The unexpected impact of the School District Policy Reform

The Public Middle School’s District Policy Reform has had an impact on parent’s expectations and representations. In front of rejections and of the opacity of the application, and because of very high expectations and involvement, the resentment is particularly acute. In depressed urban areas characterized by urban and school segregation, it takes the form of a strong feeling of spatial and ethno-racial discrimination, which leads to call into question their loyalty to the institution. One can question the diffusion of that mechanism to other public services concerned by a process of individualizing application and of encouraging people to take greater responsibility, and by a strong process of social and ethnic differentiation of the targeted population.