Schools, Cultural Mobility, and Social Reproduction: The Case of Progressive Discipline
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29173/cjs20891Keywords:
cultural capital, cultural mobility, class reproduction, Progressive Discipline, school discipline, partial compensation theory of educationAbstract
Abstract: Drawing on a case study of Progressive Discipline (PD), this paper asks: How does greater discretion, flexibility and parent involvement affect the application of school policy? What are the consequences of these conditions? PD is part of a suite of changes that caters to students’ individualized academic and social needs while formalizing increased parent involvement. Drawing on forty-four interviews with school staff members, we find that PD has the potential to enhance students’ social and behaviour literacy. And yet, educators are unable to fully tame higher-SES (Socio-Economic Status) parents. According to our interviewees, higher-SES parents are more likely to participate in disciplinary proceedings, confront and threaten school staff and negotiate more favourable disciplinary outcomes for their children. Our paper contributes to cultural capital theory by examining how higher-SES families exploit “discretionary spaces” (i.e., opportunities that allow parents to improve their child’s social, academic or disciplinary outcomes) in schooling organizations. Résumé : En s’appuyant sur une étude de cas de mesures disciplinaires progressives (MDP), cet article pose la question : Comment une plus grande discrétion, souplesse et participation des parents influent sur la mise en pratique de la politique scolaire ? Quelles sont les conséquences de ces mesures ? Les MDP font partie d’une série de changements qui répondent aux besoins scolaires et sociaux individualisés des élèves, tout en formalisant la participation accrue des parents. À partir de quarante-quatre entretiens avec des membres du personnel œuvrant dans des écoles, nous constatons que les MDP ont le potentiel d’améliorer les habiletés sociales et comportementales des élèves. Pourtant, les éducateurs sont incapables de composer de façon satisfaisante avec les parents jouissant d’un statut socio-économique plus élevé. Selon les membres du personnel interviewés, il est plus probable que les parents de statut socio-économique plus élevé participent plus activement au suivi disciplinaire, confrontent et menacent le personnel de l’école et négocient des solutions disciplinaires plus favorables pour leurs enfants. Notre article contribue à la théorie du capital culturel en observant comment les familles de statut socio-économique plus élevé exploitent des « espaces discrétionnaires » (c’est à dire, les possibilités qui permettent aux parents d’améliorer les résultats sociaux, académiques ou disciplinaires de leur enfant) dans les organisations scolaires.Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
1. The CJS will perform the usual functions of copy-editing on the article. The Author(s) will be given an opportunity to read and correct proofs, but if they fail to return them by the date set on the proofs, production and publication may proceed without the Author(s)'s approval of proofs.
2. The CJS will publish this article pursuant to this contract at its cost. CJS has the exclusive right to determine how the article will appear in the journal and elsewhere.
3. The Author(s) warrant that permission to publish the article has not been previously assigned elsewhere. The Author(s) further warrant that the contribution is original to them, except for any copyrighted material of others incorporated in it, and that the Author(s) will advise us of any material, either text or illustration, the rights for which are controlled by others. Where necessary, the Author(s) will obtain, before publication and at their expense, permission in writing from the owner of the copyright in that material for publication by us. Copies of any such permission must be submitted to CJS for our files.
4. The Author(s) further warrant that the article contains no defamatory or otherwise unlawful matter and that it makes no improper invasion of the privacy or personal rights of anyone. The Author(s) undertake that all statements in it purporting to be facts are true; and that they will advise us of any statements that might be construed as defamatory or otherwise unlawful. We may require substantive revision of the manuscript to avoid including material that may infringe rights or be defamatory or otherwise unlawful. 5. In the unlikely event of any claim, action, or proceeding based on an alleged violation of any of these warranties, we shall have the right to defend the same through counsel of our own choosing. The Author(s) agree to pay all resulting costs and damages, except that this indemnity shall not apply to any changes in the manuscript by us that were not approved by the Author(s) in advance of publication, or to any material that the Authors had warned us in advance of publication might be construed as defamatory or otherwise unlawful.
6. In order to protect both Author(s) and CJS from unauthorized use of the article, the Author(s) agree to refer to us any subsequent requests to publish it or a substantial portion thereof. If we choose to grant any such request, we will normally exact a standard fee for reprinting, the amount of this fee to be fixed by us from time to time; this fee will be divided equally with Author(s). We will accede to any request by the Author(s) to use part or all of their article in a article published under either Author(s)’s exclusive authorship or editorship, provided that acknowledgment of its first appearance is made in a manner approved by CJS, and in such cases no fee for reprinting shall be payable to us.
7. Subject to the above conditions, and in consideration of CJS undertaking to subsidize costs of publication of the article, the Author(s) assign to CJS the exclusive world rights to the article in its present, or substantially its present, form, and the parties hereto agree upon the foregoing terms for themselves and their respective executors, administrators, assigns, or successors. The Author(s) herby waive any claim for royalties and reprint fees arising from the use of their article. CJS hereby obtains the right to use the article in any future publication, including, but not limited to, publication in electronic media, issued under its auspices and to authorize others, including reproduction rights organizations such as CanCopy, to do the same.