“Not long ago, I would have defined the problem of educational reform as an issue concerning how to somehow introduce more freedom into schools. . .

Now the problem seems broader – since schools exist, we naturally want them to become better rather than worse. (. . .)

Even in the case that the schools themselves abandon the idea that they should prepare children to live in a better society, they will not be allowed to turn too much in that direction.

(. . .) [Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]