The Marxist View of Education
Marxists believe the education system is rigged to benefit the ruling class whilst keeping working-class kids down. Schools teach us that we all have equal opportunities, but this is what they call the 'myth of meritocracy' - a lie that hides how unfair the system really is.
According to Louis Althusser, schools act as an ideological state apparatus that controls our minds. They create false consciousness by making us believe the capitalist system is fair and inevitable. When working-class students fail, they're taught to blame themselves rather than recognising the unfair disadvantages they face.
The correspondence principle explains how school mirrors the workplace. Students learn to be passive, accept hierarchy, and work for external rewards (grades) - just like workers who put up with boring jobs for wages. This creates the perfect subservient workforce that capitalism needs.
Key Point: Marxists argue that 7% of private school students get over 50% of top jobs - proving the system isn't based on merit but on class background.
Paul Willis challenged some Marxist ideas through his study of 'the lads' - 12 working-class boys who rebelled against school authority. They saw through the myth of meritocracy and rejected education, yet still ended up in working-class jobs. This shows that even when students resist, class inequality is still reproduced.