The Problem of Elitism in Schools and the Workplace

Elitism is the belief in â€Å"concept of superiority: the belief that some people or things are inherently superior to others and deserve preeminence, preferential treatment, or higher rewards because of their superiority.† Academic elitism refers to the idea that in highly competitive academic environments only those individuals who are involved in scholarship are regarded as having worthwhile actions and ideas. Academic elitism proposes that those individuals who do not engage in such acts of scholarship are unimportant. Although, it is possible to value academia and scholarship without being an elitist, the elitist ideal is becoming more and more prevalent in both academic and non-academic sectors. This tendency toward academic elitism is†¦show more content†¦When children who are have higher test scores, â€Å"smart† siblings or just happen to be zoned for a gifted school are placed separate from students who may be less intelligent, can’t test well , or just don’t live in the right neighborhood; and subsequently are removed from the same social and educational circles, elitism is created. Those other students are being rewarded on the basis of being perceived as better. In order to cultivate the intelligence of a few, many are left behind and that is where the academic elitism starts. Other measures that make clear the system’s elitist orientation include the Specialized High School system in which selected top performing schools that are geared toward the academically and artistically gifted, enjoy greater financial and curricular sovereignty, which translates into the school-based development which heightens the prestige of the schools and their students; this family like structure allows for well-established secondary schools like Stuyvesant and junior colleges to provide preferential admission based upon test scores that have more to do with test-prep than natural ability. This is effectively making it more difficult for students from mainstream schools to gain a place of study; and easier for the elite to move forward. â€Å"New York City brags to the world about its excellences†¦..but about one rare treasure, a set ofShow MoreRelatedThe Basic Concepts Of Marxism1460 Words   |  6 Pagescrisis in 2008, the US government had to use taxpayer money in order to bail out big banks and corporations to prevent an economic collapse, despite these large companies chose to gamble at such risks. Many Americans were dissatisfied with financial elitism that governed the American society through economic influences. Karl Marx’s Class antagonism still exists in the present day, but in a different form and scale from antagonism Marx described during his time. 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