Social Class and School Music

Financial Resources

Bruce Biddle writes that “one-fifth of all children who come through the school house door in America today are likely to be experiencing poverty associated problems such as substandard housing, an inadequate diet, threadbare or hand-me-down clothes, lack of health insurance, chronic dental or health problems, deprivation and violence in their communities, little or no funds for school supplies, and whose overburdened parents subsist on welfare or work long hours at miserably paid jobs.” ⁴ At the same time, other students come to school with distinct advantages: spacious homes, healthful meals, name-brand clothes, sufficient medical and dental care, and parents with secure jobs. This disparity outside of school leads to achievement gaps within school; more affluent students, because of class-related advantages, consistently outperform students living in poverty. ⁵

School music, in particular, poses an array of added expenses that could contribute to unequal access and achievement. ⁶ Families may not be able to afford musical instruments and accessories, instrument repair and maintenance, performance attire, private lessons, or transportation to and from special events. Single parents or those who work evenings will have less time to monitor and encourage music practice at home or to attend concerts. Lack of dental or medical care could affect students’ abilities or desires to play wind instruments or sing in school choirs. ⁷ Plus, students from low-income homes are likely to receive lower placements and fewer opportunities to demonstrate their talents than are students from more financially privileged circumstances. ⁸

Without specific interventions, opportunities and access will remain unequal; students in poverty will not be able to participate in school music as successfully or completely as middle-class or affluent students. The markers for success in music education—participation in select ensembles, first-chair placements, leading roles, high scores at festival—will be reserved for middle-class and affluent students. By perpetuating the mistaken belief that students excel primarily by virtue of talent or hard work, ⁹ music educators will continue to “reproduce the stratified class structure of society by socializing children for predetermined class-related adult roles and circumstances.” ¹⁰ This, of course, is not to ignore the fact that students sometimes do excel despite their poverty. Still, these students are exceptions to the rule, overcoming significant financial obstacles in a system that favors wealth.

Cultural Practices

Social class also has a cultural dimension wherein beliefs, customs, and values shared by the low-income and working classes have less currency, power, or authority than do those of the middle and upper classes. In the words of Ellen Brantlinger, “dominant groups develop standards based on their own characteristics and customs and expect others to emulate their styles and assimilate to their customs whether it is feasible for them or productive for society.” ¹¹ Middle-class values especially tend to be placed at the center, marginalizing lower-class customs and beliefs in superior/ inferior, normal/abnormal, success/failure polarities. A surprising example of this is Ruby Payne’s popular approach to addressing poverty in schools. ¹² She claims that students from impoverished backgrounds are disorganized, dishonest, vulgar, careless, and disrespectful. This rather negative view emphasizes characteristics that are observable among all social classes, overlooks more positive traits (hard work, humility, community) that could just as easily be associated with lower classes, and fails to recognize that some behaviors, such as not respecting authority or lack of motivation, might be reactions to oppression rather than inherent character traits.

Similar cultural biases can be found in music education. For instance, American school music has included an effort to “rehabilitate” the musical tastes of those perceived as poor—to supplant “low” culture with “high” culture. ¹³ This effort is evident in American high schools when emphasis is placed on large ensembles (concert bands, orchestras, and choirs) patterned after Western art music traditions or in general music classes when priority is given to listening to and learning to appreciate orchestral “masterworks.” Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with introducing Western art music to children unless the aim is to supplant or suppress current musical preferences and identities. There also seems to be a lingering belief that by developing preferences historically associated with upper classes, students will somehow be more apt to rise above poverty culturally and that this cultural transformation will also lead to economic benefits. However, there is no reliable, research-supported connection between appreciation for Western art music and social mobility. ¹⁴ Plus, upper-class musical preferences are no longer centered on Western art music as they once were; they include an appreciation for a wide variety of musical styles, albeit often accompanied by an aversion to country, heavy metal, and/or rap music—styles typically preferred by people with lower incomes. ¹⁵

Social Networks

Social class also has a lot to do with social networks—basically, the people one knows and where they live. For those attempting to move into a higher social class, there are at least three major obstacles: first, social mobility, because it often can involve a move away from familiar people and places, can lead to feelings of disconnection and alienation. ¹⁶ For some, this is too high a price to pay for improved financial circumstances. Second, to find a place in a new social network, people need to look and act the part, so to speak, which can easily become a no-win situation, since fitting in may require a certain appearance (specific race, fashionable clothing, straight teeth, clear skin, etc.) and specific ways of interacting, thinking, and being that are virtually impossible to acquire completely. Third, to be able to enter a higher social class, it is helpful, if not essential, for individuals living in poverty to form positive relationships with those who are more affluent. Given the trend toward class-segregated neighborhoods, this sort of integration is increasingly unlikely. ¹⁷

Schools, like neighborhoods, have become ever more segregated by social class, a pattern that Jonathan Kozol has spent the past four decades observing and documenting. ¹⁸ In addition to alarming financial and material inequalities, he notes that students in schools with higher concentrations of poverty are more likely than students in middle-class schools to be subjected to rigid classroom management, harsh enforcement of rules, austere surroundings, relatively few opportunities for creativity and real-life problem solving, and significantly reduced or eliminated arts instruction. To make matters worse, experienced teachers tend to gravitate toward jobs in more affluent schools, where students are likely to achieve at higher levels. ¹⁹ This trend is readily apparent in music education, where professional rewards are given on the basis of the size, appearance, and skill level of large ensembles. Teachers tend to gravitate toward advanced ensembles in large, middle-class, suburban schools. These schools would also likely have higher-quality resources and more creative and diversified curricular offerings than would schools with higher percentages of students living in poverty. Adding the economic advantages discussed previously, it is not surprising that students from lower-income schools tend to be less successful in school music than are students from wealthier schools. ²⁰

Toward Greater Equity in School Music

Here are three suggestions for how music teachers individually and collectively might address social class in their respective classrooms, schools, districts, and communities. ²¹ First, provide a free and equal music education for all students . On an even playing field, all students would have access to high-quality musical instruments, private instruction from highly qualified teachers, no fees for assigned uniforms or other concert attire, adequate funds to participate fully in music-related trips, reliable transportation to and from lessons and before- and after-school practices or performances, and anything else that either is required or will significantly increase the likelihood of success in the music program. I realize that costs and other constraints of comprehensive equalization may be prohibitive, but we need to understand that without this level of equity, achievement will always relate to privilege at least to some degree. One intervention teachers might consider that would not cost anything is simply to downplay the types of competition that create winners and losers and serve to augment class inequalities in school music programs. For instance, students could rotate parts in large ensembles, share leadership and other class or ensemble roles, and take turns being in the spotlight. Professionally, music educators could de-emphasize and look for alternatives to large-ensemble competitions and highly selective regional ensembles that draw unfair comparisons between schools and students.

Another general possibility is to avoid the unnecessary appropriation of time, money, and other resources or, in other words, to foster sustainability. Not only can sustainable practices be more accessible to students living in poverty, but they ultimately can benefit everyone. Music education researcher Julia Koza writes,

Musicking, in or out of school, does not require consumption and many kinds of musicking are consistent with the cherished mantra of sustainability: conserve, recycle, reuse. Non-consumptive musicking is prevalent throughout the world, if not in the U.S. People do not need to buy anything to sing; they can make superb music with instruments constructed from trash; they can musick without creating anything that will go into a landfill, without polluting the air and water, and without using an ounce of gasoline. Other components may be indispensable, but school music programs can manage without a computer lab or even without a tuba. ²²

In this light, it can seem rather wasteful to expend large amounts of time and money to own and learn to play costly instruments that students will likely not play long term. It may be more sustainable to focus on more popular and less expensive instruments, such as the ukulele, guitar, or electronic keyboards. Elementary music, in particular, can be taught effectively, joyfully, and virtually free of added costs using traditional singing games and dances, body percussion, and homemade musical instruments. Finally, technology can be inviting but can also easily become an expensive end in itself. Teachers need to think critically about whether new technologies really will improve learning or enhance musical experiences. In many cases, older technologies will serve just as well. This is not to suggest that less expensive options are primarily for lower-income students. A less expensive approach to music education might be more relevant and sustainable for all. In the process of working toward sustainability, we might also avoid some of the expenses that can tend to exclude students living in poverty.

Second, understand and respect each student’s cultural background . This includes understanding that social class is a form of cultural diversity, and it should not necessarily be our mission to “save” students from their own cultural heritage—to replace it with something “better.” Teachers whose social class is culturally dominant should not assume that theirs is also standard for everyone or is inherently superior. Respect includes acknowledging, attempting to understand, and showing appreciation for diverse musical preferences as well as examining one’s own biases. Teachers may find that there is much to value in music that they might previously have viewed with contempt. In the interest of overcoming bias, it may also be advisable to make a more secure place in the curriculum for styles most preferred by people living in poverty—rap, country, and heavy metal.

Local cultures are appropriate starting points for exploring a variety of musical styles. However, it is preferable to view this broadening process as a nonhierarchical series of concentric circles expanding outward, not spiraling upward toward something inherently superior. ²³ At the same time, current preferences can be explored and deepened as students learn about historical and social contexts and develop performance skills in their preferred music. ²⁴ By broadening knowledge and experience, students gain access to diverse preferences and practices. Without the first step of acknowledging and teaching students’ original cultures, however, teachers run the risk of alienating students and will likely meet opposition and resistance.

Third, it can be especially empowering for all social classes to recognize the social forces (including those within schools) that perpetuate poverty. Classist beliefs that the poor are inherently lazy, socially deviant, or intellectually inferior need to be seriously rethought in favor of more sound understandings. On the other hand, claiming that students can achieve whatever they want if they believe or work hard enough can be equally discouraging. If students from low-income families fail to achieve at the same levels as wealthier students, they might simply assume that it is because they did not work hard enough. Conversely, middle-class and upper-class students may attribute higher achievement to greater diligence or, worse, superior intelligence or genetics. ²⁵ In either case, harmful hierarchies and biases are perpetuated.

Exploring the realities of social class actually fits quite naturally within the music curriculum since many songs address the struggles of low-income and working classes. For example, most American students learn about Woody Guthrie and arguably his most popular song, “This Land Is Your Land.” Teachers could also help students situate Guthrie’s music within the contexts of the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and homelessness and perform and discuss typically overlooked verses, such as the following:

In the squares of the city, in the shadow of a steeple;

By the relief office, I’d seen my people.

As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking,

Is this land made for you and me? ²⁶

These three suggestions are by no means intended as comprehensive; teachers will likely find additional ways to address social class. The main thing is to work toward social justice by reducing the negative impacts of financial, cultural, and social hierarchies. This includes recognizing societal forces within the music education profession that maintain social stratification. It includes allowing diverse musical practices, including those specifically associated with lower-income and working classes, a place in our music classrooms. It could also mean targeting time, expertise, and resources specifically to low-income schools. ²⁷ There are no easy solutions, but members of the music education profession can and should take steps to alleviate the impact of social class in the music classroom and work toward fair and equal access and treatment in all aspects of the music program.