Anna Kinsman's analysis of the public school system in Washington, D.C. is a normative critique of policies and procedures, which are often taken for granted. Kinsman's study draws from sixteen years of participant observation as a high school teacher in the District of Columbia Public School System. Her work is intellectually rigorous but accessible, often punctuated by anecdotal humor and irony. Using her insider's viewpoint, Kinsman has created a valuable policy study for educators, political scientists, and sociologists.