Nathaniel O'Connell thought he knew what it takes to survive at Southwest High School, a low-income, ethnically diverse, inner-city school. After seven years of teaching, he thought he had discovered how to get through to these children of poverty. That was before he met Tyreshia, Krysteal, and Ebony, who know how to inflict pain, both physical and emotional. After a confrontation on the first day of school, O'Connell finds himself fighting for his reputation, his job, his family, and his very survival. With his wife, Alexandria, O'Connell must battle the school system, the justice system, and his own weakness, as he seeks redemption. Faced with investigations by the school's administration, the Department of Family Services, and the District Attorney's Office, he must find the strength and the courage to reach out to these same students to save his very soul.