This work investigates the systemic role of the Canadian educational system in the historical and ongoing marginalization of Aboriginal peoples. The authors, Bernard Schissel and Terry Wotherspoon, utilize sociological frameworks to analyze how institutional structures have functioned as tools of colonial oppression. By examining the intersection of state policy and educational practice, they argue that the school system has historically served to enforce assimilation rather than foster genuine emancipation for Indigenous populations.

Scholars and educators frequently cite this text as a foundational critique of the Canadian educational apparatus regarding Indigenous relations. The prose is noted for its academic rigor and its direct engagement with the structural barriers that continue to impede equitable learning outcomes.