At the Croft School in Chile there are definitely examples that show the reproduction of elitism. When reading interviews with students of the school it became apparent that they lived in a bubble and that the ‘elite circuit’ is very present in their lives. One of the students explained how he knows other kids at other schools aren’t treated the same as the Croft kids, as well as how it is apparent where in the social class ranking you fall based on appearance alone. They know how privileged and advantaged they are. They also have immense pressure from their teachers, their school, and even their families for a successful future. Or in relation to this concept of reproduction of elitism, for these individuals to keep the elite circuit alive.
This led me to think about if the ‘elite circuit’ is apparent in my life and those around me. If the Croft School is seen as this bubble, is Colby a bubble too? After doing some research I came across an article by the New York Times from 2017 titled “Some Colleges Have More Students From The Top 1 Percent Than The Bottom 60. Find Yours.” In this article Colby ranked number 4 for having more students from the top 1 percent than the bottom 60 percent. 20.4% of students come from the top 1 percent ($630K+ annual household income) whereas 11.1% of students come from the bottom 60 percent (<$65K annual household income). Although I wanted to be shocked, I wasn’t. It is fairly apparent that many kids at Colby, including myself, are well off.
Considering the information regarding both the Croft School and Colby, it made me realize that we are both in an ‘elite circuit’ and both in a bubble. At the Croft School it is extremely difficult to attend without a familial or community connection, it is basically impossible to enroll without some type of connection. It is pretty similar here at Colby, although not as intense and strict, you need to have a good background and a connection to get in here, and it is really competitive. Also, this connection in elite schooling sets individuals up for successful roles in the future, thus continuing the cycle and reproduction of elitism. This research involving the Croft School is just the beginning and I look forward to learning more about how the reproduction of elitism really plays a pivotal role in Chile, the United States, and countries all over the world.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/01/18/upshot/some-colleges-have-more-students-from-the-top-1-percent-than-the-bottom-60.html
