This book investigates the intersection of charter school expansion, racial inequality, and the systematic displacement of community-based education in urban environments. Kristen L. Buras, an associate professor of education, utilizes a critical race theory framework to analyze the post-Katrina educational landscape in New Orleans. By examining policy shifts and the privatization of public schools, the author argues that these changes function as a mechanism for dispossession that disproportionately impacts Black communities and educators.

Scholars and policy analysts frequently cite this work as a critical counter-narrative to mainstream accounts of educational reform in New Orleans. The text is recognized for its dense, research-heavy approach that prioritizes the voices of community members and grassroots organizers over institutional data.