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'We're Being Erased. And Nobody's Talking about That': Race-Conscious versus Race-Evasive Perspectives on School Board Takeovers and Policy Termination Recommendations

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Title: 'We're Being Erased. And Nobody's Talking about That': Race-Conscious versus Race-Evasive Perspectives on School Board Takeovers and Policy Termination Recommendations
Language: English
Authors: Olivia Marcucci (ORCID 0000-0003-3954-725X), Aaron Park (ORCID 0000-0001-6629-0352), Madelyn Yoo, Kelly M. Harris (ORCID 0000-0002-5282-4226)
Source: Education Policy Analysis Archives. 2025 33(66).
Availability: Colleges of Education at Arizona State University and the University of South Florida. c/o Editor, USF EDU162, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620-5650. Tel: 813-974-3400; Fax: 813-974-3826; Web site: https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/epaa
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 35
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Descriptors: Racial Attitudes, Racism, Boards of Education, Educational Policy, Program Termination, Politics of Education, State School District Relationship, Governance, Policy Formation, State Government, Government Role
Geographic Terms: Missouri
ISSN: 1068-2341
Abstract: State takeover of school boards is a controversial policy choice aimed at reforming "underperforming" districts. It includes the limiting or complete removal of powers of an elected school board. However, this policy intervention is overwhelmingly implemented in school districts serving predominantly Black communities. Despite extensive nationwide use, very little is known about how to terminate this policy intervention. This article uses the theoretical heuristics of race-evasiveness to analyze interviews primarily with board members, district-level administrators, and other policy actors (n=18) in the three extant Missouri districts impacted by the policy. Specifically, we (1) interrogate policy actors' perspectives for when and how two juxtaposing narratives--either race-evasive narratives or race-conscious narratives--emerge in their discussion of this policy; and (2) examine if and how policy actors' reliance on these juxtaposing narratives changes how they approach appropriate policy termination strategies. We found that local policy actors demonstrate complex race-evasive or race-conscious understandings of the school board intervention policy and that their use of narratives changed how they discussed proper policy termination strategies. Policy actors who relied on race-conscious narratives questioned the legitimacy of the policy, contextualized the policy within Black political enfranchisement, and were also more likely to express confidence in the Black citizenry. Policy actors that understood the policy from a race-evasive perspective were more likely to recommend accountability metrics as the most important aspect of the policy termination process. Because of the centrality of democratic control of school boards in the civic vitality within the United States, this analysis suggests that policy actors should be encouraged to understand and interrogate a race-conscious lens in this policy.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1489122
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: 'We're Being Erased. And Nobody's Talking about That': Race-Conscious versus Race-Evasive Perspectives on School Board Takeovers and Policy Termination Recommendations
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Olivia+Marcucci%22">Olivia Marcucci</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3954-725X">0000-0003-3954-725X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aaron+Park%22">Aaron Park</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6629-0352">0000-0001-6629-0352</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Madelyn+Yoo%22">Madelyn Yoo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kelly+M%2E+Harris%22">Kelly M. Harris</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5282-4226">0000-0002-5282-4226</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Education+Policy+Analysis+Archives%22"><i>Education Policy Analysis Archives</i></searchLink>. 2025 33(66).
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  Data: Colleges of Education at Arizona State University and the University of South Florida. c/o Editor, USF EDU162, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620-5650. Tel: 813-974-3400; Fax: 813-974-3826; Web site: https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/epaa
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Missouri%22">Missouri</searchLink>
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  Data: State takeover of school boards is a controversial policy choice aimed at reforming "underperforming" districts. It includes the limiting or complete removal of powers of an elected school board. However, this policy intervention is overwhelmingly implemented in school districts serving predominantly Black communities. Despite extensive nationwide use, very little is known about how to terminate this policy intervention. This article uses the theoretical heuristics of race-evasiveness to analyze interviews primarily with board members, district-level administrators, and other policy actors (n=18) in the three extant Missouri districts impacted by the policy. Specifically, we (1) interrogate policy actors' perspectives for when and how two juxtaposing narratives--either race-evasive narratives or race-conscious narratives--emerge in their discussion of this policy; and (2) examine if and how policy actors' reliance on these juxtaposing narratives changes how they approach appropriate policy termination strategies. We found that local policy actors demonstrate complex race-evasive or race-conscious understandings of the school board intervention policy and that their use of narratives changed how they discussed proper policy termination strategies. Policy actors who relied on race-conscious narratives questioned the legitimacy of the policy, contextualized the policy within Black political enfranchisement, and were also more likely to express confidence in the Black citizenry. Policy actors that understood the policy from a race-evasive perspective were more likely to recommend accountability metrics as the most important aspect of the policy termination process. Because of the centrality of democratic control of school boards in the civic vitality within the United States, this analysis suggests that policy actors should be encouraged to understand and interrogate a race-conscious lens in this policy.
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 35
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Racial Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Racism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Boards of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Termination
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      – SubjectFull: Politics of Education
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      – SubjectFull: State School District Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Governance
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      – SubjectFull: Policy Formation
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      – SubjectFull: State Government
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      – SubjectFull: Government Role
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      – SubjectFull: Missouri
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      – TitleFull: 'We're Being Erased. And Nobody's Talking about That': Race-Conscious versus Race-Evasive Perspectives on School Board Takeovers and Policy Termination Recommendations
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