Playing the game

Examining parental engagement in schooling in post‐millennial Queensland

Bibliographic Data

ID11489309
AuthorsKym Macfarlane (Griffith University, corresponding author)
Year2008
Volume23
Issue6
Pages701-713
Publication date2008-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Education Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0268-0939 • E-ISSN: 1464-5106
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02680930802065913
OpenAlexW2093867973
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited21

Parent engagement in schooling has long been held as a vital component of the successful navigation of the schooling process and, consequently, governments often invite such engagement via policy implementation. However, at times, contestation arises about parent engagement, with some parents seemingly ‘crossing the line’ when attempting to be involved in their children’s schooling. This paper investigates the possibility of parent engagement in schooling in Queensland, Australia, conceptualising it as a game of social and systemic practice. The author examines this notion using a recent example of contestation between parents at a regional government school and the education authority. Policy directives about parent engagement are explored, with the rhetoric of such policy applied to the example in question. The work of Bourdieu and Foucault is used to argue that the invitation to parents to engage is framed and thus often misrecognised, resulting in unintended conflictual relationships between parents and governing authorities

Government (linguistics · Political science · Public engagement · Public relations · Rhetoric · School choice · Sociology · Unintended consequences · Work (physics · Diverse Education Studies and Reforms · Law · Parental Involvement in Education · Religious Education and Schools

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