Rituals in school

In "Education as a cultural system", the author writes how the usage of rituals in schools have been described as rites of passage, gate keeping systems, social control, etc. I tried to think back to my elementary school years. Going to a Catholic school we had to say morning prayers and go to church along with reciting the pledge of allegiance and singing the national anthem. We also wore uniforms and I thought back to the reading that said how they were considered a way of control. However, I did not feel that these rituals really did much to make me a certain type of person. I am not even sure if the goal of these rituals was to do so or if they were simply social practices. I do feel that the simple act of going to school every day was a ritual. It is one of the few rituals I have taken part in for the majority of my life and I literally cannot imagine what I would be doing if I had not partaken in it. I think this might be the intention. The author describes how many scholars believe school helps "encourage students to accept and support the dominant school culture"(26). The act of participating in school is itself a way to make all members of society start off with the same idea that in order to obtain a higher standing one must look to authority. What we were learning in school may have had little to do with history and math and more to do with setting the stage for expected behaviors in our society.