"The Price of Nice": The Cost of Reaffirming and Resisting Power Dynamics in School Relationships

• In Event: Participatory Action Research: Transformative Learning Through Community Engagement and Agency

Abstract

Research has shown the value of including youth—especially youth of color and other youth facing injustice—in school- and district-level educational decision making. However, power dynamics as related to adultism, racism, and other forms of difference are barriers to youth having an authentic influence in schools and districts. Our study elucidates these barriers by exploring the relationship between youth influence and adult-adult power dynamics in a school or district. In our research, we analyzed interviews with teachers and administrators about youth leadership as related to youth participatory action research, youth-driven research and advocacy. Our research question is: How do teacher-administrator relationships influence student-teacher power dynamics? We address this question and offer implications for the inclusion of youth in educational decision-making.

Authors

• Ashley D Dominguez, Arizona State University

• Melanie Bertrand, The University of Arizona

• Valencia Clement, Arizona State University - Tempe