You forgot to say "nothing up my sleeve." In fact he is precisely denying the behavior in question when he says kids are not "acting white." In sum, here's an educator who denies what you present as given because you talked to some teachers you know.
[WS:] So if I understand you correctly, he is trying to find a historical explanation / understanding of something that he denies it exists. I'd give him more credit than that.
Wojtek