A basic premise of this essay is that educational organizations perform certain functions for students in order to attain purposes, goals, and objectives, and in turn these functions influence what social studies educators can and cannot do in curriculum and instruction. It is argued that teachers of the social studies must learn about the politics of school organization and become involved in the political process in such organizations. In the first two sections of the essay it is shown that the purposes, goals, and objectives shape the way the functions of schools are performed and that the emphasis given to each function is an expression of the organization's purposes. The concluding section discusses dimensions of the decision-maker in social studies curriculum and instruction and how he can get the most out of his present school organizational structure while working toward a new school organizational structure. This proposed structure is described as one that places governance functions in the hands of bureaucrats and curriculum and instruction in the hands of the teachers. The teacher's role in accomplishing this model is described as promoting learning to know oneself, to know one's organization, and to know how to change both the organization and self. (Author/KSM)