This qualitative study focused on the voices and the identities of nine students as they experienced their 8th grade English inclusion classroom in an urban middle school while their teacher and I endeavored to negotiate critical literacy theory into practice. The interaction among the participants--the students, the teacher, and the researcher-provided context for this study conducted from an interpretive perspective. The data revealed that the students perceived school as a place where they were not respected or supported and where traditional instruction prevailed. However, the students developed strategies to resist the discord. Tensions included a classroom marked by loud and often disruptive student behavior, problematic implementation of instruction, limited application of critical resources, and limited pedagogical transformation. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]