As "divisive concepts" educational policies continue to be implemented across the United States, it is important to consider how preservice teachers (PSTs) are being prepared for this teaching landscape. Within an upper-level undergraduate education foundations course at a public university in Iowa, this critical case study (Dyson & Genishi, 2005; Merriam, 1998) explored how twelve white PSTs, who identified as women or nonbinary, made sense of state-level "divisive concepts" policies in light of their espoused social justice-based commitments. Using observation, document, and interview data alongside a Critical Race Theory and Critical Whiteness Studies framework (Dixson & Rousseau Anderson, 2018; Matias & Boucher, 2021), this qualitative study interrogated whiteness norms in the face of these policies and the ongoing need to prepare equity-oriented educators. Three findings demonstrated how participants made sense of their social justice commitments and policy agency, while revealing how their investment in whiteness norms influenced their potential for student-centered policy advocacy. PSTs largely centered students within their understanding of and commitment to social justice, including their reaction to "divisive concepts" policies. Narrowing in on specific narrative cases, findings expanded on participants' student-centered responses and policy agency concerns, such as the need to build credibility as new teachers. While participants largely remained committed to students, they displayed varying levels of confidence and concrete ideas regarding their policy agency and advocacy. Implications focus on the need to support PSTs as policy agents, including how teacher preparation programs, teacher educators, and in-service teachers can empower social justice-based policy advocacy skills. [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.]