‘Knowledge is acting’: working-class parents’ intentional acts of positioning within the discursive practice of involvement

Positioning theory provides a lens through which to view the narrative accounts of working-class parents as dynamic, intentional acts of positioning intended to gain the recognition of school personnel as full partners in the education of their children. Knowing that school personnel will not treat them with the kind of respect given middle-class parents, but refusing to allow themselves to be viewed as if they were lower-class parents, analysis of the accounts of working-class parents reveals intentional acts of positioning that serve to: (1) fight against stereotypes, (2) guard against being made to feel inferior by maintaining vigilance and involvement, and (3) build cultural and social capital through dialog and deliberation. These acts of intentional positioning are also understood as knowledge-generating activities where people come together in dialog to work toward a mutually acceptable solution. Implications for the development of dialog-oriented parental involvement practices are offered.