Kansas City’s Central High School, established in 1867, is the oldest public high school west of the Mississippi River. Its story reflects the reality of many urban schools in America, shaped by policy changes around race, school choice , and accountability for upholding testing standards and benchmarks over the years.

UMKC professor Bradley Poos discusses his new book, Urban Education: Kansas City’s Central High School and the Enduring Legacy of Racism, which brings to life the voices of the students, educators, and communities who lived what is now history.

Drawing on interviews, archival records, and student publications, Poos offers a personal look at education in the U.S. through the story of one school. This approach highlights the ongoing challenges in our education system.

Poos is the Sprint Endowed Professor in Urban Education and associate director at the Institute for Urban Education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He has long been committed to equity and justice in education and in the community at large and has written and published widely in these areas.