6.  What role does low self-esteem play in his argument?   How does this help explain the HH's and Brothers' reaction to schools?

Little of the Hallway Hanger's self esteem is tied up in school. They seem to disregard the attitudes of school officials and they emphasize their street-smarts. They gain self-esteem from each other. MacLeod did point out, however, that their indifference could be a defense mechanism that they've adopted to protect their self-respect. (pg106) However in Chapter 7 it is recognized that they can't help but feel "a judgment of academic inferiority cast upon them, be it by teachers, classmates or their seemingly objective computerized report cards." (pg117) The Hallway Hangers internalize objective probabilities by pointing out that even college graduates are unemployed, and that a diplomat doesn't get them jobs, skills do. These are some of the ways they rescue self-esteem

The Brother's take their academics seriously so the effects of schooling on their self-esteem is significant. Since they have bought into the achievement ideology, they take their low academic achievements as personal deficiencies.

This helps to explain why the two groups view their schooling so differently. Along with the achievement ideology that the Brothers believe in they see their chances in a good future though education, so they keep working at it as hard as they can regardless of the attacks upon their self-esteem. The Hallway Hangers on the other hand do not believe that an education will get them good jobs, so they disregard it's importance.

Pamela