Up until now, French political scientists have ignored the issue of teaching, leaving its analysis to sociologists and historians of education. However, its link with organizational sociology, reflections on administrative capacities, and the comparative tradition are once again challenging political scientists regarding the "dark continent" of education and training. In this paper, we examine the contributions and limitations of two major types of comparative approaches that comparative education and comparative politics have both experienced. We then assess the conditions under which broadly discussed issues in political science (center vs. periphery relationships, modes of government, instruments of governance, etc.) become established in a further comparison of teaching as public action.