, however, and it becomes a political act to define even a minimum level of literacy for education when it applies to all students and thus to all social classes. We have to recognize that while we may set up a minimum level of literacy and an accepted definition of literacy, ultimately individuals and members of different social groups will apply these concepts differently in their lives. Society makes these decisions first by marginalizing those who do not come up to an accepted level. Social stratification occurs in part on the basis of educational level and thus on degrees of literacy. Educators accept that there is a certain level of literacy required to get a job, and that different levels of ability mean a different job ceiling for each student. Some students resist learning based on the view of their particular social group regarding reading and learning. Students have one social identity when they are in school, but when they are in the job market they may have a very different one based on their experience. Minority group members have to overcome a number of points of resistance as well as inherent social problems to achieve the necessary level of learning to enter the job market.
Freire's idea of the power of literacy is very appealing and serves a strong political end when properly applied. It has clear implications for countries where people are in the process of fighting for their own freedom and for a say in their own destiny, but it also has important implications for Western democracies such as Canada, countries that have already achieved a level of personal and social freedom but that are always in danger of being undermined by the very people who are supposed to support and benefit from it, the people themselves. Democratic institutions have to be exercised to remain viable, and literacy is a vital element
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