Negotiating Authority in the Ritual of the Public School Board Meeting

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate how and in what way local governance of education is consequential to the work of changing public schools. The focus is on the board of education meeting as a ritual performance where authority is socially negotiated to manage the emotional and symbolic interactions that shape the district organization. Research Design: Data are drawn from 30 months of organizational fieldwork in New Haven Public Schools. Analysis is conducted on meeting transcripts, participant observer field notes, and stakeholder interviews. Findings: Observed as a ritual chain, four aspects of board of education meetings can be manipulated by those attempting to assert their authority within the organization. Organizational members used copresence, shared understandings of the ritual, emotions and symbols, and feelings of solidarity to set boundaries around the organization and maintain stability. Conclusions: Performances of organizational routines such as board meetings are consequential to the micro-level work of leading and changing education. School improvement and reform initiatives must account for the midlevel of school governance at the district and board level to make meaningful and sustainable change.