The notion of self-esteem resonates powerfully and is referred to frequently in American culture. Rhetorical connections between self-esteem and desirable educational policy are ubiquitous; promoting students’ self-esteem, particularly that of minority and poorly performing students, is a prime concern. Is this focus desirable? Before analysts can assess self-esteem as a goal for policy and practice, they must consider the ideological orientations of those who use the term and the cultural norms which shape the debate. The analysis and knowledge claims regarding self-esteem made by psychologists and political philosophers are of some value in this regard, but explicit attention to the politics surrounding self-esteem is needed to understand and evaluate the use of the concept in policy contexts.