always seem to be cast in the role of the tortoise. Despite the Founding Fathers' belief in popular education, it took more than a century to estab- lish a serious U.S. public school system. Along the way, educa- tors and politicians have quarreled over shifting notions of what school teachers are supposed to do: "Americanize" immigrants? Train future factory workers? Provide equal opportunity? To- day, the debate is over "quality," and disarray in the classroom. The troubles...