Parent
Involvement in Shared Decision Making:
Barriers to Democratic Participation in Urban Elementary Schools
John
B. Diamond
Abstract
Parent involvement in shared decision making (SDM) is currently
a popular concept in school restructuring literature and practice.
In many SDM reforms, it is assumed that all adult stakeholders will
participate democratically in decision making. This paper questions
that assumption. It explores the process of participation on management
teams in four urban elementary schools, identifying important barriers
to democratic involvement on the part of parents. Findings suggest
that tokenism and negative teacher and principal attitudes combine
to inhibit democratic participation. Failure to recognize and overcome
these barriers can lead to the symbolic empowerment of parents while
leaving control over decision making in the hands of principals
and certain school staff.
John B. Diamond, Department of Sociology,
Northwestern University
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