Despite long-standing acknowledgement that U.S. adolescents of color are disproportionately deemed "struggling readers," various iterations of supposedly neutral neoliberal literacy reform legitimized by quantitative data systemically deny access and opportunity through labeling and sorting and perpetuate educator deficit ideologies. Moreover, liberatory reconceptualization validating students' out-of-school literacies is denied. This study initiates a positioning of algorithmic reader and book Lexile leveling as neoliberal literacy reform, exploring the more recent confluence of culturally responsive literature incorporation within these systems. The research questions are: "What factors do reading teachers consider when selecting narrative texts for 'struggling' adolescent readers of color? How might these factors and texts center or disrupt Whiteness, if they do?" The 14 white female participants in this qualitative study were recruited from nine suburban districts within one politically progressive midwestern county with a recently expanding gap between student and educator demographics and openly promoting equity efforts. This study includes semi-structured interviews, analysis of participants' most-recommended books, and ancillary district guidance defining reader capability or text selection criteria. Critical Race Theory was leveraged to examine thematic findings intended to not only reflect participants' mindsets and stated actions but also illuminate hegemonic systems maintenance. This study demonstrated culturally responsive texts are being retrofitted into existing neoliberal literacy reform, including Lexiles. Negative conceptions of literacy capability are perpetuated and serve to justify the gatekeeping of which texts are recommended. Contradictions flourished within individual participant responses and when comparing stated priorities with the traits exhibited in the books, surfacing the complexities and unpredictability of Whiteness. Participants disrupted Whiteness when naming cultural responsive traits of student belonging and cultural representation and the role of personal identity work. Simultaneously, Whiteness was centered in prioritizing personal comfort through avoiding cultural representation and prioritizing texts deemed simplistic. The most recommended books were award-winners featuring BIPOC protagonists and authors that uplift important counter-stories surpassing most participants' knowledge of representation. Yet four of the top five titles center racial oppression or trauma. This is hypothesized to exhibit stereotypical misperceptions of students' culture. Study results exemplify previously unexamined ways systemic racism manifests that need to be identified, disrupted, and transformed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]