The current focus on the role of the state, suggests that many
of the public school reformers are quite willing to ignore the
history of schools within the United States. As K. Alan Snyder
points out, from the time of the early colonies to the
conclusion of the war between the states, private schools
flourished in the United States. Today, they are an attractive
alternative to parents concerned about the quality of education
and discipline available at public schools.  An early rationale
for public schools was expressed by Horace Mann. He sought to
overcome the potential for social strife by mixing the rich and
poor in a public system that would instill each child with non-
sectarian thinking. To the contrary, public schools have simply
promoted sectarian segregation while advancing secular values
hostile to those of parents. This view finds at least some
support in the comments of Supreme Court Justice William
Douglas, concurring in Lemon V. Kurtzman: While the evolution of
the public school system in this co