The Long Division: How the Politics of Education Became Partisan

Join David Houston of George Mason University for "Long Division: How the Politics of Education Became Partisan." This event is part of the Education Policy Seminar Series, hosted by BU Wheelock's Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Department and the Wheelock Educational Policy Center.

Event abstract: This presentation draws from a book-length project on the causes and consequences of rising partisan conflict in K-12 education politics. My interest is less in the specific policy battles and political personalities of the day and more about the long-term transformations in American politics and school governance that have made K–12 education more susceptible to disputes that cut along party lines. I argue that our contemporary clashes over issues like pandemic-era school closures, systemic racism, and the rights of gay and transgender students are downstream of these larger structural changes. To be clear, political conflict over education is unavoidable in a large, complex, and diverse society. However, the contemporary American system of government has struggled to accommodate an increasingly partisan politics of education, resulting in less frequent federal legislation, greater reliance on executive action, increasing policy divergence between states.

All are welcome. The seminar series is geared towards an academic audience and will include detailed and technical discussion about methods used in the research, in addition to the policy context and implications. Events are in-person. Reception to follow. Space is limited, please RSVP. If you require parking or other logistics support, please email wheelockpolicy@bu.edu.

When 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm on 18 November 2025
Building Computing & Data Sciences, Room 1646