Purpose: To investigate how and in what way local governance of education is consequential to the work of changing public schools. The focus is on the board of education meeting as a ritual performance where authority is socially negotiated to manage the emotional and symbolic interactions that shape the district organization. Research Design: Data are drawn from 30 months of organizational fieldwork in New Haven Public Schools. Analysis is conducted on meeting transcripts, participant observer field notes, and stakeholder interviews. Findings: Observed as a ritual chain, four aspects of board of education meetings can be manipulated by those attempting to assert their authority within the organization. Organizational members used copresence, shared understandings of the ritual, emotions and symbols, and feelings of solidarity to set boundaries around the organization and maintain stability. Conclusions: Performances of organizational routines such as board meetings are consequential to the micro-level work of leading and changing education. School improvement and reform initiatives must account for the midlevel of school governance at the district and board level to make meaningful and sustainable change.

中文翻译：

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公立学校董事会会议仪式中的谈判权

目的：调查地方教育治理如何以及以何种方式对改变公立学校的工作产生影响。重点是将教育委员会会议作为一种仪式表演，通过社会协商权威来管理塑造地区组织的情感和象征性互动。研究设计：数据来自纽黑文公立学校 30 个月的组织实地调查。对会议记录、参与者观察员现场记录和利益相关者访谈进行分析。发现：作为一个仪式链，教育委员会会议的四个方面可以被那些试图在组织内维护其权威的人操纵。组织成员使用共存，对仪式、情感和符号的共同理解，和团结的感觉，以在组织周围设定界限并保持稳定。结论： 董事会会议等组织例程的表现是领导和改变教育的微观工作的必然结果。学校改进和改革举措必须考虑到学区和董事会层面的中层学校治理，才能做出有意义和可持续的变革。