Functionalist school:
Form the viewpoints made above, it clearly demonstrates how there are inequalities within the education system and especially towards ethnic minorities like Afro Caribbean girls. Functionalist’s school believe education has a positive impact on society; education transmits the correct norms and values of society as well as being good for the individual. Functionalist theory highlights ‘education is central to the socialization process’ (Durkheim, 1925:310). Durkheim and Parsons argued education plays a key role in ‘secondary socialization’. One way in which education is said to do this is by providing skills needed for specialized occupations. However in this case it does not do this as many Afro Caribbean girls often feel excluded within schools, one factor, being teacher racism ‘As this helps to promote the educational failure of Afro Caribbean pupils, through teacher expectations and attitudes’ (Gill,1992).They often feel they are not getting the correct support for them to achieve these specialized occupations. Also due to all the negativity they experience within schools, there is evidence many girls have low self esteem, low expectations and feel they cannot reach these top positions. This rejects the functionalist theory in terms of education, which it considers fair. Durkheim also highlighted the importance of culture and individualism and promoted social solidarity creating a sense of community within schools and wider society. Again this is a completely different experience to how Afro Caribbean girls feel within schools; due to the fact they often felt they were being treated unfairly. As a result they develop subcultures to make their own community so they feel a sense of belonging. Parsons also emphasised how ‘education instilled value of achievement, closely linked to another shared value, belief in equality of opportunity’ (Parsons, 1959:311). The concept of meritocracy in this case can be considered as having the opposite effect as in this case education is not meritocratic and in fact unjust. Within in schools there are hidden factors, which promote inequality and thus cause underachievement amongst Afro Caribbean girls; creating a barrier for them to succeed. Due to this we are able to see the cracks within education and also reinforce that the functionalist school is not right about education as there are still many unpredictability’s to be dealt with.