Restructuring in Context: A Case Study of Teacher Participation and the Dynamics of Ideology, Race, and Power

Teacher participation is central to many school restructuring projects. This article challenges assumptions regarding the connection between greater teacher empowerment and school-based reform, particularly for students in marginalized groups. The article presents a case study of teacher collaboration and decision making in restructuring a junior high school and the implications for low-achieving African-American students. Using ethnographic methods, the study examines the influence of teachers’ ideologies and the social and political contexts in which the school is embedded. My analysis of the data suggests that, if restructuring is to transform the educational experiences of marginalized students, it will require both personal and social change—challenging educators’ beliefs and assumptions as well as relations of power in schools and communities.