"Public schools are among America's greatest achievements in modern history, yet from the earliest days of tax-supported education -- today a sector with an estimated budget of over half a billion dollars -- there have been intractable tensions tied to race and poverty. Now, in an era characterized by levels of school segregation the country has not seen since the mid-twentieth century, cultural critic and American studies professor Noliwe Rooks provides a trenchant analysis of our separate and unequal schools and argues that profiting from our nation's failure to provide a high-quality education to all children has become a very big business."--Amazon.com.

Introduction. The segrenomics of American education -- Rich college students, poor public schools -- White philanthropy, black education -- Brown children, white retribution -- How the North wasn't won -- Education dreams and virtual nightmares -- Stealing school -- The age of resistance -- Coda: Trickle-up education.