Image Repair in a Social Movement: Oklahoma Teachers Flip the Script

Extensive research exists on how individuals and organizations respond to events which tarnish their reputations. W. L. Benoit's (2015) Image Repair Theory (IRT) identifies five strategies used to counteract public disapproval: Denial, evade responsibility, reduce offensiveness, corrective action, and mortification. What IRT does not do is identify how IRT is used by those who not only deny responsibility but flip the script by arguing they have made the situation better. The Oklahoma Teacher Walkout of 2018 provides the opportunity to explore what happens when those accused of malfeasance embrace the accusation and argue that their actions have improved the situation. Implications of the flipping the script strategy are discussed and potential areas of future research are offered.