Divisive Concept Legislation in the Classroom: Assessing Teacher Discretion-as-Perceived

Alicia Barnes & Misty Grayer

Administration and Society2025https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997251313973article
AJG 2ABDC B
Weight
0.41

Abstract

In this article, we explore the relationship between divisive concept legislation and perceived discretion among teachers as street-level bureaucrats. Specifically, we surveyed K-12 teachers’ perceptions of their decision-making power after the passage of legislation limiting the discussion of divisive topics in the classroom. Previous scholarship suggests that discretion-as-perceived is affected by the degree of powerlessness street-level bureaucrats feel in the implementation of a policy. The results of our study indicate that teachers perceive a significant loss of discretion following the passage of such legislation. Those views are shaped by personal and professional factors like race and specialization.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997251313973

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@article{alicia2025,
  title        = {{Divisive Concept Legislation in the Classroom: Assessing Teacher Discretion-as-Perceived}},
  author       = {Alicia Barnes & Misty Grayer},
  journal      = {Administration and Society},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997251313973},
}

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Evidence weight

0.41

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.25 × 0.4 = 0.10
M · momentum0.55 × 0.15 = 0.08
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.