Democratic parent engagement: Relational and dissensual

Abstract

Research at York St John (RaY) is an institutional repository. It supports the principles of open access by making the research outputs of the University available in digital form.

Parent involvement in education? A Foucauldian discourse analysis of school newsletters

“…Similarly, in her action research project with English parents, Lyon (2018: 195) points out that when parent involvement is put forth as a solution for achievementgaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students, parent engagement is reduced to 'an exercise in creating "good" pupils and successful economic beings'. For Lyon (2018), neoliberal education systems limit parents' agency and remove opportunities for democratic engagement.…”

“…Parents are reminded that they are 'to wait outside' at pickup time (HHPS, 2018a(HHPS, , 2018b, are subject to 'a front door security system' (HHPS, 2018a(HHPS, , 2018b(HHPS, , 2018c 2), are 'to avoid going to classrooms' (HHPS, 2018a: 4) and are to ensure that 'only urgent calls are made to the school' (HHPS, 2019b: 2). While many of these measures are intended to ensure safety, they also eliminate daily opportunities for interaction (Lyon, 2018). A similar example can be found in HHPS' pickup procedures that instruct parents 'to make arrangements to meet your child or children at a designated spot outside the school at the end of the day' (HHPS, 2018a: 4).…”

“…For example, September's (HHPS, 2018a: 1) reference to 'working together' directs parents to 'pay close attention to the information that your child brings home, complete and sign all forms, and promptly return them to the school', while March's newsletter (HHPS, 2019c: 1) tells parents that 'we are truly partners in your child's education, and the work you do with your children at home makes an enormous impact on their academic success'. Much like Antony-Newman's (2019) criticisms of Ontario's (2010) 'Parents in Partnership' policy, these examples depict a one-sided relationship where parents' contributions are limited to meeting the obligations placed upon them (see also, Lyon, 2018). The neoliberal parent prioritizes and takes responsibility for their children's performance at school.…”

“…The neoliberal parent makes sure that their child not only gets a 'good' education but also that they are able to translate that education into later gains, such as financial security and opportunity (Crozier, 1998). 'Good' neoliberal parents are not just expected to be self-regulating and responsible citizens, they are expected to raise children with the same attributes (Jezierski and Wall, 2019;Lyon, 2018). Take for instance, December's (HHPS, 2018d: 1) reminder that 'through the example we set as adults, we hope that students will discover the real meaning of peace and goodwill towards others'.…”

Revolting families: The Catalan ‘opt out’ movement and practices of resistance against Standard Assessment Test (SAT). Some exploratory research

“…I don’t see the point of making my son do an exam that he has never done in his life … . [it] makes no sense within the logic of the educational project of the school.In other words, particular sorts of parental behaviour are interpolated by the testing regime, which produces ‘subjects of audit’ – subjects who are permanently monitored and compared against others, against standards of performance, and even if unintended, the tests elicit competitive and advantage-seeking behaviour from some parents producing a form of ‘good’ parenting articulated by competition (Lyon, 2018). The tests are seen by parents who opt out as forms of judgement addressed to their children which may have implications for their future school careers, and which contribute to producing or reinforcing a view of education as an arena of individual competition for esteem, position and scarce resources.…”