Family participation in the education policy-making game: the case of “Padres Organizados”

• In Event: Education, Community and the Private Sphere

Proposal

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted educational systems worldwide, forcing the closure of schools and affecting the schooling of millions of students at all levels of education (UNESCO, 2020).
In Argentina, the national government, based on its assessment of the epidemiological situation, implemented a 14-day suspension of in-person classes in all schools nationwide starting in March 2020 (Resolution 108/2020, Ministerio de Educación de la Nación, 2020). This measure was subsequently extended until August 2020 (Ministerio de Justicia y Derechos Humanos, 2020), resulting in a widespread closure of educational institutions for at least six months.
During this prolonged school closure, various self-convened family groups emerged, demanding the reopening of schools and the resumption of in-person classes. These families engaged in different forms of protest, including social media campaigns, media outreach, petitioning authorities, street mobilizations, and even legal actions.
Historically, families have had limited presence in the public debate on school education in Argentina (Narodowski, 2018), and the literature often characterized them as having low importance in educational governance (Rivas, 2004). Thus, the emergence of these groups opposing the school closure policy was seen as a novel and unique case.
The magnitude of their actions and the attention they garnered through mobilization on social media and in the press raised questions about the factors that facilitated their emergence, their characterization, and their impact on the future of education in Argentina. Was this the emergence of a new political actor, previously absent from public discussions on education, capable of influencing the country's educational landscape? Or was it merely a temporary demand that would dissipate once students returned to classrooms?
This research aims to explore the emergence and impact of self-convened families during the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina. Specifically, we investigate their motivations, actions, and the extent of their influence on the education policymaking game (Scartascini et al., 2011).
Within international academic literature, family participation in their children's education has traditionally been examined under the concept of "parental involvement" (PI). This concept refers to the engagement of families with schools, teachers, and students' academic activities (Benner et al., 2016; Boonk et al., 2018; Siede, 2017). However, there is also a smaller body of literature that challenges the traditional view of PI as submissive, reactive, or passive, focusing solely on families' responses to school initiatives and decisions (Hands, 2013; Gofen and Blomqvist, 2013; Rosetti et al., 2021). This alternative perspective includes the political participation of families, encompassing their voluntary engagement with the state, public policy, or educational governance (van Deth, 2014). The case under study seemed to fit better with this less-explored theoretical body.
Furthermore, the phenomenon of self-convened families in Argentina stands out due to its unique forms and means of action. These organizations have predominantly emerged and operated through online social media platforms. This aspect is of particular interest in understanding contemporary forms of civil society participation in democratic contexts.
Lastly, the emergence of self-convened family groups seeking involvement in educational governance, at least during the pandemic, may contribute to the discussion on the school-family alliance (Narodowski, 1994). Originally, this alliance positioned the school institution as the primary authority responsible for educational decisions concerning children and youth. However, this phenomenon challenges the traditional conception of this relationship, adding to the various contemporary experiences that question its original nature.
To thoroughly study the processes of self-organization among families during the COVID-19 pandemic, this research adopts a qualitative empirical methodology. It involves the analysis of journalistic and social media materials, as well as conducting 17 in-depth interviews. The case study focuses on "Padres Organizados" (“Organized Parents”), one of the most prominent groups, aiming to enrich the discussion on family participation in education and shed light on protest forms and civil society involvement in contemporary democracies.
The findings suggest that this phenomenon was driven by a predominantly urban middle-class group of families during a time of crisis and political polarization. These families adopted a connective action logic (Bennet & Segerberg, 2012) and a liquid organizational structure (Gerbaudo, 2012), relying heavily on social media platforms such as Twitter and WhatsApp. However, they faced challenges in establishing themselves as significant actors in educational politics once the pandemic and school closures subsided.
This research contributes to the ongoing discussions about the role of families in student education and the possibilities and limitations of family participation in the shaping of educational policy in Argentina. It also adds to the debate on new forms of protest, social mobilization through social media, and the evolving nature of political engagement in contemporary democracies.

Author

• Delfina Campetella, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella