Across the nation, school board meetings have become increasingly contentious in recent years, with parents and community members expressing frustration and anger over a variety of issues. From critical race theory (CRT) to book bans, these meetings have become a battleground for differing opinions and ideologies. Amid much debate and division, Temecula Valley Unified passed a resolution that banned CRT in classrooms in 2022, and Murrieta Valley Unified rejected an 11th-grade social studies textbook proposed by teachers in 2023. Tensions run high as stakeholders seek to have their voices heard and influence the decisions being made by the school board. These meetings have become highly charged events, and the future of a child’s education hangs in the balance. To better understand what’s going on—at this meeting in Orange and across the nation—we asked three USC Rossier School of Education faculty experts on educational policy and three former school board superintendents to weigh in and help us make sense of the issues and what’s at stake. Historically, school board meetings have drawn a smaller number of participants and have been, by all accounts, uneventful. But the events that occurred at the OUSD board meeting have become commonplace. “This kind of meeting became more popular during the early years of the pandemic, when people were worried about closing schools, mandatory vaccination and masking policies,” says Julie Marsh, USC Rossier professor of education. Meetings have transformed into what Marsh calls “performative spaces.” Streamed online meetings have become an opportunity and forum for individuals to comment on policy and speak to the public. More and more, signaling, symbolic actions by people and a well-rehearsed script have found a place at school board meetings to advocate for a particular political agenda.