The theme of poverty is central to the poem "An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum." Spender vividly portrays children living in poverty through his descriptions of bleak circumstances and undernourished students, unveiling a sorrowful, overlooked part of society that exists globally. He does not specifically address any one nation in his poem; rather, he highlights the widespread disregard for children of all nationalities, races, and ethnicities. It is poverty that causes the students in "An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum" to appear "weighed-down," "paper-seeming," afflicted by disease, and "twisted." Spender suggests that this poverty is a result of the oppressive influence of capitalism.

This poem was crafted during the American Civil Rights movement, and although Spender was British, the injustices occurring in the United States were a global concern that impacted the entire world, particularly close English-speaking allies like Britain. Spender was moved by the fight for equality in the United States due to his strong commitment to social and political reform. Although this poem was penned during a time of severe racial injustice in America, Spender does not specifically focus on disadvantaged children based on race, religion, or creed. Instead, he directs his poem's content towards the social injustices faced by all children, making it harder to overlook. When attention is drawn to a specific group, some individuals may dismiss or question the legitimacy of that group's struggles. However, when attention is directed towards children in general, it becomes impossible to ignore. Regardless of their background, history, race, or ethnicity, children are innocent and rely on the support of society. Without assistance, children are essentially abandoned, leaving adults who fail to help with an inescapable sense of guilt and inadequacy. Spender evokes these feelings in his poem and uses them effectively to convey a powerful message about poverty, its impact on children, and the oppressive nature of wealth.

In The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx emphatically asserts that education is "social, and determined by the social conditions under which you educate, by the intervention of society, direct or indirect, by means of schools." Spender echoes this sentiment in "An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum," advocating for a complete overhaul of the prevailing social system regarding its influence, both direct and indirect, on education. While this poem may not be explicitly labeled as Communist, a detailed analysis reveals a Marxist approach to addressing the educational challenges stemming from poverty.

Spender criticizes the "donations" provided to the students, viewing them as a subtle intrusion of capitalist society into the educational system. These contributions are not intended to enhance the children's education but rather to maintain their status as members of the lower class. This is achieved by depicting an external world that seems out of reach, thereby trapping the children in a cycle of unfulfilled dreams or, as a last resort, crime as a means to acquire wealth and escape the slum. Spender calls for a practical change in how these donations are distributed and utilized—a Communist strategy—where funds empower children to genuinely explore books, maps, the world, and themselves. Essentially, it would allow them to pursue education without the lure of unattainable aspirations or a future filled with unfulfilled hopes.

This revised utilization of "donations" reflects a Communist perspective on education. "An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum" portrays the children as the proletariat and the donors as the bourgeoisie. Spender does not seek to remove education from society but aims to transform it into a system governed by a Communist, rather than capitalist, framework. In this system, every child would have an equal opportunity to succeed,...