“William Frantz Public School narrates the struggles for civil rights that Ruby Bridges and this one school in New Orleans endured. But the authors’ account is also America’s story, its engagement with slavery prior to the Civil War, and the fight to ensure that systemic racism does not upend the progress the nation has made. The ‘before’ and ‘after’ Hurricane Katrina narrative of the evolution of neighborhood schools and the devolution in 2006 toward an all-charter school district is compelling. This meticulously researched book is a sober reminder that Martin Luther King’s metaphoric ‘arc’ leaning toward justice does not bend neatly.”—Luis Mirón, President, Advisory Board Education Research Alliance, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA