Wolf's Sociology 204

Clackamas High school is located in the suburbs of Clackamas, Oregon. This school would be a sociologist dream to study because of the norms associated with subcultures and dominant culture of the school. First let me explain Clackamas, the city has been rapidly expanding over the last ten years. Expensive houses and a newly redone mall make this city look very neat, seem "American dream" like, and become a very costly place to live. A brand new high school was built in 2003 to accommodate the ever increasing student population, to give an idea of growth the new high is already overpopulated and they are joining the middle school building with the high school. In the last ten years I would make an educated guess that the city of Clackamas has at least doubled. Before this fast and large expansion, the city was a farming community and evidence still remains on the outer layer. Because the town is very expensive the majority of the people who attend Clackamas high are middle class and above. There is probably about 15% of the high school population that is not middle class and above. Therefore the interactions of the dominant culture, subcultures, and countercultures are fascinating and an obvious reflection of the society around it.

The dominant culture of Clackamas high school consists of a large wealthy population. The students come to school with flashy clothes, cars, and technological devices. Clothes commonly worn among the dominant culture is Abercrombie and Fitch, American Eagle, and Nordstrom. People drive Mercedes and BMW and have IPods and nice phones. To not dress, drive, or own expensive devices puts you outside of the culture and generally makes the person who doesn't have these things an outsider. The popular thing to engage in, in mainstream Clackamas is sports, student body, and serious academics'. Among the dominant culture of the wealthy kids' theses activates all split into their own subculture. Each wealthy student picks one popular activity to be rigorously involved in and does above average in the rest. Although each activity is a subculture and strengths the relationship between students specific to the activity, all wealthy students still funnel into a common dominant culture. That dominant culture reflects the society around them. The norms include owning expensive clothes and gadgets, money not being an object, not interacting with people outside of their culture, and being very involved with the school specific to the activities listed above. Something commonly seen in the classrooms is the dominant culture continually shunning and excluding those not a part of the dominant culture or popular subcultures. Ethnocentrism is practices not only by the dominant culture of the student population but the faculty allow the students to behave accordingly. A student not a part of the dominant culture at Clackamas high is facing four years of serious seclusion. The dominant culture can be witnessed in the cafeteria has herding together in one specific section. If another student approaches the dominant group, depending on what status level in the population they are, they will most likely be turned away which could be polite or not. The fact that the dominant culture of the school is a large part of the population of the school not being a part of the group makes it very difficult to avoid the norms, and ethnocentrism on campus.

One of the subcultures of the dominant culture is the athletes of Clackamas. The most popular sports are there very successful football, baseball, basketball, dance, and soccer team. When looking in the cafeteria athletes are easily identifiable, they wear matching jersey and tend to "rule" the school no matter what the context . The more popular sports are the sports played by men so the majority of these groups consist of boys. When there aren't grouped together you can easily spot them in the hall or in the classrooms. They are the apple of the schools eye and therefore can get away with more than other students. In classes teacher are more reluctant to discipline the students and therefore athletes tend to be louder, rowdier, and overconfident. When involved in the dominant culture of the school the subculture of athletes treated very importantly.

Another main subculture is the student body counsel. Created to represent the student population and make decision is a direct reflection of the dynamics at Clackamas high school. The students involved tend to be athletes, good friends of athletes, and the wealthier students. The people who get elected are responsible for minimal responsibilities in decision making but are of equal importance in the dominant culture. To get elected almost pushes you to an athlete's status. Students elected are known by everyone and looked up to by all cultures in the school. The norms of the people involved in student counsel is trying to be polite to people outside of their subculture, helping around the school with tutoring and community service, and usually be very successful in academics'.

Academics are something very important to the dominant culture at Clackamas high school. This involves succeeding above and beyond in your classes. To not do well at school is viewed in the dominant culture as a flaw. Other students and teacher care significantly about the success of your grades and if you do not do well you are associated outside of the dominant culture. People who fail have serious ethnocentrism aimed toward them. If you are a C average or below people automatically view you as stupid or a loser. You are placed as an outsider and not accepted by the dominant culture as acceptable. Punishments for such things are serious and can even include being held back or not graduating. The entire culture focuses in being as successful student as possible. The people who do not meet the standards are usually identifiable because their either have a very small subculture or are cast aside and seen as "loners".
There are many subcultures at Clackamas high school and a common belief of success in school, being a good athlete, and being involved in culture. Having money and being able to support yourself financially in the future is a common value among the population. A value common among the subculture is beauty and success and is reinforced constantly by the dominant culture in the school and community around the school.

Although there are large subculture that feed into the dominant culture as I have stated there are also other small subcultures that aren't as closely related to the dominant culture. This involves people involved in music programs, science groups, and art programs. Although these groups are not a subculture not considered important to the dominant culture the people involved have created a strong subculture for themselves. These subcultures are well established with specific people and faculty and are thriving in the dominant culture. They aren't considered a norm to the dominate culture but are under the radar of being a target of ethnocentrism. They have become a functioning subculture that is an alternative to students who don't want to be involved in the mainstream dominate and popular subcultures.

Because of such a strong dominate culture countercultures have formed as Clackamas high. This usually involves students who do not participate in extracurricular activities, have money, dress accordingly, or get good grades. There are many small groups of countercultures and when the study population is all together these groups are very east to point out. There are groups of students who rebel against the norms of clothing by getting piercings, developing their own fashion style, and dying their hair odd colors. This subculture is very easy to see when standing next to a person who is a part of the dominate culture. This people usually don't eat in the cafeteria completely removing themselves from the main group. It is a decent subculture in size and most involved in the group still so dress very similarly. A counterculture might choose its way of rebelling by failing classes, vandalizing, skipping school, or fighting with the people in the dominate culture. The counterculture's usually disrupt the life's of the dominate culture's either purposely or by just being completely against the norm's of the dominate culture.
Another subculture is divided by races at the school. There is a small Hispanic and Russian population and they have both formed their own subculture. When looking in the cafeteria these groups all sit together every day and do not venture outside of their subculture. These subculture's stick to themselves and don't get too involved in the norms of the dominate culture. They speak their first language to each other and do not usually let anyone who is not a part of their group in. If someone outside of their subculture attempts to join these groups it usually strongly rejected.

Clackamas high is a school that has a very large and enforcing dominate culture. Having money, material items, being an athlete, good students, and active in your culture are all norms involved in Clackamas. Subcultures and Counterculture have established but are strongly looked down upon. It is hard to be a subculture and counterculture but when looking from an outside perspective both groups are very obvious. It is also apparent how and what is important to be successful; becoming a part of the dominate culture. Clackamas is a changing and growing communtiy whose dominate culture, subculture, and countercultures will be changing just as fast as the city is growing. With a large growing population the students that live within this community will be subject to continual culture change. The lower and middle class are shrinking and with the expansion of the city may continue to shape and change this culture as a more wealthy population. A census of this school would be very interesting. I would be curious to see the race, gender, and income levels of the students to further my sociological analysis of the infrastructure of culture among student life there.