Are American schools socially just institutions? Using the methods of political philosopher John Rawls, this book answers this question by arguing for four principles that express the basic purposes that Americans hold for their schools principles of Personal Liberty, Democracy, Equal Opportunity, and Economic Growth. These principles are then used to analyze current controversies in American education policy and practice about curriculum content, instructional methods, education standards, civic education, control of schools, and school finance. It concludes that in each arena prevailing practice falls to attain Americans' political ideals for their schools and suggests strategies for remedying that failure.