... experiences within education and the outcome this has on pupils. The American functionalist Talcott Parsons argues that education provides secondary socialisation, a bridge between the family and wider society, Doing this providing value consensus and preparing people for their adult roles. Parsons claims that education reinforces norms and values. Such as, individual achievement is rewarded with praise, good grades, and then a good job, equal opportunity for everyone. However these norms and values transmitted could be those of the ruling class or elites, to exploit the proletariat. This idea of a false ideology is recognised by Louis Althusser, a Marxist. He says that lower class people are told what to believe and how we can achieve. This is then reinforced by education, "Children are given a set of ideas which they use to understand the world. They are not allowed to examine and discuss these ideas, just accept and believe them." If ...

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