r. And, educational opportunities suffer because first, the secondary system within the city is overloaded and secondly, the rural areas lack the necessary facilities. So, while Mexico City's public schools tend to be better than those in most provincial cities, they are infinitely superior to rural schools, which are poorly funded and have small teaching staffs (Constable, 1985, p. 46).Mexico's secondary school system also reflects the social, racial and gender differences within the country. As referenced earlier, the number of private schools in Mexico has increased dramatically over the last 10 years. This is due largely to the fact that many Mexican parents can afford it send their children to private schools (Katel, 1986, p. 5). At these institutions English is stressed, for many believe that English is essential for a career. Thus, one can conclude that these students will have tremendous advantages over their public school counterparts.In addition, racial issues and inequities are inherent in the system. Indians, which comprise the lower-end of the economic and social strata, still live in the rural areas where schooling remains inadequate. Further, Indians who do reside in the cities are kept at the poverty level, and make up a major segment of those not attending high school. However, the fact that literacy, the basic measure of education, has risen from little more than 40 percent in 1940 to 84 percent in 1980, has signaled changes for the better with regards to gender (Constable, 1935, p. 154). This social advancement has expanded women's roles in a nation notorious for "machismo." Again, though, the bulk of females attending high school are from the middle- and upper classes.Many believe that one of the reasons that the public schools are so notoriously bad is related to the quality of teaching. Teachers have been kept under their union's iron grip for over 18 years (Baker & Zellner, 1939, p. 50). And, wages ha...
