What term describes the social and economic disparity experienced by your client in not having access to a reputable public school?

The term that best describes the social and economic disparity experienced by a client due to a lack of access to a reputable public school is classism. Classism involves biases and systemic barriers that negatively affect individuals' opportunities and privileges based on their socio-economic status. In this context, the client’s experience of not having access to quality education is indicative of classism, as it reflects broader societal structures that favor those from higher socio-economic backgrounds and disadvantage those from lower-wealth classifications. This term encapsulates the impact of economic factors on educational opportunities, highlighting how socio-economic status can limit access to resources that are essential for personal and professional growth.

While marginalization refers to the social process of pushing certain groups to the edges of society, and institutional racism pertains to the systemic policies that disadvantage racial groups, in this scenario, the focus is on the economic class and its effects on educational access. Discrimination also implies unfair treatment, but in this case, classism more accurately describes the systemic issues at play regarding access to schooling based on economic privilege.