Under Pressure: Dissembling Superintendent Power and Roles During Red for Ed Teacher Work Stoppages

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 33
  In Roundtable Session: The Challenges and Opportunities of the Superintendency

Abstract

In several states across the U.S., a new wave of political action by educators has erupted resulting in work stoppages from the conflict between teachers and state lawmakers. As a result of the Red for Ed movement, superintendents in many school districts have been left to navigate a rift in the political landscape. The present intrinsically-motivated case study investigates the roles of superintendents (Bjork, et al., 2005) reified by their public statements in both Arizona and Kentucky during the Red for Ed movements in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years. We find that superintendents utilized the role of business manager and pursued symbolic politics through means including empathy, assigning responsibility, and vaguely supporting the Red for Ed cause.

Authors

• Michael Szolowicz, California State University - Bakersfield

• Aaron Wisman, California State University - Bakersfield