The majority of families I worked with come from low to poor economic and social upbringing and functioned on a lower level of education than what is considered acceptable in the working class. These families lived paycheck to paycheck and depended on the welfare system to make ends meet. When interviewing the children, it became immediately clear their expectation of education was built on the same foundation as their parents. They believe schooling is only because one is forced to attend; it's not about one's education that gets one ahead, but rather from what economic status they are born under; and believe the life they are living has amounted to all it will, therefore it must be accepted and embraced. It amazed me how many children between the ages of 11 and 17 would speak about being kept poor because of the wealthy, and would dismiss their current education and the possibility of furthering their education. Instead, I was exposed to children reporting they planned to do one of two things: drop out of school at 16 and get a job or graduate high school and get a job. Rarely did I come across a child who believed in the education system and talked about furthering it. The typical rhetoric was that college was for the wealthy, they are too poor, or because they did not make A's and B's in school they weren't smart enough for college. Even when I would ask them or their parents about Job Corp, military, or other avenues of furthering their education, I was met with despairing attitudes and distrust in the importance of an education.
If we are to move forward and begin to erase the lines which separate us, education must be demanded. Families on welfare must be made aware of the importance of focusing on education and that opportunity will be because of an education and not because of one's current social or economic status. In the same manner, those who are not in need of aid must be made aware that the conceived notion that families who receive welfare only receive because they are "too lazy" or "irresponsible" is only hindering society from moving forward.
