A Case of Non-Achievement: West Indians and ESN—M Schooling

Abstract

The discovery and classification, during the twentieth century, of more and more children considered to be ‘defective’, ‘handicapped’, have ‘special needs’ or ‘learning difficulties’, has generally been regarded as enlightened advancement and an obligation placed upon civilised society to care for its weaker members. In contrast to this view, it can be held that the social categorisation of weaker social groups always serves the specific interests of the dominant definers and categorisers. To be categorised out of the normal education system, and offered instead a special education (ESN—M), represents the ultimate in non-achievement in present-day industrial society. It means being at a total disadvantage in a society in which the education system offers a seemingly democratic currency of credentials and qualifications. Furthermore, when educational advancement or exclusion is controlled by ostensibly ‘fair’ meritocratic testing, resulting social hierarchies appear to be legitimately based on intrinsic gifts and skills (Bourdieu and Passeron, 1973).

Paper presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Oxford, September 1979.