This study examined teachers' attitudes and beliefs in one over-performing urban/suburban high school of the state-mandated curriculum framework under conditions that I label a continuously uncertain reform effort or a top-down mandated curriculum involving constant mixed-messages as to its content, accountability demands, and future existence. Data were collected from three sources: interviews (N = 3), a survey of the department (N = 16), and their students' (N = 372) outcomes on the state pilot exam. Results from this study suggest that the teachers in this department expressed significant knowledge of the framework, held consistently negative views of the framework, and openly expressed diminished use of the framework in their teaching due to its political nature and lack of teacher contribution. Four appendixes are included: (1) Interview Guide; (2) Milltown High School's History and Social Science Department Selected Responses to Survey; (3) Survey Questionnaire Responses; and (4) MCAS [Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System] Data 2007. (Contains 6 footnotes.)