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Educational Lobbying Groups
Education is a hotly contested subject in American society. There are many different views about how children should be taught. Should we have school vouchers? Does a local community have the right to limit the selection of books used by teachers in their classrooms? Does a teacher have the right to have an alternative sexual orientation? Political lobbying groups represent different perspectives on these issues. Among the most important lobbying groups in Washington, D. C. are People for the American Way and The Heritage Foundation.
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative religious group based in Washington, D.C. It describes itself as being “committed to rolling back the liberal welfare state and building an America where freedom, opportunity, and civil society flourish.”
People for the American Way, in contrast, is a liberal policy group that describes itself as working “to protect the heart of democracy and the soul of the nation. In Congress and state capitals, in classrooms and in libraries, in courthouses and houses of worship, on the airwaves and on the printed page, on sidewalks and in cyberspace, we work to promote full citizen participation in our democracy and safeguard the principles of our Constitution from those who threaten the American dream.”
Visit each organization’s web site to look at the sections devoted to education. Compare and contrast their points of view. What type of useful information does each group provide? How is the information they provide slanted politically? Which perspective is closest to your own?
People for the American Way
http://www.pfaw.org/
The Heritage Foundation
http://www.heritage.org/
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Goals of American Education.