Family socialization is a social mechanism of the reproduction of social inequality from one generation to the next. The argument about the "class-specific socialization," which stopped in the 1970s, is being taken up again with this discussion and developed further towards a theory of socio-structural and situation-specific socialization. Also considered are the effects of family socialization on children's success in school. It seems clear that the motivational, cognitive, linguistic, and social demands made in school are probably less developed in disadvantaged families. Although all students, regardless of social origin, have the right to be accepted to all educational courses, the connection between family origin and selection in school--a discrimination against children from working-class families and favoritism of children whose parents are civil servants or employees--becomes apparent. In the Federal Republic of Germany, this process can very clearly be observed for this is--unlike other western industrial countries--an externally differentiated system of the "Sekundarstufe I" with organizationally separated types of school after the fourth grade. (BZ)