull data from the Los Angeles Family Housing Authority, which estimates that within this particular school district, the mean family income is $27,723 with an average of four children in each home. The 2014 Poverty Guideline states a family of 5 making less than $27,910 is considered to be living in poverty. Knowing this data, it is not difficult to understand that for the district being studied, there is a clear correlation between SES and school attendance. For the interactionist, this relationship is key to understanding how the culture impacts the child, and how that child perceives its cultural expectations.
Gabby H. 3. In regards to my personal understanding of attendance discrepancy; I find it interesting that education, which in so many ways has the ability to empower and offer a way out of the cycle of poverty, this chance can seldom be fully embraced by parents who perhaps weren’t afforded this opportunity themselves. Subsequently, these parents might not view education as a priority for their children. Upon doing a simple Google map search of this school, I was able to see that it is within 1.5 miles of USC, and has three neighboring elementary schools within a 0.8-mile radius. Collectively this evidence shows me that, in order for a parent without transportation to walk their child to school would take 14 minutes. This tells me that there absolutely has to be more to each story than a lack of transportation; Maybe the parent works, or doesn’t work. Maybe the parents are unable to provide clean clothing or uniform for their child. Perhaps domestic violence exists within the household. The possible confounding variables are too numerous to list. In my opinion, the instructors are going about a solution based on rewards for children who attend school regularly, which wont help, but only further isolate the child who only shows up to school once a week. In a perfect world, there would be a trained and educated social worker for every child that is seen to be falling through the cracks in education, realistically, their might be one assigned to each elementary school who simply cannot track down each child and parent for every absence. With so much unknown it is difficult for me to say what the exact solution to this problem would be. There isn’t a fix all, However, if we increase annual transportation funding for this elementary school (bus service, home pick-up) for those children who are chronically absent, we would see a profound decrease in the number of absentees in comparison. Community support and Educational institution support (in my opinion) would greatly increase the likelihood of parents revisiting the notion that early education (which means their children show up) is critical for their child’s overall performance for not only school, but for society as a whole.
I agree with Amy’s responses about how Kindergarten students in LA are being absent a lot in school due to the micro level problems within the low-income families. Low-income families faces issues like having to work long hours to make ends meets, living far from the school and not having a car, and illnesses are not able to support or bring their child to school. What stood out to me about what she wrote was the fact that children who missed school in kindergarten were at a disadvantaged for later years; thus, leading them to drop out of school. If a child missed school, it would be harder for them to catch up on what they learned in school. I choose to comment on her entry because I believe education should be for all and those who are at a disadvantaged like low-income families should get the support and help that they need for their child to succeed in school. What I think about the topic is that would be an intergenerational issue—where, it will affect several generations along the line for these kindergarten students unless the larger community of school districts and society addresses this problem. 2. The conflict theory perspective can be applied to this problem. The conflict theory perspective focuses on the limited resources that the poor income parents have in which affects their child’s missing attendance at school. This not only hurt their family, but it is hurting their child’s future. It is a fact that children from affluence families tend to do better in school because they have resources and money, whereas, low-income families are in strife within the community. This creates inequality with the rich and their poor because the privileges have the advantages in the resources necessary to strive and be successful. A conflict theorist would say that the capitalist favors the privileges and perpetuate an unfair system that works to their advantage and those who lack opportunities (ex. Low-income families) have little opportunities to be at the top of the social stratification because they lack political and economic power.
3. I think Amy’s proposed solution is a good idea. It would be realistic and put less stress on the low-income families who can’t bring their kids to school. Another proposed solution would be to get the school to be involved in the children’s lives by letting them know why it is important for them and their future. This would shape a culture for them to want to go to school everyday. Also, giving positive reinforcement like what Mr. Villavicencio is doing by rewarding students with prizes for being in attendance. Giving children interest in there encourages them to want to be in school. Another proposal would be to talk to the parents to have them understand about the importance of attendance and education and have them change their mind if they are having any fears, doubts, and excuses about school. Parents have a big influence on their children and it is important that the parents understands the benefits of education is for their children’s future, then they would have a higher chance of making an effort in sending their children to go to school. There should be no excuse for the children to miss school. Since parents have the most influence over their children, it would be a dead end for their child if The encouragement from both the school and the parent would reinforce and instill the value of education for children. When children see two parties pushing them to attend school, they would want to come everyday and not miss class.
Dewan A In Response To Narineh T 1. I agree with Narineh’s response. I agree because education is one the most essential requirement in life. Without education students will lack the skills and knowledge to cooperate with others in reality world. They can use their knowledge to build their life and achieve success. LA Kindergarten students are poor. They do not have enough resources to support them. Their parents have to work day and night to support them. The parents cannot give time to their children. So the children become irresponsible and misses their school. I agree about what she said about if students who miss school they will have difficulty passing their courses so with a far below basic knowledge it’s obvious that those students will have struggle at higher division level due to miss out valuable instructional time. So if the parents give time to their children, they will not miss school and will progress in their life. It is a social problem because if they do not have good education it will be big problem for society. Society will lack good professionals like lawyers, doctors, and NASA scientists. Education help move the world forward. 2. I want to see this through functionalist perspective. Functionalist theorists say all living things has functions. They are all interdependent on each other. People can help each other and achieve success. The government provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running. That is, the family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. In the process, the children become law-abiding, taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. If all goes well, the parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. 3. I agree with her proposed solution that government should increases job opportunities. If they increases job opportunities the parents will have better jobs and better salaries. The parents would not have to work day and night. They can give time to their children. Children will not lack transportation problems and will become a responsible citizen. It is realistic because children will have better education which is very important. Another solution can be if government personally look after poor children. They should motivate the children. They should start a fun talent competition which will inspire the students to study voluntarily and enhance their skills. Education is very important. So the students should never miss their school.
Victoria T. In response to Arpine M. 1. I agree with Arpine’s response on how a person’s social economic status greatly influences their ability to get to school therefore impacting their overall education. The more days of school a student misses, the more they fall behind and the harder it becomes for them to understand material clearly. Arpine’s conflict perspective makes a great point in stating that according to the conflict perspective, the students whose parents have less resources have a greater disadvantage in achieving educational equality than those whose parents have enough resources to guarantee that their children will make it to school everyday. What stood out to me about the entry is the incorporated response of a mother who knows how important attendance is but still feels she’s limited. To know that you are limiting the education of your child and to feel helpless about it gives credit to the conflict perspective. I chose to comment on this entry because of the emphasis placed on a family’s social economic status, which will help me present the perspective of a functionalist. Regarding the topic as a whole, I think this is an enormous social problem. So many young children missing school at such an early age fall behind on grasping things like simple addition and spelling, which makes it harder for them at higher grades to continue to develop those very skills that are crucial to demonstrate fluency in later on in life. Without even realizing it, most people do simple arithmetic to complete tasks in their daily lives. 2.A functionalist would explain how these disadvantages are crucial to society. The functionalist perspective focuses on how the education system is another institution structured to maintain society’s stability. A functionalist would say that one of the manifest functions of the education system is to teach children fluency in subjects like reading, writing, and simple arithmetic. The highest math class required to graduate from high school is algebra 2 or geometry. You don’t have to take statistics or calculus, which at the college level is often necessary in order to receive a degree. One of the latent functions of the education system is separating those who have the resources and skills to succeed from those who don’t. A functionalist would point out that society depends on both college educated people and the working class with maybe a high school diploma to function. Just like businesses need someone capable of running them they also need people to do tasks like packaging products. In regards to the problem of young kindergarteners missing school because of factors like parents not having cars, a functionalist would argue that society is not structured to provide every family with cars. If every family had cars, then there would be no need for the public transportation system, which offers jobs to millions of people within society. Within the functionalist perspective, if you have the economic stability to take your child to school, then your child will contribute to society at a higher level. They might go on to college and work at a higher earning job doing something that society values highly. If your family doesn’t have the stability to get your young child to school everyday and if they fall behind then they will serve society at a lower income job that is also needed to keep society going.
Victoria T. In response to Arpine M. 3. Arpine’s proposed solution regarding transportation is a good one. Schools should offer transportation services at low costs, having that discount takes a load off of parents with no car or those who worry about the price of gas. Having affordable school transportation available makes parent’s only worry in the morning is that their child is up and ready by the time the bus passes by. My solution to this problem would be carpooling. In many instances, children who attend the same school live around the same area. At the beginning of the year, classroom teachers could hold a meeting and parents could figure out a type of schedule and pick up classmates that live relatively close to one another. This would be helpful because if one student in one area has access to a parent’s car but a classmate a few blocks over doesn’t then this would greatly help that disadvantaged family. Parents could take turns in the mornings by week or whatever they feel would best incorporate their time as well.
1. I agree with Narineh T. because it is not just the fact that students in kindergarten miss school for no reason, but the fact that the government does not provide enough subsidies for low income families. When Narineh T. stated, “I chose this topic because kid who doesn’t have perfect attendance is because of poverty which brings different type of issues such as inequality, discrimination, class conflict or competition among have and have not.” It stood out to be the most because the real underlining problem is not just the fact that parents do not want to take their child to school; some simply cannot afford taking their child every day. I think this problem is a real issue in LAUSD because to a certain extent it is true. The administration in schools should be cracking down on absences when the children our young to stop a terrible habit.
2. Seeing this as a Symbolic Interactionist theorists, I think one would see this from a micro-level approach. Sometimes through the school year the students are absent. As stated the administrator would go around handing out prizes to students who were in the classrooms; sort of like congratulating them. The administrator is trying to make it the norm to go to school. Come to school and you can win prizes. I feel if the students know that, they will not only urge their parents even more to bring them to school, but those students receiving those prizes will influence others. I see the prize as a symbol. Come to school not only can you have the opportunity to win a prize but the indirect action would be you breaking the bad habit of being absent.
3. I do agree with her solution. I think the government should kindergartners go to school. In schools where there is low income families; I think school buses should be into play big time or other government subsidies. Her solution in my opinion is realistic because for some school I can still see some programs here and there but it is not enough. I think a good solution would be for the administrators to devise a car pool pick up plan. Students going to the same school must live within neighboring cities. Even if half of the constantly absent students can thrive off the school car pool plan it will still be a success. Also, I feel that would bring the schools, parents and community closer and a lot stronger.
Angie. O In response to Elisa. J. I agree that kindergarten is the most crucial point in a child’s life. It is the time where children learn the most, where they begin to explore the world and begin to develop their individual personalities. This article elaborates on the concern in children missing various days of kindergarten and how this has become a social problem. I agree with the commenter that a high percentage of children whose parents work for minimum wage or live on paycheck-to-paycheck will pass on the same concepts and misfortunes to their children thus continuing the cycle. These families that fall under the low income status that include a high number of single female headed households are not able to afford means of transportation or adequate health care. I also would refer to Blumer’s model to better evaluate the social problem. These children that are missing school will fall behind, have lower test scores and lower reading levels with less chances of a bright future. I also agree that a considerable solution would be for the teachers to become more involved in the matter in finding out what's going on at home and how they can better facilitate the child.
I selected to comment on this article and respond to this specific commenter because even though I don't have children myself one day I will and my child's education will be my priority. I want to know that I will have access to certain resources so my ability as a parent to provide for my child would not be compromised.
An Interactionist theorist would say that individuals shape society through action, then society acts back on them, guiding their actions and reality constructions. The solution for these children’s future more humanistic relationships in order to achieve social change. We need to have each other’s well being in consideration, help one another when in need. We need to engage in a more micro sociology in order to make change happen.
1. I agree with Elisa’s response to the concern of children not being able to go to kindergarten because low income families face struggles that prevent them from being able to attend. I think having tutors for these kids and after school help would be a great idea to get them more motivated to learn. Getting the teachers involved is a great way to show the students how important it is to stay up to date with the class materials. Low income families are at a great disadvantage because they can’t afford simple things like transportation to get to school everyday, or lack healthcare to prevent illness which would in turn reduce the amount of days lost. Missing even just one day of kindergarten is a big deal because they are learning so much in the first few years of their educational careers. I think this is a big social problem because kindergarten builds the fundamental skills needed to grow the young mind and help with achievement in future educational goals, such as graduating high school, which many of these low income parent’s weren’t able to do. I chose to comment on this topic because I believe every child should have an equal opportunity to take advantage of free education in this country to get an education and build a better life for themselves in the future. An interactionist perspective, would focus on the problem at a micro level, focusing on the individual. An interactionist believes that an individual’s interactions between people influence their behavior, which in turn impact society. This problem behavior of missing excessive days of kindergarten can become a bad habit, learned from the parents and peers. Even though it is out of their control, the parents being okay with their children missing class and not taking action can cause the child to believe it is okay to miss school which can turn into a bad habit later on in life, causing them to maybe eventually drop out of high school and repeat the cycle of living in poverty. Another way these kids can develop a bad habit could be from seeing more than half of their classmates excessively missing school and thinking it’s okay. I do not agree with her proposed solution because raising the minimum wage wouldn’t really help these families with getting transportation and healthcare because it is still so expensive and they are already living way below the poverty line. Making more jobs isn’t easy either because there is so much unemployment is Los Angeles, and many of these families don’t have high levels of education, so it wouldn’t really help them. I think a better solution would be to get an after-school program or a weekend program going at the school for these kids missing so many days. They would be able to get help with homework, go over topics they may have missed, and get tutoring. This is an easier and more realistic plan in my opinion.
16 comments:
Narineh T,
1. In LA, Missing Kindergarden Is A Big Deal is a social problem because it’s a pattern of behavior that has negative consequences on child future goal and educational aspects. As a result of that society recognize missing kindergarden as a problem and it became issue. This issue achieved recognitions by larger community such as Los Angeles Unified district. Students miss school because of illness, family emergency, and car trouble, lack of transportation and lack of child care. Students who miss school they will have difficulty passing their courses so with a far below basic knowledge it’s obvious that those students will have struggle at higher division level due to miss out valuable instructional time. In addition, poverty is another social problem.
2. The conflict perspective, urge from the ideas of Karl Marx, who focused on conflict based on class. Conflict theorist would say an unequal distribution of wealth is a problem. After all, higher education in the U.S is not free. As result, low income families (have not) cannot afford to pay for their child education because of limited sources such as money. However, those families who consider as wealthy family (haves) will benefit from this opportunity and can afford to pay for their child education. Conflict would mention the point that inequality favoring one group (the wealthy) over other groups (the poor). The conflict theory might also concern about health care or child care. The poor families due to lack of resources cannot provide healthy foods such as natural food for their child so when their kids get sick they are not able to pay enough for health or they have poor health coverage.
3. I chose this topic because kid who doesn’t have perfect attendance is because of poverty which brings different type of issues such as inequality, discrimination, class conflict or competition among have and have not . According to “In LA, Missing Kindergarten Is a Bid Deal” article, researchers also indicate that “attendance is a problem in many low-income communities”. U.S is responsible to provide any kind of needs for those low income families that are not able to send their kid to school. U.S can provide bus for kids who are in lack of transportation. Another solution would be, increasing the job opportunities so families can work and earn more money. As we all know, U.S collect taxes from people so government is actually able to provide this basic needs for low income families. Also schools need kids to know why it matters, recognize kids for improved attendance, and build a culture where everyone expects to be there every day. These solutions are significant because we need to educate our kids not because for having a better future only but also one day they may become decision makers for their people or government. As a result of that U.S needs to make sure to provide education for all kids regardless to their socio economic status in order to have educated man and women in the community who can make right decisions for country.
Elisa J.
1. In this article they are talking about the concern in children missing various days of kindergarten. This has become a social problem because many children whose parents work for minimum wage or live on paycheck-to-paycheck will one day be those parents, not all but some, this will become a cycle. These kids are missing school because they cannot afford things like healthcare. Money can make many things not possible for these kids. Kindergarten is where the most important concepts you will learn begin to be taught to you and these children are missing out. Most schools will pass them right along without them understanding a concept, which also leads these students to drop out later in high school. When looking at this social problem we can use Blumer’s model to better understand how it is a social problem. (1) The problem is that these kids are missing many days in school and are always catching up. Not all kids learn the same and not all kids will understand concepts the same. (2) This problem becomes recognized because schools, teachers, parents start to realize that their child is not doing well in school, that they are missing days, that the child is being passes along. They notice that the reading level and the comprehension level is not up to par. These children are struggling and they begin to have doubts and just give up all together. Then they start noticing it is not just a couple children its 10,000 or more children that are having this issue. (3) People start to get involved. They start to make tutors more available to families that cannot afford to pay one. They have after school care at the schools to help the children with homework. The teachers become more involved and the schools higher ups start to pick and choose the educators for their schools. (4) Then this is where they find the solution. The solution in this case was the teacher became more involved. He reminded the students to come to school. He showed them how exciting it will be. He uses peer pressure to get these kids to come and finds tactics on how to get these parents more on track with their child coming to school.
2. A conflict theorist would address how these children at these schools are not progressing enough, like the children of parents that have the money to afford health care and even private education. They are able to afford transportation, gas, healthcare, healthy foods, they do not have to work long stressful hours and are able to cook at home or have someone cook. Their children can do sports and stay active. With conflict theory it is about who has the power, they are the ones that decide social order. The children that are missing kindergarten are going to miss grade school, middle school, junior high, high school, and might even drop out in high school or never advance to college. It’s about keeping the workers as the worker. It seems as though those that are the workers now are just producing and creating the future workers. Those in power do not want to make healthcare affordable and their companies do not want to make healthier foods more affordable. They do not want the affect the social order. They want the workers to have class-consciousness and be aware of where they are in the social ladder. The children soon become aware as well. Children missing school keeps the lower class from the upper class.
3. A solution to the problem would be raising the minimum wage or having better paying jobs available for these low-income families. This is needed because with a higher pay they would be able to afford public transportation or even their own transportation. They would be able to afford healthier foods and a variety of them. They would be able to afford better healthcare when the child is sick. They would be able to get tutors, counseling, whatever the child needs. Money will make things more available to these families. They would be able to live in better areas with better schools. I think money has the biggest role because without it in LA you cannot do much.
Dina A.
In this article, we come to identify a problem that is individual; yet, that will later be identified as a social problem. In kindergarden, missing three to seven days of school is not frowned upon. However, missing 10, 20, or 30 days of school is unquestionably unacceptable. According to the school district officials of Los Angeles, more than 10,000 kids were persistently absent from kindergarden. This is due, because of the lack of transportation, healthcare, low wages, and so on. This problem has let itself to be socially recognized and to be counted as a social problem because of the clear verification; in which a 2008 report from National Center for children in poverty had founded that, “Those children who missed more than 10% of school in kindergarden, were the lowest achieving kids in the first grade.” This is a huge social problem, because we want our society to have well educated people that are able to complete simple/hard tasks, provide solutions to our problems, and make this society a better place.
This problem can easily be applied to the conflict theory, where it would define the problem to be power. Conflict theory views the society as characterized by tension and struggle between groups. According to conflict theory, capitalist economic fixture unfairly entitles the rich, who have the power to achieve an unfair system that works to their benefit. However, the "Losers" who are at the bottom of the social stratification, meaning the hierarchical arrangement of social classes within the society, have little opportunity to enhance their condition, as those at the top tend to have increased political and economic power. Conflict theory of stratification recognizes that inequality is damaging to society. Nevertheless, it generates a fixed system of winners and losers. The “winners” being the parents of the children that make it to school everyday in kindergarden are in fact able to provide transportation because of their power; in which they can also provide better, healthier foods for their children in order to keep them from getting sick. Additionally, the “losers” being the parents of those children that are missing the school in kindergarden, cannot provide transportation, healthcare and have low wages. Hence, their children, not being able to gain education, will continue to keep the classification of “losers”,because they were never given a chance.
I chose this topic, because inequality and power has always been a problem for our society. There are many solutions regarding this problem. One, would be if the society could provide more schools within walking distances; where having a transportation issue could be almost impossible. Another solution would be to lower the price of riding the bus, so that the kids can ride it to school and not miss a day of gaining significant education. The most crucial solution to this problem would be increased wages. Money is always an issue; however, if the parents had higher wages, they would be able to accomplish so many more things for their kids, such as transportation, and healthcare. These solutions are vital to our society, because continuing without them would create a social problem; in which the kids would not be able to achieve more in life, and will have a hard time doing simple/hard tasks, or finding solutions to our societal problems.
Michael A.
1. It is obvious that the future of this world is the youth. In this article, the main problem explained is the fact that due to poor lifestyles of of families in the LA area, students are missing their kindergarten classes which is the foundation for learning in the future. The reasons why parents of these children are examples like having no transportation to get them to school, illness because of not providing proper nutrition for such fragile immune systems, and heavy work that is demanded on the parents where the pay is not cut out right. Lets not forget that it is mentioned that a kindergartner missing a day of school would add up to four days of attendance just to catch up to the others. There is also a line in the article where Hugo Villavicencio speaks to a parent claiming a student has missed 30 days of school. The theory or concept that can best be used to explain the situation is that of the conflict perspective.
2. In this struggle for limited resources these parents have for the kindergartners because of the much more powerful groups, it is hurting their future. The powerful people on top of the food chain shape the patterns for everyday life of these families and kids. They also create ethnic, class, and racial inequality. This all leads to this gap created where the middle is slowly diminishing and you will end up with the upper and lower class. The jobs along with the wages earned are not up to par, and parents don't have means for transportation, and the health care to aid for the sick children. A child getting sick is very easy if you think about it if they aren't given the proper resources which are in the hands of the powerful. The government would rather spend the money that would benefit themselves and in the end, that's all that matters to them. A conflict theorist would say that the power must be evenly distributed so that the families in the area get wages to provide transportation and ways to nourish their kids correctly in order so that they don't miss any days of school.
3. What I think about this topic is very simple. What I have noticed over time is the importance of the youth. IF you think about it, they are the groups of kids that will shape what tomorrow will look like in a sense. The children that are under the care of the parents at the top of the food chains will have the means to create a mind that will just keep doing the same abuse over the years, and the kids under the poverty line will be abused. That is one of the reasons I commented on this, along with the fact that I have little cousins growing up now and I would really want the best for them. I look at them and tell myself that I hope all the kids growing up now will truly make this world a better place. They are going to decide the direction of where our world is going to go. The solution I propose is that we need to find a way to stop the gap between the upper and lower classes. More of our tax money should be poured into the schools that are teaching our youth so that they get their minds shaped correctly. A good way of looking at a young mind is that of a sponge. They absorb all information being thrown at them, and it will carry on and direct them through high school and what not. Raising the minimum wage won't help at all because the prices around us will only go up. This problem is the allocation of our tax money not being distributed correctly. Again, all we have to do is protect the youth in order for them to create our new world filled with fair opportunities for everyone.
Arpine M.
1) “In LA, Missing Kindergarten Is A Big Deal” talks about the bad outcome of students missing various days of kindergarten and how this is effecting the students education. This has become a social problem due to many parents living in poverty and not being able to find transportation in order to bring their children to school, stated in the article. For example, Zaida Ayala whose son attends Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School in South LA, explains the reason as to why her son has been missing so many days of school. In the article she says, “because she lives far away and because of the prices of transportation going up she is not able to bring her soon to school”. Even though every parent knows how important their child's education is and how important it is for them not to miss a day of school, due to money some families don’t have a choice.
2) According to conflict theorist, this problem addresses how students whose parents are living in poverty can’t achieve as much as the students whose parents actually do have money and can afford transportation, gas, healthcare, organic food, etc. Conflict theory is about power and who has that power. The people with the power are the people with the upper hand in society. Children who are born in a low-income families are likely to grow up and also find themselves in this situation. Due to lack of sources some people cannot achieve and the people with the money can. A conflict theorist would say that the bourgeoisie don't want to see the proletariat achieve in order for them to keep all the power. Children who are missing days of school can't get the education needed to succeed.
3) I think that even though schools are doing their best to avoid the high number of absences, at the end it all comes down to money. This topic got my attention because of how money can play a major role in everyone’s life. I feel as though if schools could offer transportation services at low cost, maybe just maybe this would help the parents be able to send their kids to school.
Amber A.
1. The problem at hand is that Kindergarten students in LA are missing copious amounts of school days, due to micro level problems within the family such as: illness, poor health care, transportation issues, work conflicts, etc. Many families in LA are low-income families and sadly a typical school day many of us take for granted, is hard to achieve for these families of LA. Children in kindergarten are in their prime time learning stages of development, and every day is valued for their education, growth and development. The National Center for Children in Poverty states that, “children who missed more than 10 percent of school in kindergarten were the lowest-achieving group in the first grade”; missing kindergarten puts these children in a disadvantage for later years. This is the objective reality. NPR states that research shows that if you miss a lot of kindergarten that you will probably drop out of school. This problem is a social problem because it has negative consequences for individuals. Herbert Blumer’s first two stages of Social Recognition and Social Legitimation can be applied to this issue. Society has recognized that missing copious amounts of Kindergarten put individuals at a disadvantage. This problem is being recognized and legitimized by the larger community of school district officials and NPR.
2. The Symbolic Interactionist perspective can be applied to this problem. The Symbolic Interactionist focuses on the micro level problems at hand, parents unable to get their child to school, and children missing copious amounts of kindergarten. This perspective looks at how interactions between people can influence behaviors and have an impact on society. When a five year old is exposed to the institution of education, they are not only learning book smart materials, but they are becoming exposed to other individuals and in turn shaping ones individuality and behavior. This can be identified as Cooley’s Looking Glass Self. The interactions they experience in school, whether it be with peers, teachers or bullies shape how that individual interacts later in life. This NPR article states that children who get in a habit of missing school at a young age are more likely to drop out of school in later years. One solution that was brought up was to give the children who attend school prizes, more like an incentive to come to school, a positive sanction. They also used peer pressure to try and reinforce children to go to school. This is another example of Symbolic Interaction between peers. Another solution that they tried was personally calling the parent to see why their child was missing so much school. The symbolic interactionsit perspective would say that by having face-to-face interactions with the parents and children we could try and solve this social problem.
3. This topic caught my attention because education is a driving competitive force that only opens up more options and opportunities for people. I decided to write on this topic because education is a staple that ever person needs in order to succeed, and seeing Kindergartners miss school is a path leading to a dead end. Personally I feel that once someone is set at a disadvantage income wise, whether it be from: poor healthcare, low wages, not enough work hours, immigration, minimal education or other financial issues, it is very hard for them to break free from that disadvantage, and their well being and family often suffer. This was seen through the interview with Zaida Ayala, she is a low-income mother who cannot afford transportation to get her child to school. One solution that I suggest to aid in Kindergarten attendance would be to provide a school bus for families who cannot afford a car or taking a bus everyday. This is needed in order ensure Kindergarten attendance. When schools have a high volume of absences, they might not be able to get the funding they need. With school busses provided there is less excuse for absences.
Gabby H.
1. Hugo Villavicencio, a Kindergarten instructor at Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School, along with many elementary educators is highly concerned with the long-term effects of children not being in attendance at public school. This particular school is located in Los Angeles, California, the nation’s second largest school district, whose attendance is repeatedly is of concern to the district and its educators. Listeners are presented with statistical data, which states that in 2012, “10,000 kindergarten students were chronically absent”. A student is deemed chronically absent after 10, 20, and in extreme cases 30 days. These absences not only prevent the child from thriving academically, but also hinder the child’s ability to adapt to the Social Structure; Social Integration, Social Placement, and Culture of a public elementary school. A report from The National Center for Children in Poverty (2008) reports “children who missed more than ten percent of school in kindergarten subsequently became the lowest-achieving group in the first grade”. This level of absentee discrepancy has fueled educators towards increasing incentives for children who demonstrate perfect, or near perfect attendance. It is the educators hope that an increase in incentives with lead to an overall increase in attendance rates. It is estimated that for every one day that a child is absent, “it will take four days to bring the child up to speed”. At Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School, the teacher to student ratio for students in kindergarten is 22 to 1 on average annually, according to the LAUSD. According to the teachers at Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary School, the number of kindergarten absence is directly related to the number of neighboring low-income communities and families. In one mother’s words, “ I live far and don’t have transportation”. Obstacles such as a lack of financial resources (ie. Transportation, Jobs, and SES) have disempowered neighboring residents from the ability to send their children to school. As noted in the NPR clip, “the lowest months for school attendance are December and January (52%)”. These particular months serve as an interesting addition to the already low rate of attendance when we consider the numerous financial variables that low-income families face during the seasonal months. Unstated in the NPR clip, it is also important to note that the ultimate responsibility for children being absent from school is due to the confounding variables presented by each parent. The issues presented in this case are of particular importance when we consider the interactionist perspective, which looks at the social integration of the parent to the classroom, and the child to public education as a result of the parents modeling.
Gabby H.
2.According to the interactionist perspective, we look closer at the relationship between the child and his/her education system. Systematically, we are able to observe an importance between one child and another interacting on the playground, classroom, meal interaction, and instruction from an adult figure. Children are introduced to gender roles, teacher’s expectations, and are able to recognize their intellectual ability as a result of the interactions between the child and its educational environment. The child is able to tangibly feel through what elementary school culture is asking of him/her. In doing so, this not only fulfills the component of expected behaviors within school, but also the society by which they are being integrated. This value system helps the child understand more deeply what is being asked of them once they have aged out of elementary school. The interaction between male and female kindergarteners is of high interest to the symbolic interactionist because side-by-side play helps the student to realize his or her gender role in socialization, along with gathering information on how instructors treat boys and girls. This perspective also affords an understanding of what the surrounding culture and norms of the parental unit values. As presented by one parent in this segment, affordable (and reliable) transportation seems to be an issue of importance. Many individuals living in urbanized areas of Los Angeles struggle to make ends meet both educationally for their children, and financially. Education is not a priority when parents are unable to provide the means. Upon my own research to better understand the relationship between community and SES, I was able to pull data from the Los Angeles Family Housing Authority, which estimates that within this particular school district, the mean family income is $27,723 with an average of four children in each home. The 2014 Poverty Guideline states a family of 5 making less than $27,910 is considered to be living in poverty. Knowing this data, it is not difficult to understand that for the district being studied, there is a clear correlation between SES and school attendance. For the interactionist, this relationship is key to understanding how the culture impacts the child, and how that child perceives its cultural expectations.
Gabby H.
3. In regards to my personal understanding of attendance discrepancy; I find it interesting that education, which in so many ways has the ability to empower and offer a way out of the cycle of poverty, this chance can seldom be fully embraced by parents who perhaps weren’t afforded this opportunity themselves. Subsequently, these parents might not view education as a priority for their children. Upon doing a simple Google map search of this school, I was able to see that it is within 1.5 miles of USC, and has three neighboring elementary schools within a 0.8-mile radius. Collectively this evidence shows me that, in order for a parent without transportation to walk their child to school would take 14 minutes. This tells me that there absolutely has to be more to each story than a lack of transportation; Maybe the parent works, or doesn’t work. Maybe the parents are unable to provide clean clothing or uniform for their child. Perhaps domestic violence exists within the household. The possible confounding variables are too numerous to list. In my opinion, the instructors are going about a solution based on rewards for children who attend school regularly, which wont help, but only further isolate the child who only shows up to school once a week. In a perfect world, there would be a trained and educated social worker for every child that is seen to be falling through the cracks in education, realistically, their might be one assigned to each elementary school who simply cannot track down each child and parent for every absence. With so much unknown it is difficult for me to say what the exact solution to this problem would be. There isn’t a fix all, However, if we increase annual transportation funding for this elementary school (bus service, home pick-up) for those children who are chronically absent, we would see a profound decrease in the number of absentees in comparison. Community support and Educational institution support (in my opinion) would greatly increase the likelihood of parents revisiting the notion that early education (which means their children show up) is critical for their child’s overall performance for not only school, but for society as a whole.
Linda N.
In Response to Amber A.
I agree with Amy’s responses about how Kindergarten students in LA are being absent a lot in school due to the micro level problems within the low-income families. Low-income families faces issues like having to work long hours to make ends meets, living far from the school and not having a car, and illnesses are not able to support or bring their child to school. What stood out to me about what she wrote was the fact that children who missed school in kindergarten were at a disadvantaged for later years; thus, leading them to drop out of school. If a child missed school, it would be harder for them to catch up on what they learned in school. I choose to comment on her entry because I believe education should be for all and those who are at a disadvantaged like low-income families should get the support and help that they need for their child to succeed in school. What I think about the topic is that would be an intergenerational issue—where, it will affect several generations along the line for these kindergarten students unless the larger community of school districts and society addresses this problem.
2. The conflict theory perspective can be applied to this problem. The conflict theory perspective focuses on the limited resources that the poor income parents have in which affects their child’s missing attendance at school. This not only hurt their family, but it is hurting their child’s future. It is a fact that children from affluence families tend to do better in school because they have resources and money, whereas, low-income families are in strife within the community. This creates inequality with the rich and their poor because the privileges have the advantages in the resources necessary to strive and be successful. A conflict theorist would say that the capitalist favors the privileges and perpetuate an unfair system that works to their advantage and those who lack opportunities (ex. Low-income families) have little opportunities to be at the top of the social stratification because they lack political and economic power.
3. I think Amy’s proposed solution is a good idea. It would be realistic and put less stress on the low-income families who can’t bring their kids to school. Another proposed solution would be to get the school to be involved in the children’s lives by letting them know why it is important for them and their future. This would shape a culture for them to want to go to school everyday. Also, giving positive reinforcement like what Mr. Villavicencio is doing by rewarding students with prizes for being in attendance. Giving children interest in there encourages them to want to be in school. Another proposal would be to talk to the parents to have them understand about the importance of attendance and education and have them change their mind if they are having any fears, doubts, and excuses about school. Parents have a big influence on their children and it is important that the parents understands the benefits of education is for their children’s future, then they would have a higher chance of making an effort in sending their children to go to school. There should be no excuse for the children to miss school. Since parents have the most influence over their children, it would be a dead end for their child if The encouragement from both the school and the parent would reinforce and instill the value of education for children. When children see two parties pushing them to attend school, they would want to come everyday and not miss class.
Dewan A
In Response To Narineh T
1. I agree with Narineh’s response. I agree because education is one the most essential requirement in life. Without education students will lack the skills and knowledge to cooperate with others in reality world. They can use their knowledge to build their life and achieve success. LA Kindergarten students are poor. They do not have enough resources to support them. Their parents have to work day and night to support them. The parents cannot give time to their children. So the children become irresponsible and misses their school. I agree about what she said about if students who miss school they will have difficulty passing their courses so with a far below basic knowledge it’s obvious that those students will have struggle at higher division level due to miss out valuable instructional time. So if the parents give time to their children, they will not miss school and will progress in their life. It is a social problem because if they do not have good education it will be big problem for society. Society will lack good professionals like lawyers, doctors, and NASA scientists. Education help move the world forward.
2. I want to see this through functionalist perspective. Functionalist theorists say all living things has functions. They are all interdependent on each other. People can help each other and achieve success. The government provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running. That is, the family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. In the process, the children become law-abiding, taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. If all goes well, the parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity.
3. I agree with her proposed solution that government should increases job opportunities. If they increases job opportunities the parents will have better jobs and better salaries. The parents would not have to work day and night. They can give time to their children. Children will not lack transportation problems and will become a responsible citizen. It is realistic because children will have better education which is very important. Another solution can be if government personally look after poor children. They should motivate the children. They should start a fun talent competition which will inspire the students to study voluntarily and enhance their skills. Education is very important. So the students should never miss their school.
Victoria T.
In response to Arpine M.
1. I agree with Arpine’s response on how a person’s social economic status greatly influences their ability to get to school therefore impacting their overall education. The more days of school a student misses, the more they fall behind and the harder it becomes for them to understand material clearly. Arpine’s conflict perspective makes a great point in stating that according to the conflict perspective, the students whose parents have less resources have a greater disadvantage in achieving educational equality than those whose parents have enough resources to guarantee that their children will make it to school everyday. What stood out to me about the entry is the incorporated response of a mother who knows how important attendance is but still feels she’s limited. To know that you are limiting the education of your child and to feel helpless about it gives credit to the conflict perspective. I chose to comment on this entry because of the emphasis placed on a family’s social economic status, which will help me present the perspective of a functionalist. Regarding the topic as a whole, I think this is an enormous social problem. So many young children missing school at such an early age fall behind on grasping things like simple addition and spelling, which makes it harder for them at higher grades to continue to develop those very skills that are crucial to demonstrate fluency in later on in life. Without even realizing it, most people do simple arithmetic to complete tasks in their daily lives.
2.A functionalist would explain how these disadvantages are crucial to society. The functionalist perspective focuses on how the education system is another institution structured to maintain society’s stability. A functionalist would say that one of the manifest functions of the education system is to teach children fluency in subjects like reading, writing, and simple arithmetic. The highest math class required to graduate from high school is algebra 2 or geometry. You don’t have to take statistics or calculus, which at the college level is often necessary in order to receive a degree. One of the latent functions of the education system is separating those who have the resources and skills to succeed from those who don’t. A functionalist would point out that society depends on both college educated people and the working class with maybe a high school diploma to function. Just like businesses need someone capable of running them they also need people to do tasks like packaging products. In regards to the problem of young kindergarteners missing school because of factors like parents not having cars, a functionalist would argue that society is not structured to provide every family with cars. If every family had cars, then there would be no need for the public transportation system, which offers jobs to millions of people within society. Within the functionalist perspective, if you have the economic stability to take your child to school, then your child will contribute to society at a higher level. They might go on to college and work at a higher earning job doing something that society values highly. If your family doesn’t have the stability to get your young child to school everyday and if they fall behind then they will serve society at a lower income job that is also needed to keep society going.
Victoria T.
In response to Arpine M.
3. Arpine’s proposed solution regarding transportation is a good one. Schools should offer transportation services at low costs, having that discount takes a load off of parents with no car or those who worry about the price of gas. Having affordable school transportation available makes parent’s only worry in the morning is that their child is up and ready by the time the bus passes by. My solution to this problem would be carpooling. In many instances, children who attend the same school live around the same area. At the beginning of the year, classroom teachers could hold a meeting and parents could figure out a type of schedule and pick up classmates that live relatively close to one another. This would be helpful because if one student in one area has access to a parent’s car but a classmate a few blocks over doesn’t then this would greatly help that disadvantaged family. Parents could take turns in the mornings by week or whatever they feel would best incorporate their time as well.
Responding to Narineh T. (Anthony E.)
1. I agree with Narineh T. because it is not just the fact that students in kindergarten miss school for no reason, but the fact that the government does not provide enough subsidies for low income families. When Narineh T. stated, “I chose this topic because kid who doesn’t have perfect attendance is because of poverty which brings different type of issues such as inequality, discrimination, class conflict or competition among have and have not.” It stood out to be the most because the real underlining problem is not just the fact that parents do not want to take their child to school; some simply cannot afford taking their child every day. I think this problem is a real issue in LAUSD because to a certain extent it is true. The administration in schools should be cracking down on absences when the children our young to stop a terrible habit.
2. Seeing this as a Symbolic Interactionist theorists, I think one would see this from a micro-level approach. Sometimes through the school year the students are absent. As stated the administrator would go around handing out prizes to students who were in the classrooms; sort of like congratulating them. The administrator is trying to make it the norm to go to school. Come to school and you can win prizes. I feel if the students know that, they will not only urge their parents even more to bring them to school, but those students receiving those prizes will influence others. I see the prize as a symbol. Come to school not only can you have the opportunity to win a prize but the indirect action would be you breaking the bad habit of being absent.
3. I do agree with her solution. I think the government should kindergartners go to school. In schools where there is low income families; I think school buses should be into play big time or other government subsidies. Her solution in my opinion is realistic because for some school I can still see some programs here and there but it is not enough. I think a good solution would be for the administrators to devise a car pool pick up plan. Students going to the same school must live within neighboring cities. Even if half of the constantly absent students can thrive off the school car pool plan it will still be a success. Also, I feel that would bring the schools, parents and community closer and a lot stronger.
Angie. O
In response to Elisa. J. I agree that kindergarten is the most crucial point in a child’s life. It is the time where children learn the most, where they begin to explore the world and begin to develop their individual personalities. This article elaborates on the concern in children missing various days of kindergarten and how this has become a social problem. I agree with the commenter that a high percentage of children whose parents work for minimum wage or live on paycheck-to-paycheck will pass on the same concepts and misfortunes to their children thus continuing the cycle. These families that fall under the low income status that include a high number of single female headed households are not able to afford means of transportation or adequate health care. I also would refer to Blumer’s model to better evaluate the social problem. These children that are missing school will fall behind, have lower test scores and lower reading levels with less chances of a bright future. I also agree that a considerable solution would be for the teachers to become more involved in the matter in finding out what's going on at home and how they can better facilitate the child.
I selected to comment on this article and respond to this specific commenter because even though I don't have children myself one day I will and my child's education will be my priority. I want to know that I will have access to certain resources so my ability as a parent to provide for my child would not be compromised.
An Interactionist theorist would say that individuals shape society through action, then society acts back on them, guiding their actions and reality constructions. The solution for these children’s future more humanistic relationships in order to achieve social change. We need to have each other’s well being in consideration, help one another when in need. We need to engage in a more micro sociology in order to make change happen.
Ellen G.
In response to Elisa J.
1. I agree with Elisa’s response to the concern of children not being able to go to kindergarten because low income families face struggles that prevent them from being able to attend. I think having tutors for these kids and after school help would be a great idea to get them more motivated to learn. Getting the teachers involved is a great way to show the students how important it is to stay up to date with the class materials. Low income families are at a great disadvantage because they can’t afford simple things like transportation to get to school everyday, or lack healthcare to prevent illness which would in turn reduce the amount of days lost. Missing even just one day of kindergarten is a big deal because they are learning so much in the first few years of their educational careers. I think this is a big social problem because kindergarten builds the fundamental skills needed to grow the young mind and help with achievement in future educational goals, such as graduating high school, which many of these low income parent’s weren’t able to do. I chose to comment on this topic because I believe every child should have an equal opportunity to take advantage of free education in this country to get an education and build a better life for themselves in the future.
An interactionist perspective, would focus on the problem at a micro level, focusing on the individual. An interactionist believes that an individual’s interactions between people influence their behavior, which in turn impact society. This problem behavior of missing excessive days of kindergarten can become a bad habit, learned from the parents and peers. Even though it is out of their control, the parents being okay with their children missing class and not taking action can cause the child to believe it is okay to miss school which can turn into a bad habit later on in life, causing them to maybe eventually drop out of high school and repeat the cycle of living in poverty. Another way these kids can develop a bad habit could be from seeing more than half of their classmates excessively missing school and thinking it’s okay.
I do not agree with her proposed solution because raising the minimum wage wouldn’t really help these families with getting transportation and healthcare because it is still so expensive and they are already living way below the poverty line. Making more jobs isn’t easy either because there is so much unemployment is Los Angeles, and many of these families don’t have high levels of education, so it wouldn’t really help them. I think a better solution would be to get an after-school program or a weekend program going at the school for these kids missing so many days. They would be able to get help with homework, go over topics they may have missed, and get tutoring. This is an easier and more realistic plan in my opinion.
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