What do Marxists actually want [regarding education]?

Question

I take Sociology in school and I have noticed that when it comes to marxism all we are studying is what they are against...

They feel the ruling class ideology is being reproduced in education, the capitalist system is being justified etc, but what do they want the education system to be replaced with?

I don't need to know this for my exam, I'm just curious.

Answer 1

Basically, it's anthroposophy, which is a spiritual philosophy developed by Rudolf Steiner.  It is still popular today in the form of the "Waldorf" schools.  They really stress interdisciplinary learning and, from my observation, a great deal of conformity.

Here's a good overview:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_edu...

Who would have thought that I could have answered this question?

Answer 2

I think social justice probably encapsulates a lot of what a marxist would search for. Last responder aside, most marxist would probably argue that no matter what system you have, the education system is going to stratify people into society, this is going to be the case as long as there is stratification -and weve yet to come up with a society where it doesnt exist.

I think most marxist would probably argue that there are structural differences in how different schools and school systems train individuals for the certain positions they are going to take in society. I dont think it takes very much for someone to notice some of the advantages that occur in certain school systems that do not in others.

To come up with a short list...

1) probably a reworking of the standardized test system -both in terms of the funding based testing system and college prep. A fair amount of research suggests that there are differences which are very difficult to overcome and have an antagonistic effect on certain groups of students.

2) Higher per capita spending for students in the public schools. Because of the tax system your going to have a hard time ever getting rid of some of the potential advantages of having more tax money to spend on your kids. I dont think most people begrudge people who can spend more money investing in their kids.

3) Reworking the financial aid system in college from merit-based to need based. Theres a pretty big class bias here that got worked in, during the later part of the twentith century which really hurt kids from poorer schools.

4) Some reworking of social reproduction in lower class schools. I cant remember the author of the top of my head, but if you read the article "learning to do time" which is an adaptation of Paul Willis famous work, you find a phenomenon which marxists would have a field day with comparing lower class schools to middle and upper class schools.

There are obviously more, but i think these are a few good examples.

Answer 3

Social justice!!   nothing more.

Answer 4

equality of opportunity in education for ALL kids

which is not what we have at the moment cos the best schools are where the most expensive houses are and so only the kids of rich parents get a good education while kids of less affluent parents get a c**p education

no wonder theres such a high degree of social immobility in britain

Answer 5

They want the current educational system replaced with the communist manifesto, of course.

      They want what everyone wants, the children to be educated, but according to their ideology.

Answer 6

Marxism and Socialism have resulted in over a billion deaths on planet earth.

They keep reinventing the square wheel.

Answer 7

It's based on the Communist Manifesto...People are property of the State, while government Controls everything. You are not to think just do as told and no room for thinking outside the box.  The Abolition of owning property. Progressive Income taxes, Abolition of the Right to inherit property, Confiscate Property for the good of the State. Centralize all credit..Control all means of Transportation.  Production is Controlled by the State, Equal Liability to Labor or Forced Work...no difference between town and country eradication of Local governents and Last of all Control All Education and Curriculum These are the the Dictates of Marxism and Politically Correct Institutions.