Meritocracy and Advantaged Parents’ Perceptions of the Fairness of School Choice Policies

Abstract

The widespread expansion of school choice policies has bolstered the consumer-education paradigm where parents compete for what they perceive to be a limited number of high quality schools. In this comparative case study, we examine advantaged White parents’ perceptions of meritocracy in the context of a competitive elementary and high school choice system in New York City. We find that parents’ critique the choice policies and the unfair burdens they place on low-income and immigrant families while engaging in opportunity hoarding to ensure their children’s privileged access to the most competitive schools, all while dismissing claims that school choice is meritocratic. Ultimately, advantaged parents’ suggest returning to neighborhood zoning which would preserve their access to exclusive, high performing schools and avoid the stress and inequities of school choice policies. This study offers further examples of the powerful influence of contradictory White discourse in the context of education policy and reform.