This work examines the history of education in the canton of Schwyz from the perspective of secularization. It demonstrates that the problems and tasks of schools cannot be understood and assessed solely from within the realm of pedagogy. They require a more comprehensive analysis that also illuminates their political relevance, particularly their relationship to the state and society. Although the relationships between politics and education are receiving increasing attention in educational and social sciences, there is a lack of documentation that illustrates the overall connection between the state, society, and schools. Additionally, there have been no historical studies in the Swiss context that address the transformation of public discourse on public education in terms of deconfessionalization and legal regulation, alongside the emergence of a new, secular professional knowledge in pedagogy.