Ideological Homogeneity, School Leadership, and Political Intolerance in Secondary Education: A Study of Three High Schools during the 2008 Presidential Election

Abstract

This study reports findings from a qualitative case study of three high schools during the 2008 presidential election. The schools appeared to promote the political ideologies of their corresponding populations, and in the two predominately ideologically homogenous schools, political intolerance often appeared to affect teachers’ instruction and students’ perceptions of safety. The findings from this study offer implications for school leaders who wish to create safe and ideologically tolerant schools even when their schools may be located within ideologically homogeneous communities.