Using over 350 hours of observational data from district-level meetings, we investigate how leaders support their interpretations of problems and proposed solutions during closed-door negotiations around three policy decisions, and how they invoke race, class, and language in the process. District leaders primarily cite constraints from stakeholders, practical realities, and policies during deliberations. They also draw on beliefs, values, and—to a lesser extent—information like research and data. Race, class, and language discourses were layered with values-based reasons, and most often addressed structural challenges to equity. The balance of attention to these factors depended on the configuration of participants and the nature of the policy decision itself, particularly decision makers’ perception that it would be controversial among certain groups.

我们使用来自地区级会议的350多个小时的观察数据，研究领导者在围绕三个政策决策的闭门谈判中如何支持他们对问题和建议解决方案的解释，以及他们在此过程中如何调用种族，阶级和语言。地区领导人在讨论过程中主要列举了利益相关者的限制，实际情况和政策。他们还利用信念，价值观以及（在较小程度上）诸如研究和数据之类的信息。种族，阶级和语言话语是基于价值观念的，它们是分层的，大多数情况下是针对公平的结构性挑战。对这些因素的关注平衡取决于参与者的配置和政策决策本身的性质，