The Power of Local Government: A Case Study of Rockbridge County's High School Consolidation
| dc.contributor.advisor | Ginsberg, Benjamin | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Wolfson, Dorothea | |
| dc.creator | Cook, Robert | |
| dc.creator.orcid | 0000-0003-1342-8877 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-10-31T00:04:16Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-10-31T00:04:16Z | |
| dc.date.created | 2019-08 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019-08-19 | |
| dc.date.submitted | August 2019 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2019-10-31T00:04:16Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Local government policies are far reaching and have a greater impact upon the lives of citizens than the state or national governments on a regular basis. This theory is examined through a case study of Rockbridge County, Virginia, where in the early 1990s the county board of supervisors decided to consolidate their three high schools, effectively removing socialization centers in the towns of Natural Bridge Station and Fairfield. This case study looks at the impact of consolidation on these communities, the influence local print media had on civic engagement throughout public deliberations, and how the policy process at the local level differs from the national level. Natural Bridge Station and Fairfield both suffered from losing their high schools, seeing muted improvements and even decline in business diversity, the student dropout rate, household income, and voter turnout compared to other regions in the county. Despite over two years of coverage, The News Gazette did not generate increased voter turnout in the referendum on consolidation compared to state level house of delegates elections. Yet, because of the dynamics of the local policy process, local stakeholders were best equipped to influence consolidation policy. The controversial issue of consolidation hit communities at their core, yet generated below average engagement. The founding fathers’ goal with federalism requires the people to engage with all levels of government—local, state, and national—to prevent tyranny ensure their rights and liberties are preserved. | |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://jhir.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/62077 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.publisher | Johns Hopkins University | |
| dc.publisher.country | USA | |
| dc.subject | Local Governent | |
| dc.subject | Education | |
| dc.subject | Federalism | |
| dc.subject | School Consolidation | |
| dc.subject | Progressivism | |
| dc.subject | Grassroots Tyranny | |
| dc.subject | Clint Bolick | |
| dc.title | The Power of Local Government: A Case Study of Rockbridge County's High School Consolidation | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| dc.type.material | text | |
| thesis.degree.department | Government Program | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Government | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Johns Hopkins University | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Advanced Academic Programs | |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | |
| thesis.degree.name | M.A. |