ERIC Number: EJ1306435
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1534-8458
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
School District Responses to Cultural and Linguistic Change: Competing Discourses of Equity, Competition, and Community
Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, v20 n4 p255-270 2021
Framed by theories and methods from critical discourse analysis and social semiotics, this comparative case study of six Missouri school systems asked: How do school districts represent and address their changing communities? Discourses of equity, language, identity, and demographic change were examined across school system websites, mission statements, and policies. Analyses showed that all cases except for one White rural district highlighted the value of diversity through their mission statements, homepage photos, and hyperlinks to policies and resources for changing communities. However, four districts also presented deficit perspectives about racially, culturally, and linguistically minoritized students and highlighted neoliberal educational reform values of marketable competitiveness and accountability. Only one highlighted social equity and inclusivity. Deeper analyses focused on three cases demonstrate how competing discourses reflect ideological debates in education, which can shape community engagement and perceptions of students.
Descriptors: School Districts, Community Involvement, Student Attitudes, Case Studies, Semiotics, Comparative Analysis, Community Change, Equal Education, Self Concept, Second Languages, Position Papers, Inclusion, Photography, Rural Schools, Educational Policy, Language Minorities, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Neoliberalism, Educational Change, Ideology, Race, Competition, Accountability, Web Sites, Discourse Analysis, Expenditure per Student, Administrator Attitudes, Boards of Education, Elementary Secondary Education, Student Diversity
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Missouri
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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