Chapter 11 was mainly concentrated on teachers unions. Back then, teachers were mainly female, and therefore not given the respect they deserved. This was because women had very little rights. However, the establishment of teacher unions were very important. Because of teacher unions, better working conditions, pay, and benefits. Unions in general helped protect the middle class from powerful businesses and in helping show a strong representation in government. Over the years, teachers unions have grown and have strengthened. Today, teachers are not treated with the respect and pay they deserve. If education is the most important and is always stressed in society, shouldn’t the people in charge of teaching the material be respected and payed a little more?
Also in chapter 11, there was the concept of and ideal American life. For me anyway, the ideal American life is a marriage, with two or three kids in a suburban area, and a decent paying job so you can live comfortably. Now a days though, I don’t know if everyone still idealizes the American “picket fence and house” dream. With women gaining more rights and getting better jobs, and with the younger generation becoming more wild, what exactly is the ideal American dream today?
