Education
Education is an important rnobility ladder. Even a well-paid working-class job is hard to find unless one can read directional and do simple arithmetic. About one in five Americans is "functionally illiterate," arid most of these people spend their lives on the program" and ends with the presidency. To preset on this second mobility ladder without a college degree is rare, Education is not equally important for all careers. College and professional degrees are essential for careers as physicians, lawyers, or teachers; they are helpful but not essential in business ownership and op. "«don; they are not at all Important (many professional athletes attend college, but completing a degree has little or no effect upon . their professional careers). We are often reminded that school dropouts , ''ill,' fare poorly in the job market, but . ,( this an be attributed to factors lither . an lack of formal education (such as class background, family disruption, limited ability, delinquency history and other disabilities) [Hansen, 1970; Bachman, 1972]. Some school dropouts have been highly successful. In fact, at least 3 of the 400 richest persons in the United States are reported to be dropouts [Seneker et aI., 1982]. This raises the question of whether the association between education - .and earnings (see Table 15-2) is causative or . In other words, do the they are educated, or is it because those who already have more advantages (greater' ability, 'good family bucket, oared, emotional stability, work habits) become. educated? It is likely, possibilities 'are true but in unknown p portions. If is that for many careers, the value ('If education lies the particular knowledge and skills ·it provides but it cultivating one's ability to locate and :'use .information as it-Is needed .[Kohn 1981,.p227]
