This article connects the theoretical perspective of Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed with the teaching and learning styles of teachers and students at Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS) in East Harlem, New York. It examines some of the ways the Freireian model has worked within the public school system and considers some of the challenges in implementing it. The article is based on research conducted on former students of the New York high school, using survey- and interview-based methods. The study concludes that while much of the model has been used successfully at CPESS--especially those aspects that focus on relationships inside the school--questions remain about the implementation of some of Freire's curricular recommendations.