Date of Award

2026-05-22

Degree Name

PhD Education for Social Justice

Dissertation Committee

Reyes L. Quezada, EdD, Chair;C. Bobbi Hansen, EdD, Member; Kimmie Tang, EdD, Member

Keywords

Ideology, Extremist Ideology, Discourse, Media Discourse, Narrative, Critical Social Theory, Critical Narrative Inquiry, Policy, Law, Transformational Resistance

Abstract

This critical qualitative study examines how ideologies rooted in ultra-conservative movements shape the professional lives of Oklahoma K–12 educators, and how they maneuver, resist, or accommodate ideological forces within a climate of surveillance and professional delegitimization. Grounded in critical social theory and drawing on Foucault (1977) and Leonardo (2003), the study applies a recontextualized model of transformational resistance (Hannegan-Martinez et al., 2024) to analyze educators’ acts of agency within a restrictive policy landscape.

Drawing on semi-structured interviews with eight Oklahoma K–12 teachers and administrators, this study employs critical narrative inquiry alongside reflexive thematic and critical policy analysis to ask: (1) How do these educators perceive and experience the influence of ultra-conservative policies and media narratives on their professional identity, relationships, and wellbeing? (2) What forms of agency, resistance, or accommodation emerge as Oklahoma educators navigate ideological forces that conflict with their educational values and constrain their professional autonomy, and what sustains their commitment to student-centered practice?

Findings reveal that educators experience the cumulative weight of restrictive policies, media narratives, and public delegitimization as an ecology of silence that erodes professional autonomy, trust, and voice. Despite these conditions, every participant articulated a sustained, student-centered commitment. The study names this commitment pedagogical permanence, a form of resistance that persists regardless of policy environment. Administrative leadership emerges as a mediating force, situating Oklahoma as a policy forecast for other states. Implications address the relationship between ultra-conservative ideology and neoliberal privatization, the necessity of policy-informed administrator preparation, and the urgency of amplifying educator voices.

Document Type

Dissertation: Open Access

Department

Leadership Studies

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