Which picture better paints Plainfield Public Schools District, A or B?

Picture A

Several scholars have suggested that urban public schools have the potential to serve as either sources of negative or positive social capital (Wacquant 1998; Gariulo and Beassi 1997; Bourdieu and Wacquant, 1992). Schools where academic failure is high and where low achievement is accepted as the norm, and schools that isolate themselves from the neighborhoods they serve because they perceive the residents as "threatening", tend to undermine the social capital of the community. Often, the presence of such schools contributes to the exodus of families with resources, both financial and social, from poor communities, and the lowering of property values. To the extent that such schools are perceived as ineffective and incapable of serving the needs of children, they operate as a source a negative social capital because they further the marginalization of the community; eventually such schools serve only those who are unable to escape them.



Picture B
In contrast, effective urban public schools, and though their numbers are small some do exist (Hilliard 1998; Education Trust 1999; Edmonds 1978), can further the development of social capital within poor communities because they are perceived as sources of opportunity and support, primarily because they provide students with the means to improve their lives. Schools that achieve positive academic outcomes from the majority of students they serve tend to rely heavily upon the support and cooperation of parents. As will be seen from the two case studies presented in the pages ahead, such cooperation can lead to the formation of social networks that can promote the broader interests of families residing in inner-city neighborhoods.



Source can be found HERE.