The essay discusses the relationship among schools, the federal government, and American society in an attempt to heighten awareness that positive cultural, political, and economic influences are necessary for educational excellence and world leadership. The essay is presented in two parts. Part I proposes that American national educational policy has favored spiritual neutrality to a degree which has hindered Americans in their search for meaning in life. Recommended to solve this dilemma is transformation of state and federally controlled and supported public schools into self-governing, independent institutions which offer a choice between spiritually grounded and anti-spiritual forms of education. Section II presents consideration of some problems which might arise if Americans were given freedom of choice in matters of education. Problems include: use of independent schools by teachers for bigoted, elitist, or otherwise separatist purposes; segregation of students; power centralization in the hands of teachers; variable standards; and financial problems. Ways of solving all these problems under a system of independent schools are described. (Author/DB)