American public education has historically been considered a great success. Since the release of the landmark 1983 federal report, "A Nation at Risk," concerns about many aspects of American education have been highly publicized. Although the actual extent of the degree of problems facing public education is debated, this article argues that the state of education has become part of a "culture of fear" gripping many aspects of society. The research examines polling data and newspaper stories on selected educational topics for four newspapers since 1980 and shows that both the number of stories on these topics and negative tone of the stories have increased, while polling data suggest that public perceptions about education have remained stable. At the same time, however, issues of quality have emerged as concerns. The implications of these findings suggest a need for further study of the current nature of the politics of education. (Contains 8 tables.)