These studies examine public debates and stakeholder responses to pandemic school reopening policies.

Dr. Erica Turner (University of Wisconsin) and I gathered a unique dataset that documents equity debates in New York City during the summer and fall of 2020, using news articles and opinion pieces published between June 1, 2020 and December 15, 2020 from major NYC education news sources reflecting a range of political stances. We use these archives to identify the multiple, at times conflicting justice claims advanced in relation to school reopening, analyzing the stakes involved in seemingly technical policy making decisions like school reopening and the challenges of achieving just educational policy.

In a related line of work, we have collaborated with Dr. Rachel Fish (New York University) on a series of papers related to the experiences of disabled students and their caregivers during the pandemic. We examine how the pandemic amplified both the marginalization of disabled children and the discourses of risk, protection, and vulnerability that permeate debates over how to best educate students with disabilities.