How do we reform schools in a way that will foster good work and produce smart workers? How does the post-Fordist economy change the purposes of schools? Joe Kincheloe answers these questions and more as he explores the political dynamics that connect schools and the economic system. In a unique take on the future of work and schooling, Toil and Trouble offers a provocative interpretation of the Perkins Act’s mandate to integrate academic and vocational education and provides a description of what a democratic school might look like. A must read for educators, labor leaders, business people and concerned citizens.