Public schools have become a battleground for an increasingly heated debate about what should be taught and how. While everyone wants to prepare students to become better citizens, the very different opinions about what this means are deeply rooted in larger questions of national identity, culture, and values. The controversy over teaching values in schools has fueled intense debate among policymakers and citizens on the Right and Left, as both sides struggle to articulate their vision and control the future direction of education in America. In Habits of Mind, Melinda Fine explores the politics and practice of programs that foster moral thinking and civic responsibility—highlighting the acclaimed and controversial Facing History and Ourselves (FHAO) curriculum, which uses study of the Holocaust to help students reflect on contemporary issues of racism, violence, intolerance, and prejudice.