The Horace Mann League, founded in 1922, exists to perpetuate the ideals of Horace Mann, the founder of the American public school system.  Its basic purpose and activities are to strengthen our public schools. The League’s members believe that the public school system of the United States is an indispensable agency for strengthening the ideals of our democracy and the most necessary unifying and dynamic influence in American life.  Accordingly, our public schools should be free, classless, non-sectarian, and open to all children of all the people.  The school system should be dominated by such purposes that will insure the preparation of children and youth for effective citizenship in our democracy.

The League believes that the American tradition of separation of church and state must be preserved and should be most vigorously and zealously safeguarded.  The League grants the right to special interest groups, including various religious sects, to maintain their own schools so long as such schools meet the standards defined by the states in which they are located.  The League believes that these separate or non-public schools should be financed entirely by their supporters and is therefore unalterable opposed to proposals to devote public funds either to the direct or to the indirect support of private schools.

The League favors the generous financial support of the public schools by local, state, and federal funds.  It believes, however that federal grants should be so made that there will be no federal control or interference in the administration, curriculum, personnel, or instructional procedures of local schools.