PEER RESPONSES: WEEK 4 - DISCUSSION 1&2 1 Engagement/ Participation: Respond to two of your classmates’ Distinguished - Contributes to classroom conversations with at least the minimum number of replies, all of which were thoughtful, relevant, and contributed meaningfully to the conversation. Fully engages in the conversation with appropriate topic-based responses. Proficient - Contributes to classroom conversations with the minimum number of replies that are somewhat thoughtful, relevant, and contributed meaningfully to the conversation. Attempts to fully engage in the conversation with appropriate topic-based responses. Peer Responses must be written as though you are speaking with the classmate, having a conversation that goes back and forth and expresses whether or not you agree or disagree with their point-of-view on the topic. Week 4 - Discussion 1: Social Institutions E. Jackson: Peer # 1 Education and the economy are two of the institutions we are discussing, the many societal institutions are related to one another.  This means that problems and challenges in one institution tends to create problems and challenges in another institution .  For instance, as the Georgetown study suggest, recent problems in the economy have created challenges for those entering the employment market.  Delays in securing employment may affect when an individual decides to get married and start a family.  New graduates who can't get decent jobs may return to their parents home instead of establishing their own household.  For working and lower class students higher education is an unavoidable passageway into middle class (Stevens, Armstrong, & Arum, 2008).  Although college is a means of social mobility for some, for many others reproduce inequality.  Haveman and Smeeding (2006) and Julian (2012) documented some of the important class differences in higher education.  Bourdieu (1977) argued that children from middle- and upper class backgrounds have a greater amount of social capital and are therefore more successful in school.  These kids adjust more easily and more likely to be familiar with the cultural arrangements and social expectation of the school system.  Moreover, they are more likely to have extensive educational resources such as technology and books in their homes (Perry & Perry, 2003).  Lareau (1987) found that regardless of their social class, and upper class families are better  equipped to interact with the teachers and make meaningful connection to the school system. My personal opinion on how I would change everyone would have the same education meaning there would be no more hand me down books because your labeled as lower class middle class and upper class the lower class got the middle class books and the middle class got the upper class books and the upper class got the new books every class would get the same book at the same time it shouldn't matter what your family incomes is if we are all getting the .

1. PEER RESPONSES: WEEK 4 - DISCUSSION 1&2
1
Engagement/ Participation: Respond to two of your classmates’
Distinguished - Contributes to classroom conversations with at
least the minimum number of replies, all of which were
thoughtful, relevant, and contributed meaningfully to the
conversation. Fully engages in the conversation with
appropriate topic-based responses.
Proficient - Contributes to classroom conversations with the
minimum number of replies that are somewhat thoughtful,
relevant, and contributed meaningfully to the conversation.
Attempts to fully engage in the conversation with appropriate
topic-based responses.
Peer Responses must be written as though you are speaking with
the classmate, having a conversation that goes back and forth
and expresses whether or not you agree or disagree with their
point-of-view on the topic.
Week 4 - Discussion 1: Social Institutions
E. Jackson: Peer # 1
Education and the economy are two of the institutions we are
discussing, the many societal institutions are related to one
another. This means that problems and challenges in one
institution tends to create problems and challenges in another
institution . For instance, as the Georgetown study suggest,
recent problems in the economy have created challenges for

2. those entering the employment market. Delays in securing
employment may affect when an individual decides to get
married and start a family. New graduates who can't get decent
jobs may return to their parents home instead of establishing
their own household. For working and lower class students
higher education is an unavoidable passageway into middle
class (Stevens, Armstrong, & Arum, 2008). Although college is
a means of social mobility for some, for many others reproduce
inequality. Haveman and Smeeding (2006) and Julian (2012)
documented some of the important class differences in higher
education.
Bourdieu (1977) argued that children from middle- and upper
class backgrounds have a greater amount of social capital and
are therefore more successful in school. These kids adjust more
easily and more likely to be familiar with the cultural
arrangements and social expectation of the school system.
Moreover, they are more likely to have extensive educational
resources such as technology and books in their homes (Perry &
Perry, 2003). Lareau (1987) found that regardless of their
social class, and upper class families are better equipped to
interact with the teachers and make meaningful connection to
the school system.
My personal opinion on how I would change everyone would
have the same education meaning there would be no more hand
me down books because your labeled as lower class middle
class and upper class the lower class got the middle class books
and the middle class got the upper class books and the upper
class got the new books every class would get the same book at
the same time it shouldn't matter what your family incomes is if
we are all getting the same education.
Durkin, K. F., & Carrothers, R. M. (2015). Sociology: Beyond
common sense [Electronic version]. Retrieved from
https://content.ashford.edu/

3. · This text is a ConstellationTM course digital materials (CDM)
title.
A Mornes: Peer # 2
Social Institutions-
Based on what you have read in the text, describe at least two
institutions that do not provide equal access? If you were asked
to implement changes from a sociological perspective, what
changes would you suggest? Support your answer with detailed
examples.
Based on the text provided, the two institutions I believe that
does not provide equal access, would be Education institutions
and Health Care. There are no surprises how the education
systems operate according to society and how it works. Since
years ago the education system has given the more “smart and
advanced” students and higher education is or more access is
offered. Since students that the system deemed to be with a
lower ability, then they are given less effort and standards are
reduced, yet leaving them greater expectations to do better. The
labeling of the students to me would be somewhat of degrade,
and some students adapted to what they are being called or
expected, and tend to act out in that manner. School funding I
think as attributed to this behavior. Since it is based on property
taxes, those that live in a more upscale area tend to be funded
more for the children, than those of poorer school districts.
Which in return, have a higher turnover in teachers and staff
and hire teachers with less qualifications. This impacts the
performance of the students.
If I were asked to implement changes, I would suggest teachers
that are more qualified be hired in districts where students have
some advantages. I would see that students are treated equal
despite of their race or
gender. African Americans are almost two times more likely tha

4. n Whites to drop out of high school. Hispanics have a dropout r
ate that is almost triple that of White students (Durkin &
Carrothers, 2015). If possible, try to get teachers paid better for
some kind of compensation of what they mean to us. They are
with our children 7-9 hours a day, and since they have the
degree, then for them to put every effort in for the better
outcome of our children.
Health care is the second that does not have equal access. Jobs
often offer insurance for health care but the rates and premiums
are almost impossible to afford. Since the government has
started to penalize citizens for not having insurance most are
forced although incomes or finances are low and only have
enough to barely survive. I was forced to decline my own
insurance with the company I currently occupy and decided to
go with my spouses insurance, and with that, it’s a surcharge
that other companies charge for declining ones own insurance
and using their insurance. Ruess (2007) stated, “There is a
strong relationship between health and social class-as a social
class decreases, so does health in nearly all categories”.
Depending on your status determines how you are able to afford
insurance despite the fact that you are still exposed to sickness
and disease. With most unable to afford, often public health
facilities are filled or have long waiting times.
I believe if I was asked to implement changes, I would have
suggest having rates lowered or have a family package that
would be based on income of the families. Because the more
basic your package is determines what type of benefits are
extended. Sometimes deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses
are ridiculous to meet. Or give some special type of coverage
for those that meet the poverty lines and have certain diseases
that could cause death, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancers
and
aids. With the adoption of the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (2010) and its implementation in 2014, the hope is tha

5. t these health gaps among the poor will shrink in size (Durkin &
Carrothers, 2015).
Reference
Durkin, K. F., & Carrothers, R. M. (2015). Sociology: Beyond
common sense [Electronic version]. Retrieved from
https://content.ashford.edu/
Week 4- Discussion 2-
Current Social Issues: Educational Inequality
B Tribble: Peer # 1-
Many things contribute to the quality of education creating
inequalities. For instance, in my local area, economy impacts to
the education system by not provided enough taxes to fund
certain programs to the applicable schools. In larger cities
schools with the best grades receive more funding and majority
of these schools are in wealthier districts. So, as you can see a
key factor is economy providing money to the right schools in
the right areas which affect one’s educational needs.
Social class is reproducing through the stagnate nature of
schools not trying to fix the problem. Some schools toward the
bottom in grades are more likely the poor schools. These
schools do not create the best learning environment. This is a
problem because as I stated before schools with the best grades
get the money to improve their environment. These schools then
churn out the same quality of people weather it is lower,
middle, or upper class citizens. I am not saying every student
isn’t capable of choosing their own path but better schools give
better chances of higher education or career chooses.
This in turn continues impacting other social institutions
because it continues churning out the same quality people as
before. The gap between classes continue to grow as many
upper-class people continue to provide money for their
educational needs and then get the better jobs. Lower class

6. continue to get the barely their education and struggle to find
higher education and jobs. I do see this creating to educational
systems that would not allow interclass enrolments thus leading
to even more inequality and segregation.
.
J Lott :Peer # 2-
Some of the major and obvious factors that influence the quality
of education and individual receives is money or affordability.
Doing well in high school might get you some scholarships to
more prestigious schools if that is what you are after. I’m not
one that ahs ever really seen the value in school myself. I’m a
proponent of trade or vocational training, or Learning what you
need to for your job. The rest of education system is about
making sure you can function in society. Society says we have
to know so much general knowledge to function. “Better”
schools teach a higher class general information that “prepares”
their students for that higher class. Money guiedes “quality” of
education but that education doesn’t have to determine our class
“It is important to place education in its sociological context,
to remind us that education is necessary, but not the sole reason
for an individual or society’s success. Success is dependent on
social class, the formal education of parents, and race, ethnicity
and gender. It is also dependent on how important formal
education is to a society, and how much it will be willing to
invest financially, structurally, and emotionally in education”
(Durkin & Carrothers, 2015.
Many who attend lower universities see value in
entrepreneurship which creates a class of its own.
The text also states that another problem is that teachers are
“teaching to the test”. Education has shifted its focus from even
the general info to test specific info. Free time is taken away or
limited in elementary schools. Principles are taugh differently

7. to better scores and not for retention.
Reference
Durkin, K. F., & Carrothers, R. M. (2015). Sociology: Beyond
common sense [Electronic version]. Retrieved from
https://content.ashford.edu/