The effect of selected special interest groups on public school curriculum

No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Kelly, Kay W.
Advisor
Snyder, Jack F.
Issue Date
1982
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (D. Ed.)
Department
Other Identifiers
Abstract

The purposes of the study were to determine what perceptions, if any, were held by the state representatives of six selected special interest groups regarding the perceived influence each group has had on public school curricula and the attitudes held by the representatives regarding the selection of materials and content for public school curricula.The population contacted consisted of the 289 state level representatives of the groups; 103 representatives returned completed questionnaires. The six selected special interest groups were the NAACP, ACLU, MM, PP, LWV, and NOW.FindingsThe NAACP, ACLU, PP, LWV, and NOW reported similar attitudes regarding several topics, such as the inclusion of sex education in public school curricula, the exclusion of both scientific creationism and the concept that some values are absolute and must be obeyed, and the inclusion of the concept that parents should not decide what students read in school. The MM respondents held that sex education should be eliminated from public school curricula, scientific creationism, and the teaching of some absolute values should be included in the public school curriculum. MM respondents also held that parents should decide what the student may read in school.NAACP, PP, LWV, and NOW respondents judged that the respective organizations have brought about change in the public school curricula. The respondents for the other organizations made no claims of influence.ConclusionsDue to the population of the study, no attempt was made to generalize from the respondents to the total organizations. Generally, the respondents reported attitudes and perceptions in keeping with stated organizational policy; differences occurred in the reported degree of agreement or disagreement on various topics.