American Mass Public Education and the Modern World

Abstract

At the heart of the discussions of how and why American schools are the paradoxes at the heart of American culture: egalitarianism, individualism, and utilitarianism. Americans hold all three values at the same time, even knowing that they are at times inconsistent with each other. And wrestling with this cultural paradox are the modern parents, business interests, and the teaching profession each seeking to control the schools. These interests in turn are the basis for persistent interest groups¹ that seek to shape the goals of schools to their interests (see Olson 1982).