Fear and loathing in neoliberalism: school leader responses to policy layers

Since the election of a Liberal government in 2003, Ontario's core education policy has remained largely unchanged; yet schools have been bombarded with mandatory, prescriptive ‘policy layers' released on an annual basis consistent with neoliberalism. The purpose of this study is to understand how leaders cope with the sheer volume of policy, and gain insight into the process of enactment. Using phenomenological research, this study describes the experiences of nine school leaders in four public school districts with respect to the phenomenon of policy layers. Findings reveal pressure to comply with accountability as the essence of policy layer enactment, despite perceptions that certain policies are ‘disconnected' (their term) from the realities of their lifeworlds. Analysis focuses on participants' fears of reprisal for non-compliance, with specific concerns expressed about dismissal and career mobility. Findings contribute to the literature on policy enactment, with insight into relationships among politics, leadership and the neoliberal move to mandate staggering volumes of new policy.