This qualitative study was undertaken in order to generate a theory as to possible repercussions on the teaching profession relating to accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind federal legislation. Ten teachers recently displaced because their urban high school was closed due to the institution's failure to raise student standardized achievement test scores were interviewed. Study participant's comments were transcribed and analyzed using both grounded theory and discourse analysis methodologies. Relevant artifacts were likewise analyzed as a means of triangulating results. Interview data revealed four themes. The first theme, for the good of the organization, reflected teachers' belief that their actions supported student academic achievement, yet were misconstrued by their leadership and the public. The appearance of decisive action, a second theme, revealed teachers' belief that both educational and political leadership present solutions to problems in K-12 public education that lack substance and could best be described as posturing. Study participants discussed their belief that urban teaching is a difficult profession for which teacher must be individually suited in the third theme, a mission. Finally, study participants professed a belief that variables outside their control were largely responsible for lack of student achievement in playing the blame game. Artifacts supported interview data, and suggested that a lack of teacher empowerment and resistance to change further impacted teaching and learning in urban schools. Study results indicate a need to re-evaluate NCLB's emphasis on teacher content knowledge, and on punitive actions against teachers in high-poverty, low-performing schools.