School Board Candidates and Gender: Ideology, Party, and Policy Concerns

Abstract

Using a unique national survey of school board candidates, this article examines the political orientations, policy viewpoints, and candidate platforms of female and male candidates. There are significant partisan and ideological differences between women and men candidates, with women being more politically liberal than men (even after additional controls are considered) and more likely to be Democrats. However, women who run for school board are more likely to be Republicans and are more likely to rate themselves as moderate-to-conservative ideologically. Women and men school board candidates also significantly differ on their views about many (but not all) education policies, especially controversial issues such as multiculturalism, the discussion of homosexuality in public classes, school prayer, and creationism-with women having less conservative views on these matters. Fewer differences emerge between women and men candidates with respect to campaign platforms. Moreover, their policy stances and their campaign platforms showcase women whose views on education policies are clearly moderate and mainstream.

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