| The purpose of this study was to understand the multifaceted interactions that occurred between board members during open sessions of public school board meetings. Brown and Levinson's Politeness Theory (1987) provided the theoretical framework with which to examine these interactions. This study reported the happenings of a rural, small Midwestern school board during open sessions of regular meetings for a six-month period. It placed an emphasis on understanding the relations between the board members.; This study utilized a form of qualitative research known as a narrative descriptive ethnographic approach. This design provided the lens through which the researcher interpreted the data, described the experiences of the board members, and developed an understanding of their relationships.; Data were collected through interviews, videotapes, and artifacts. Each board member was individually interviewed at the start and at the conclusion of the study. Open sessions of the public school board meetings were videotaped. The researcher viewed the tapes following each meeting to document and describe the face-threatening acts (FTAs) that occurred between board members during the meeting. Artifacts included board member packets, agenda, minutes, and other public information documents.; The study produced five findings: (a) Bald on Record Usages were used for clear and efficient communication; (b) the use of a technique called Sequencing of Superstrategies by the board president to form positive relations among members; (c) the formation of coalitions by low power members when committing FTAs against high-power members; (d) the minimization of FTAs as an effect of audience and because of a unified board; and (e) the role of power as revealed through the interplay of the three variables.; The study resulted in the broadened application of Politeness Theory to small-group settings. Recommendations are provided to policy makers and practitioners for improving governance by school boards. |
