October 8, 2025
Who’s on Board? School Boards and Political Representation in an Age of Conflict
David M. Houston and Michael T. Hartney, Fordham Institute
School boards have become ground zero for America’s education culture wars, with fiery debates over race, gender, curriculum, and pandemic policies making national headlines. But beyond the noise, how well do these elected bodies actually represent their communities?
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David M. Houston is an Assistant Professor of Education in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. He is also the academic program coordinator of the Education Policy program, the director of EdPolicyForward: The Center for Education Policy, and a university affiliate faculty in the Schar School of Policy and Government.
Michael Hartney is an associate professor of political science at Boston College and the Bruni Family Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. Hartney’s scholarly expertise is in American politics and public policy with a focus on state and local government, interest groups, and education reform.
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