Dr. Leslie Rasmussen offers a compelling look at how the increasing politicization of school boards profoundly affected her tenure in a suburban Ohio community. She recounts the challenges to her board service, professional career, and even the security of her family, all set against a backdrop of significant events like COVID-19 social distancing, the Black Lives Matter movement, heated debates around critical race theory, and a divisive community controversy concerning a mascot with Native American imagery. Dr. Rasmussen also highlights her research on messaging strategies and astroturf attacks, and her pivotal role in facilitating the School Board Alliance with Honesty for Ohio Education, a crucial initiative that provides a network for support and professional development to student-centered, equity-focused, value-aligned school board members across Ohio.
Resources:
New Survey Results Confirm School Board Officials at High Risk of Threats and Harassment. (2024). Bridging Divides Initiative. https://bridgingdivides.princeton.edu/updates/2024/new-survey-results-confirm-school-board-officials-high-risk-threats-and-harassment
School Board Alliance. (2025). Honesty for Ohio Education. https://www.honestyforohioeducation.org/school-board-alliance.html
Understanding Threats and Harassment to Local Officials. (n.d.). Bridging Divides Initiative. https://bridgingdivides.princeton.edu/UnderstandingThreats
