This work investigates how federal and local public policies systematically undermine urban education and proposes a new social movement to address these structural inequities. Jean Anyon, a prominent scholar in education policy, utilizes her extensive research on urban school districts to argue that educational reform cannot succeed in isolation from broader economic and social policy. She posits that the persistent failure of urban schools is a direct consequence of neoliberal economic policies that exacerbate poverty and racial segregation. The book serves as a call for educators and activists to align their efforts with broader political movements to demand systemic change.

Experts in the field of educational sociology frequently cite this text as a foundational critique of the 'school-only' approach to reform. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous intellectual basis for advocating for social and economic justice in urban environments.