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

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.