Fear and loathing in neoliberalism: school leader responses to policy layers

Abstract

Since the election of a Liberal government in 2003, Ontario's core education policy has remained largely unchanged; yet schools have been bombarded with mandatory, prescriptive ‘policy layers' released on an annual basis consistent with neoliberalism. The purpose of this study is to understand how leaders cope with the sheer volume of policy, and gain insight into the process of enactment. Using phenomenological research, this study describes the experiences of nine school leaders in four public school districts with respect to the phenomenon of policy layers. Findings reveal pressure to comply with accountability as the essence of policy layer enactment, despite perceptions that certain policies are ‘disconnected' (their term) from the realities of their lifeworlds. Analysis focuses on participants' fears of reprisal for non-compliance, with specific concerns expressed about dismissal and career mobility. Findings contribute to the literature on policy enactment, with insight into relationships among politics, leadership and the neoliberal move to mandate staggering volumes of new policy.

Keywords:

• education policy
• accountability
• neoliberalism
• educational administration
• educational leadership

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Hubert Brard for his invaluable assistance in this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Laura Elizabeth Pinto is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Education, University of Ontario Institute of Technology and the recipient of a 2009 Governor General's Gold Medal. Her book, Curriculum reform in Ontario (University of Toronto Press, 2012), was shortlisted for the Ontario Speaker's Book Award.

Notes

1. In Canada, provinces are responsible for education. The Ontario Ministry of Education, headed by an appointed Minister of Education, autonomously issues education-related legislation and policy.

2. Liberal party leader Dalton McGuinty was elected Premier of Ontario in 2003 and was responsible for the introduction of the practice policy layers.

Additional information

Funding

This research was partially funded by a Niagara University Summer Research Stipend.