Sympathetic Teachers on Strike: How News Media Across the Political Spectrum Shaped Social Constructions

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Seven
  In Roundtable Session: Media in Focus: How the News Constructs Education Policy (Table 7)

Abstract

In 2018 and 2019, teacher strikes spread across the United States and were covered extensively by news media. Media is an important player in the policy process, setting agendas and shaping views. This study examines how media portrayed teachers on strike in article images using a qualitative content analysis of multiple case studies. Applying Schneider and Ingram’s (1993, 1997, 2019) theory of social constructions, I find Left-leaning news sources portrayed teachers as deserving of policy benefits more often. Left and Right-leaning news sources portrayed teachers as having similar levels of political power. As media continues to polarize, it is important to consider how media shapes public and policymaker perceptions of teachers and the policy implications of these perceptions.

Author

• Sandy Frost Waldron, Southern Methodist University
  Presenting Author