To find the term 'underclass' offensive and to think teachers shouldn't be teaching students about it?

[Opalite]

I was talking to DD and she was saying how her teacher told the class about 'underclass, working class, middle class and upper class' we were watching TV and it mentioned middle class, DD said that we're underclass and her teacher had told her about it yesterday
Is it outdated? I find it offensive and I don't think it's right for her teacher to be telling them these things as if they're facts or as if they matter

What text were they discussing. There must have been some link to society's structure?

Why does your DD think she is underclass?

I'd be a bit narked if a teacher gave my child the impression she was underclass.

What text were they discussing?

But what book were they reading that tangibly led them TK a discussion of the class system OP?

I do think that at aged 12 you should have the beginnings of an understanding of the general concept of the British class system - partly in a John Lennon "know your enemy" way, and partly because Jane Austen etc will make absolutely no sense whatsoever without it. And the first question that any child will ask is "how can you be working class if you don't work?" Which is where the underclass/lumpenproletariat/temporarily workless working class/distressed gentlefolk come in.

Oh, talking of distressed gentlefolk reminded me mlb if you are having a financial crisis you might want to consider an application to The Insurance Charities. I think you'd fit their criteria.

Mylovelyboy you're asking about what class you are to help others? How strange. I think you probably have a strong idea about what class you 'belong' to. I think you know that you began as working class but became middle class during your broker years. You just want to complain that you got used to the good life (nice restaurants, husband with land and space for two ponies etc) but now times are hard for you.

Underclass is used as a perjorative term.

I don't care about definitions of the term etc. I have only ever heard/read it used in a negative way.

Someone upthread already asked this question, but please anyone give an example of this term being used in a way other than perjorative. Real life example please. Won't hold my breath.

Until we know the text and the context we cannot really comment on the OPs questions.

If something is always perceived as pejorative then even when it's not intended as such it will be received as an insult.

If I said 'Fred is homeless and jobless and therefore a member of the underclass' am I insulting Fred or just stating a fact?

I need to know why OPs DD thinks she's underclass.

She's clearly not destitute or homeless or an asylum seeker.

If it's because her mum is on benefits and lives in SH.

Then yes it's an insult to call her the underclass.

Underclass is only used as a pejorative term by people who don't come from it.
Without wanting to be rude IME people who do, neither use it nor really care too deeply about the opinions of others who do.

I disagree it is no more necessarily a pejorative term than working class or middle class, it depends how it is used.

and it is used in many sociological, English, reference, academic texts without being pejorative

I very much doubt it was used in an 'Arise, ye workers, from your slumbers' sense.

My understanding of 'underclass' is as a group of people that do not participate in mainstream society, in the most general sense e.g. long term situation of no work/no legal work, lack of basic education/illiteracy, do not access healthcare, possibly homeless, problems with addiction etc.

I certainly would not think of as underclass someone who lived on a very low income, or who was long term unemployed due to circumstances which can't be changed e.g. disability.

Why does your DD think she is 'underclass'?

I've discussed this term with pupils in relation to English, spoken language, poetry, stereotypes etc. I may have used it when challenging the use of 'chav' by pupils.
I would never say that a pupils was any class. I might say. "In the past, people who had manual jobs such as labouring and coal mining would be called working class. As so many of those jobs have gone and people have found themselves long-term unemployed and dependent on benefits, this term doesn't always fit, so this group of people are sometimes called underclass by the media."
If you were the child of someone who was long-term unemployed you may think I'd called you a member of the underclass during this discussion.
As an aside my Year 10s think a chav is someone who wears a tracksuit and doesn't work.

I find the term/concept offensive in the way it's understood/ bandied around these days.
For example, if it's used to describe those not in work- this is a dormant section of the working class but no less part

Agree with Usual, what the teacher has said to make the OP's DD think she's "Underclass" is the bit that matters.

Whoops! No less part of the working class.
Also in recent years it has become all too easy to flippantly dehumanise the poorest and weakest in society and I think this 'underclass' notion makes that easier- in that it suggests people to be subhuman and therefore fair game.

'Chavs' is an excellent book and well worth a read.

I don't get why you'd need to use underclass when reading Animal Farm OR An Inspector Calls? Or Blood Brothers. Or anything else really.

halfwildling that's pretty much exactly as I'd say it.
I always challenge 'Chav' when I hear students use it but when staff use it I am speechless.

I always thought of the underclass as people who could work but chose not to, while still accessing health care and education services paid for by other people. People who claim every benefit available, while having no intention of ever contributing to the pot.

I wouldn't have described asylum seekers or people with disabilities or those who want to work but can't. Those people are whatever class they happened to be before they came to this country or before they lost their jobs. Their financial position is affected by circumstances entirely beyond their control.

I think of underclass as more of an attitude to life (world owes them a living types).

Sounds like an inexperienced / poor teacher explaining a concept in a subjective way. Brings back memories of my English teachers saying inappropriate things to me!

I was going to say you were wrong Amberleaf, that underclass is simply a word used to classify people whose economic and social circumstances make it impossible for them to access mainstream society.

It appears that I am wrong though. People do seem to use it as a term of abuse.