Includes bibliographical references (p. [127]-138) and index.

Themes and theories, personal and academic -- The bad old days : the pre-civil rights history of a Northern school district -- "Mississippi West" : Oakland's civil rights movement -- Civil rights and state takeovers : a diverse Oakland school board defeats an attempted state takeover in 1988 -- Curriculum and structures : social studies textbooks, tracking, and other issues -- The "leave no teacher" laws : state and federal regulations mandating a "highly qualifed" teaching force actually create problems for urban communities -- Turning lemons into lemonade : the Partnership Program -- "Are you bilingual like me, Miss Johnson?" : Ebonics revisited -- Making a way out of no way : the struggle for academic quality -- Conclusions and programs.