Micropolitics and Rural School Consolidation: The Quest for Equal Educational Opportunity in Webster Parish

Abstract

School consolidation in rural districts has been ongoing since the 1800s. Although many district personnel tout economic inefficiency as a reason for consolidation to occur, micropolitics among school board members, parents, and the business community often drive the consolidation process. This article presents a qualitative case study of Webster Parish, which documents the formulation and implementation of school consolidation policy in a rural context. On a macrolevel, I examine the role of micropolitics among district personnel in making the decision to consolidate. I also investigate the role of parish stakeholders—generally the business community and parents—in implementing the plan. On a microlevel, I explore the underlying themes of poverty, race, and educational opportunity as Webster Parish develops and implements a school consolidation plan. I find in the case of Webster Parish that strained community relations and micropolitics among parish stakeholders impeded the progress of providing equal educational opportunity to the parish's students. Given that many cases of micropolitics and education reform focus on urban districts, I find that it is significant to examine the role of micropolitics in educational change (or lack thereof) taking place in segregated, rural districts.

Notes

This study is derived from a larger study conducted by Peabody Associates. I was a consultant of the 14-member consulting team led by James W. Guthrie.

Webster Parish has not yet been declared unitary. Unitary status would suggest that the district has removed vestiges of school segregation. Issues pertaining to the Black–White student achievement gap and Black–White teacher ratios are two of the reasons the district has not been declared unitary.