From a Functionalist perspective, one would feel that regardless of your circumstances, if you set or have high standards you can overcome any situation. While the Conflict Theorist would speculate that the education system driven by a system who wants the minority student to fail, while the upper class rise. I agree with both sides. Coming from the inner city myself, I experienced it personally attending a school like Harper High. The blessing for me was that I had people in my life who were always letting me know that there was more to life than what I saw in the inner city (Barringer High School, Newark, New Jersey). With that encouragement, I was able to rise above my situation. Although with that being said, I also saw how I would
