The Politics of Disruption and the Ongoing Impact on Local Education Politics
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| Title: | The Politics of Disruption and the Ongoing Impact on Local Education Politics |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Annie Gensterblum, Sandy Frost Waldron, Ariell Bertrand, Rebecca Jacobsen |
| Source: | American Journal of Education. 2026 132(2):141-176. |
| Availability: | University of Chicago Press. Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 877-705-1878; Tel: 773-753-3347; Fax: 877-705-1879; Fax: 773-753-0811; e-mail: subscriptions@press.uchicago.edu; Web site: http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/journals/aje/about |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 36 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: | R305B200009 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Politics of Education, Educational Change, Local Issues, Boards of Education, Meetings, School Districts, Elections, Board Candidates, School Community Relationship, Trust (Psychology), Governance, Parent Rights |
| DOI: | 10.1086/738771 |
| ISSN: | 0195-6744 1549-6511 |
| Abstract: | Purpose: This research examines how national actors, like Moms for Liberty (M4L), used the politics of disruption to challenge existing school leaders and reshape local education politics. Research Methods: Using a comparative case study approach, we examine school board meetings in 15 districts (156 meetings) to understand how the presence/absence of nationalized issues and national groups shape local education politics. We compare four case types: M4L-endorsed candidates win the majority of board seats (three cases), M4L-endorsed candidates win a minority of board seats (three cases), Nationalized-Issue presence (six cases), and comparison cases (three cases) with neither nationalized issues nor M4L present. Using an observation protocol, we track changes in engagement, tone, and rules/processes across three time periods: "pre-period" (late 2019 to early 2020), "contentious period" (summer of 2021 through 2022 elections), and "post-period" (after the 2022 elections). Findings: The politics of disruption motivated new actors to engage in board meetings. Attendees engaged in ways that broke with long-standing behavioral norms, mirroring the current style of national politics. Negativity, insults, and even threats to elected leaders grew in frequency, leading to polarization and an us-versus-them atmosphere. To quell the disruption, boards rigidly applied old and new rules in ways that fueled the narrative of unresponsive boards. Implications: This article contributes to the growing body of literature on the nationalization of local education politics. Although increased engagement and accountability from the community might be a positive outcome, our findings show how the politics of disruption can sow distrust and effectively stymie regular governance procedures. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| IES Funded: | Yes |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1500708 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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