Why Ask Why? Decoding Race-Based Decision Dynamics in High School Disciplinary Practices in Texas

This qualitative case study investigates how high school principals make sense of and implement disciplinary practices shaped by racial dynamics. Drawing on sensemaking theory, culturally responsive school leadership, and the white racial frame, the study reveals how principals’ beliefs, experiences, and sociopolitical pressures contribute to racialized discipline outcomes. Based on interviews, observations, and documents from 10 Texas high schools, we identify two dominant approaches—case by case and by the book—and show how both reproduce inequities. Findings underscore the need for deeper critical race consciousness and challenge the assumption that awareness alone dismantles systemic racism in school discipline.