ABSTRACT
Themes in a policy area are like the various strata in a geological formation that have been layered in and shifted through successive historical periods. The various themes in American public education have likewise been established and changed as the schools have developed. In a pluralistic society in which cultural, political, and intellectual differences are not only to be tolerated but respected, the search for a common core will inevitably lead to substantive disputes about what is implicitly or explicitly taught. As the reform movement got under way in the mid-1980s the focus was squarely on curriculum and requirements. Academic achievement had to be improved across the board if the schools were to play their role in maintaining America's position in the world, especially its economic position. Most reformers, whether proponents of a new common school or otherwise, generally agree about the nature and origins of the recent decline of the schools.
