WINTER 2012 - National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and ...

David Schultz
you know—that is unearned privilege. In my classes over the years, I have had
students remind me their parents are lawyers, trustees, legacies, or the scions of
elected officials. None of that cuts it with me.
In many ways, I should be a hard-core conservative, resentful of affirmative
action and other social programs to help the poor. I should have a philosophy
that states: “If I can do it, anyone can.” But I do not. I am not a Howard Roark
or a John Gault of Ayn Rand’s novels. I use my life experiences as a constant
barometer measuring the unfairness of class and economic privilege. I recognize
how lucky I have been and how I may be an exception to the rule in the sense
that hard work and smarts equals success. I had a good family to support me;
but more important, I benefited from good schools and social and educational
programs that provided a structure of success for me. The opportunity to succeed
was provided for me, but I had to take advantage of those opportunities and
work hard. Social opportunity, government support, and personal initiative
and determination combined to forge my success. This is what I take from my
experiences. Thus, as much as we all want to say we did it on our own, we never
do. We succeed with a social and political structure that makes it possible. We
need to support such structures. For me, this means I have a sense of social
conscience; a belief in helping others and reaching out to work with others either
by tithing or giving generously of my time to speak to community groups and
high school students. I also work with many high school teachers in training
them to do civics education, and I have started a scholarship fund for firstgeneration
college students.
Finally, yes, I did succeed. But I am the exception. There is the myth that
anyone in America can grow up and become rich. This is the rags-to-riches
Horatio Alger story of America. Yet the reality is that social mobility in America
is more mythical than real. An Organization of Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) study found that social mobility in the United States
ranked far below that of many other developed countries (2010). Nearly half
of the economic advantage parents have is transmitted to their children; this
number is nearly two-and-one-half times that of Australia and Canada (OECD,
2010). The biggest cause of social immobility, according to the report, is
declining educational opportunities for many students. Other studies similarly
point to declining social mobility in the United States that makes it difficult for
individuals to rise from one socioeconomic status to a better one (Economist,
2005, 2010; Newman, 1993). I may look like the American dream; but for
many, that dream is never realized. I try to remember that every day.
THE POWER OF CLASS AND PRIVILEGE
I see class and economic privilege everywhere. Andrew Hacker (1971) ably
described how America is two nations, each with different habits ranging from
the choice of entertainment and food to language and expressions employed.
74 Journal of Public Affairs Education