Authoritarianism, and its impact on educational environments is on the rise throughout the world, resulting in a “corrosive effect on education” (Salajan & Jules, 2024). In the United States, state legislations have increasingly passed policies, termed Divisive Concept Laws (DCL), that limit what teachers are able to teach in their classrooms regarding race, gender, and sexuality and give parents greater oversight over curricular content (PEN America, 2023; Salvador et al., 2023). Divisive concept laws can promote fear in teachers and students, as well as fuel divisions between parents/guardians and school personnel (Morrell, 2022). They also can impact teacher mental health, teacher agency over curricular content, and student/teacher relationships (Salvador et al., 2023; Bylica et al., 2024).The purpose of this phenomenological multiple case study was to better understand the impacts of DCL on music teachers’ experiences in their schools and classrooms. Research questions included: (1) What, if any, are the impacts of divisive concept laws on music teachers in varied school districts? (2) How, if at all, do music teachers navigate these impacts? Participants were five North Carolina high school choral music teachers in different school districts during an era of DCL. Data were semi-structured interviews with secondary choral music teachers. Emerging themes from data analysis included differences in policy interpretation, inciting fear and distrust in music teachers, music teachers’ perceived agency navigating their local school contexts, and teaching a community aligned with their personal beliefs. Findings and implications for music education will be shared.