Fragile Political Coalitions: Negotiating Race and Class in the Opt-Out Movement

• In Event: Parent Activism: The Opt-Out Movement

Abstract

Recent movements to “opt-out” of state assessments have brought together a broad and diverse collection of interests. In particular, while often foregrounding concerns of equity and justice, opt-out activism has been concentrated in affluent, suburban communities. Drawing on a case study of a national organizing group, we detail how activists negotiated conflicts—both implicit and explicit—about the aims, strategies and potential compromises of the opt-out movement. While politically successful in some respects, the anti-testing coalition remains fragile and divided, leaving its goals for equity-oriented reform uncertain. We argue that this case offers potential insights for other organizing efforts seeking to build coalitions across lines of race and class.

Authors

• Terri S. Wilson, University of Colorado Boulder

• Ana Julia Contreras, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Matthew Hastings, University of Colorado - Boulder