The experiences of low-income women enrolled in a GED program

Poor women are usually stereotyped as non-productive citizens dependent on American society to provide for their needs. These negative images are both socially and politically constructed by dominant society that dismisses the reality of the socioeconomic oppression, labor market and housing discrimination that these women encounter.; The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of six low-income women enrolled in a local GED program. The research sought to answer two questions: What are the barriers to participation in the GED program? How do these experiences affect the participants' interpretations and life choices? Can feminist theory better address African American women's investment in education in comparison to human capital theory?; Through the use of personal narrative, biographical data, and storytelling, the participants' narrative voice will be heard. The study design was qualitative in nature and involved the analysis of personal interviews, observations, and field notes. This study found that lack of social support, basic educational skills, limited vocational skills, generational poverty, and limited life options were barriers to participation in the GED program. The results also revealed the importance of understanding the complexity of poverty and its effects on the life choices and personal empowerment of the participants. Moreover, results indicate human capital theory's assumptions about the social returns of education is an appropriate solution, however, examining the lives of poor women through a feminist lens using interpretive research would provide a thorough understanding of their lives.