School board members’ perspectives on leading through cultural and political conflict

• In Event: Educational Leadership for Equity

Abstract

U.S. school boards confront consequences of both federal and state educational policy trends, as well as the impacts of political and cultural polarizations which strain agreement over educational priorities. As a key democratic institution, school boards have been on the front lines of political and cultural conflict. Using a qualitative research study involving 18 school board member interviews, this paper explores school board member perspectives on political conflict, cultural polarization, and possibilities of civic leadership and moral responsiveness to the conditions challenging public schools as democratic institutions under duress. The research questions focused on how participants experienced the school board role during the years of 2020 to 2023 — years of pandemic, political polarization, renewed anti-racism activism, and accompanying legislative suppressions. The concepts of local control, and stewardship, are analyzed in the paper, illuminating moral and civic meanings that school board members bring to local education policy-making work.

Authors

• Kathleen Knight Abowitz, Miami University

• Eunice Laryea, Miami Universiy