This paper discusses the ways in which the decline in trust of professionals and public institutions may impact public schools of the future, as they are increasingly seen as government utilities providing educational services. To counter this situation, scholars and citizen activists are experimenting with institutional reform strategies using particular forms of public engagement and deliberation founded on theories of participatory democracy and citizen action. Within this context, a particular vision for the future of the teaching profession can be framed as containing three action components: (1) Education re-chartered as a public good; (2) Teaching re-framed as a professional covenant; and (3) Learning re-cast in its moral, cultural, and human significance.