diff --git a/app/stylesheets/pages/discussions.scss b/app/stylesheets/pages/discussions.scss
index 151188de23c..20c4cd34b70 100644
--- a/app/stylesheets/pages/discussions.scss
+++ b/app/stylesheets/pages/discussions.scss
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-@import "base/environment";
 @import "components/ui.selectmenu";
 
 $border: #C1C7CF;
 $borderRadius: 3px;
+$discussion-dark-text: $canvas-dark;
 
 body.with-right-side.with-left-side {
   // toolbar needs it to be this wide
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ body.with-right-side.with-left-side {
 }
 
 .due_date_wrapper {
-  color: #777777;
+  color: $discussion-dark-text;
 }
 
 .topic {
@@ -188,12 +188,12 @@ body.with-right-side.with-left-side {
 }
 
 .discussion-points {
-  color: #777777;
+  color: $discussion-dark-text;
 }
 
 .discussion-pubdate {
   font-size: 11px;
-  color: #777777;
+  color: $discussion-dark-text;
   line-height: 23px;
 }
 
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ body.with-right-side.with-left-side {
 .discussion-fyi {
   font-style: italic;
   font-size: 12px;
-  color: #777777;
+  color: $discussion-dark-text;
 }
 
 .discussion-read-state-btn {
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ body.with-right-side.with-left-side {
 }
 
 .discussion-entry-reply-area {
-  background: #f4f5f7;
+  background: #fff;
   padding: 0 0.8em;
   border-top: 1px solid $border;
 }
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ body.with-right-side.with-left-side {
 }
 
 .discussion-topic-due-dates {
-  color: #777777;
+  color: $discussion-dark-text;
   margin: 16px 0;
   width: 100%;
   th {
diff --git a/app/stylesheets/pages/discussions_list.scss b/app/stylesheets/pages/discussions_list.scss
index 31d9e1ee2ba..f06f8fe719d 100644
--- a/app/stylesheets/pages/discussions_list.scss
+++ b/app/stylesheets/pages/discussions_list.scss
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@
     min-height: 52px;
     border-top: 1px solid $tableBorder;
     background-color: white;
-    &:nth-child(odd) { background-color: $tableBackgroundAccent; }
+    @if $use_high_contrast == false {
+      &:nth-child(odd) { background-color: $tableBackgroundAccent; }
+    }
     &.unread .discussion-title{ font-weight: bold; }
     &.selected { background-color: #d6ecfc; }
   }