America is blessed with two river systems that feed and nourish the country by their periodic flooding. One mighty river is "individualism" (the entrepreneurial drive to advance and make a difference). The other river is "community" (wherein communal interests strengthen the whole community over the parts). Monitoring and regulating these two watersheds is "representative democracy." These three strands protect and strengthen the American economic, social and political structure. They tie together the fundamentals at the core of the country. In this article, the author explains why representative democracy relies on both individualism and community to be delivered through its public schools.