ABSTRACT
This final substantive chapter examines an alternative explanation for some of the earlier findings and an alternative method of analysing the data. It is concerned with the limits to the influence of the school, in a situation where the social and intellectual composition of the pupils is reasonably homogeneous. Many schemes for the reform of society place a strong responsibility on the schools. This emphasis on changing the young appears sound, in so far as they are less fully socialised and have a less firm commitment to the status quo. At the same time, it presumes that the educational system is relatively free to change without serious constraints from the society in which it is set, and here the reformer is on less firm ground. Indeed, one of the problems which the educator faces is that most communications are received and absorbed only by those who are already in agreement with them. The teacher, like the politician and the clergyman, most often preaches to the converted. At times, of course, the teacher has a captive audience which is largely unconverted, but its reception of his communications is thereby seriously weakened. Education is not valueless as a means of social reform: one can point to instances where individuals and groups have been markedly affected by their schooling. One should, however, assess its effects carefully and replace unsubstantiated hope by knowledge. Where a person is exposed to many communications which may ignore, modify, contradict and ridicule the beliefs of his educators, it is by no means obvious that the school's point of view will triumph.
