Navigating the “Danger Zone”: Tone Policing and the Bounding of Civility in the Practice of Student Voice
Abstract
Although there is an interest in elevating youth voice within school settings, schools remain unprepared for the wide range of expression that may be included in soliciting youth voices, preferring polite expressions over overtly emotional or negative feelings expressed about school. This case study examines boundary setting in a youth voice initiative in a high school nationally known for their work around student voice. A critical incident of high emotion in the practice of student voice points toward the importance of recognizing the ways in which emotional expressions within and reactions to student voice shaped its acceptance and practice.
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Some research has found that teacher resistance to student voice or lack of readiness for student voice can undermine student voice from bringing about meaningful educational change.
“Indeed, some research has found that teacher resistance to student voice (Biddle, 2019; Taines, 2014) or lack of readiness for student voice (Gillett-Swan & Sargeant, 2019) can undermine student voice from bringing about meaningful educational change.”
From How teachers’ student voice practices affect student engagement and achievement: exploring choice, receptivity, and responsiveness to student voice as moderators (2025) · cites this paper as Biddle, 2019
Cites
Authorizing Students’ Perspectives: Toward Trust, Dialogue, and Change in Education
Cook-Sather, A. (2002) · Educational Researcher · doi:10.3102/0013189x031004003 · Cited by 959 · see citing works
Mager, U., & Nowak, P. (2012) · Educational Research Review · doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2011.11.001 · Cited by 297 · see citing works
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Conner, J., Mitra, D. L., Holquist, S. E., & Boat, A. (2025) · Journal of Educational Change · doi:10.1007/s10833-024-09513-0 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Feeling voice: The emotional politics of ‘student voice’ for teachers
Black, R., & Mayes, E. (2020) · British Educational Research Journal · doi:10.1002/berj.3613 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
- Authors
- Biddle, C., & Hufnagel, E.
- Affiliations
- University of Maine (US)
- Venue
- American Journal of Education
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 2019-08
- Volume
- 125
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 487-520
- ISSN
- 0195-6744 (ISSN-L)
- 1549-6511
- OpenAlex
- W2953836054
- Cited by
- 28
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 4.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Education (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Children's Rights and Participation
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Practises and Engagement
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
- Keywords
- student voice, civility, boundary setting, youth voice, emotional expression, high school students, school climate, critical incidents, student participation
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