Equal Opportunity

Classes and wages The current salary requirements for socio-economic classes, as defined in round 1, are; Upper Class (>$113,799) Middle Class ($33,049 - $113,798) Lower Class (<$33,048) (1) Mental retardation Mental Retardation is a disability that has to do with how well or how fast a person can think and learn. If properly trained and placed in the right job, mentally retarded workers should have no problem adjusting to their careers. There are many types of jobs the mentally retarded can excel at; such as factory work, construction, clerking, truck driving, carpentry or painting. (2) A carpenter can make $24,730-$70,005 annually. Within the carpentry profession, one could go from Lower Class to Middle Class, simply by doing a good job. (3) A painter makes $20,853 to $61,017 annually; again, painters allow for one to go from lower class to middle class. (4) It is true that in the past, most colleges wouldn’t give people with Intellectual Disabilities a chance at admission. However largely due to the equal treatment guarantee of Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the number of MR adults who have been attending college has increased, and is continuing to increase. (5) Post-secondary education opportunities for young adults with ID, is growing in the U.S., Canada, and the rest of the globe. There is an increasing list of programs designed to give ID students the opportunity to obtain their ideal careers. Many are at community colleges and universities but some are independently run colleges. One example would be Shepherds College in Union Grove, Wisconsin. Shepherds College was founded by an organization named Shepherds Ministries which has been working to help intellectually disabled Wisconsinites, since 1957. (6) Besides having access to higher education, special talents, such as athletic talents, or artistic talents, allows for someone with MR, to generate large revenues. Professional Athletes, professional musicians, or even as professional sculptors, are capable of generating Upper class revenues. It is no secret that talented artisans and athletes make allot of money. Socio-economic classes’ relation to Socio-cultural classes My opponent has suggested that Socio-economic classes are dependent on the socio-cultural environment. Although Socio-cultural classes are related to Socio-economic classes, socio-economic classes are not dependent on socio-cultural classes, but rather one’s socio-cultural class is dependent on their socio-economic class. For example, the Italian Mafia was created in a time in American history, when businesses would not hire Italians, due to the large number of Italian immigrants. Since Italians could not find work in legitimate careers, organized crime flourished in the Italian communities, because it was a way to provide for one’s family. The Italian mob was further fueled by the prohibition era. The socio-economic impact of the prohibition lead to the black market of alcohol, and thus the mafia capitalized on bootleg liquor. (7) Another example would be the outlaws of the wild-west. When the civil war ended, the south was plagued with a horrible economic depression, and those who were formerly employed as soldiers, in the US and CS Militaries, now were unemployed. Many of the ex-soldiers became outlaws, making money on their military expertise. Some of the unemployed southerners ended joining the outlaw gangs, because it meant income. A perfect example of this would be Jesse James; many considered him to be the Robin Hood, of his day. Jesse James was part of the Confederate Militia, and when the civil war ended, Jesse concluded that making a living with his guns was easier and more exciting, than a life as a Missouri farmer. (8) The gangs and mafias of today’s ghettos are no different; gang culture resulted from the socio-economic situations within the ghettos, and gangs have become perpetuated by the war on drugs, creating a black market monopoly. It is ultimately up to the individual whether or not they want to stick with gang life, or get out of the ghetto. Many have succeeded, but more have failed; not due to the environment, but rather due to the lure of the easy money that gang life provides. In the end, it’s your own decision, your own free will that determines whether or not you stick with gang culture, or pursue a legitimate career. Minimum importance of a High School Diploma The quality of High-school education is of little importance when it comes to socio-economic classes. A drop out with a GED can get the same job as someone with a high school diploma. The GED diploma was created in 1942 for people who were not able to finish high school. The GED is considered equal to a high school diploma by 97% of colleges and universities, as well as virtually all business employers. (9) What is important is not primary education, but rather post-primary education. Post-primary education is the easiest way to get a higher salary, however someone with no college experience can work their way up to a higher middle class salary through raises and promotions. There are computer programmers with a 6 digit salary, who don’t have a degree in that field. Acquiring skills in the field can be just as beneficial as a college degree, if not more. Bibliography 1. The Heritage foundation. 2011 Budget Chart Book. [Online] 2008. http://www.heritage.org.... 2. Ursinus. FACTS ABOUT MENTAL RETARDATION. [Online] http://webpages.ursinus.edu.... 3. Pay Scale. Carpenter. Hourly Rate for Carpenter Jobs . [Online] Dec 17, 2011. http://www.payscale.com.... 4. —. Hourly Rate for Painter Jobs. [Online] Dec 13, 2011. http://www.payscale.com.... 5. Jones, Larry A. and Moe, Randi. College Education for Mentally Retarded Adults. [Online] 1980. http://www.eric.ed.gov.... 6. Goldstone, Christina. Daniela's Journey to Shepherds College: New Opportunities in Post-Secondary Education for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities. [Online] 2011. http://www.eric.ed.gov.... 7. History Channel. Immigration and Prohibition. [Online] http://www.history.com.... 8. —. Old West. [Online] http://www.history.com.... 9. Ormsby, Michael. GED Diploma or High School Diploma? What’s Best for You? . [Online] http://www.passged.com....