[How About This Book] Schools Create Gaps? ... Inequality Starts from Age Three

Material and Emotional Deficiency Stress
Unnecessary Hormone Secretion in the Brain
Difficulty Concentrating and Empathizing in Studies
Academic Environment Differences Before School Enrollment

"Schools are not the ‘problem’ that causes inequality, but the ‘solution’ that can resolve inequality issues."

This is the central theme throughout the book. The author, a sociology professor, emphasizes that schools are not the cause of inequality but rather a tool to alleviate it. In fact, there has been a perception in our society that schools serve as a relatively fair playing field. When it comes to studying itself, the formula that results come from the amount of effort put into studying worked quite clearly. Compared to the many variables involved in professional activities, studying was simpler, leading to remarks like "Studying was the easiest." Occasionally, the saying "A dragon emerged from a small stream" became a reality.

However, over time, the birth of a dragon from a small stream has become as difficult as a camel passing through the eye of a needle. The proportion of certain schools in prestigious university admissions has increased, and ‘hakgun’ (school districts) centered around these schools have been preferred. Although the principle of attending nearby schools was intended to reduce inequality, the number of upper-class or wealthy families moving into these school districts or registering false addresses with the mindset of ‘Maengmo Samcheon Jigyo’ (a mother moving three times for good education) has increased. The popularity of preferred school districts has also driven up housing prices, raising entry barriers.

It is a clear reality that schools are implicitly ranked according to university admission rates. Depending on which school one graduated from, life often follows a predictable average trajectory. For this reason, schools are sometimes pointed to as the cause of inequality, but is that really the case? The author firmly asserts that schools themselves are not the cause of inequality and explains the reasons in detail.

According to the author, schools are not the cause of inequality but places that mitigate existing inequality. The author emphasizes that inequality begins from the first three years after birth. Stress caused by material and emotional deprivation negatively affects the brain and impacts the entire life span. The author explains, "Children from families experiencing frequent stress continuously secrete glucocorticoids even when not needed," and "When the brain is flooded with glucocorticoids, children find it difficult to sit calmly, concentrate on studying, or empathize with others." This means that an unequal environment for academic foundations is already established before school enrollment.

According to the author, schools are ‘equality promoters’ that reduce the gap of inequality. Of course, it is an undeniable fact that achievement differences exist among students or schools in reality, but the author explains the ‘equality-promoting nature’ of schools through the concept of ‘impact,’ which compares differences before and after school admission. When using ‘impact’ as a standard?comparing learning growth rates from before elementary school enrollment until summer vacation (fall semester system) and after completing the first grade?schools in the bottom 20% by achievement were no longer classified as ‘vulnerable schools.’ Some top schools were even negatively evaluated based on the ‘impact’ standard.

Besides this, the author presents various grounds to argue that schools reduce inequality. One example is that the achievement gap widens during ‘summer vacation.’ According to a study, cognitive abilities of students from both top and bottom schools increased at the same rate after enrollment, but the gap between wealthy and poor children widened during the summer vacation period when they were out of school. Based on this, the author emphasizes that external factors outside of school have a greater impact on academic performance than the school itself. The phenomenon of educational gaps deepening due to COVID-19-related educational disruptions is also highlighted.

Furthermore, the author provides detailed explanations for anticipated counterarguments. To the claim that it is easier to raise the achievement of lower-level students, the author presents scales reflecting different levels, and refutes the argument that attending schools with many poor children leads to overall academic decline through experimental results.

Since the background is American education, some differences from domestic situations are noticeable. For example, American students spend about 16% of the year in school, which contrasts with Korea where there are zero-hour self-study sessions, after-school classes, and night self-study. The prevalence of private academies (hagwon) and the high proportion of private education also differ. However, even considering these points, the universal educational issues of humanity evoke a shared awareness beyond borders. Despite schools’ efforts to reduce inequality, problems such as the high cost of diverse activities like musical instrument education and the misuse of schools as networking venues for academic or social connections remain common issues.

The role of schools as ‘equality promoters’ offers consolation, but the reality of inequality continuing outside of school leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Rediscovering Schools | Douglas Downey | Translated by Choi Seongsu & Im Yeongsin | Dongasia | 268 pages | 18,000 KRW

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.