As the mass numbers of baby boomers reached school age, public school enrollment skyrocketed. Thousands of new schools were erected or renovated to create more space during this time period. Educational standards also rose, because of the higher numbers of students in school and the child-centered mentality of parents. Curricula across the country moved towards practical subjects such as math and science in order to best prepare future generations for the work place. Although math and science had always been a part of public schooling, the emphasis on these subjects grew tremendously in the 1950s and 60s.

Many of these evolutions in curriculum were funded by the national government. The space race and threats of world wide communism created an American concern for a growing labor force that was both skilled and well educated. Thus the Cold War and matters of national security were merging with interests of public education. It was also believed that these practical disciplines would ease the transition from childhood into adulthood.

In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, that the Fourteenth Amendment shall be applied to matters of public education. Although many public schools were not fully integrated until the 60s, Brown v. Board was the first step in creating a more equal education system in America. In 1968, Schulz added Franklin (the only African American Peanuts character) to the gang. Shortly after his addition, Franklin became classmates with the other Peanuts. Although Schulz claims that Franklin was not a political move on his part, it does show the influence of the Civil Rights Movement, in particular Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, after which Franklin made his debut.