* Religious values: This included teaching biblical principles and Christian morality, which they saw as the foundation of a strong society.
* Patriotism: They emphasized the importance of teaching American history, with a focus on the founding fathers and the nation's Judeo-Christian heritage.
* Traditional family values: They opposed sex education that didn't promote abstinence and condemned materials that they felt promoted homosexuality or other "non-traditional" lifestyles.
* Limited government intervention: The Moral Majority believed in local control of education, arguing against federal regulations and involvement in curriculum.
They were critical of:
* Secular humanism: They saw secular humanism as a threat to their values and advocated for removing it from schools.
* Evolutionary theory: Some members of the Moral Majority supported teaching creationism as an alternative to evolution.
* Sex education: They opposed comprehensive sex education, arguing that it promoted promiscuity and undermined traditional values.
The Moral Majority's influence on education was significant. They were instrumental in pushing for prayer in public schools, and their advocacy helped to fuel the culture wars of the 1980s.
It's important to note that:
* The Moral Majority was a diverse group, and not all members agreed on every aspect of education reform.
* Their views were often controversial and opposed by liberal groups who argued that their approach limited academic freedom and restricted students' access to information.
* While they were influential, they were not able to achieve all of their educational goals.
The legacy of the Moral Majority continues to be debated today, with some arguing that their influence has been harmful and others believing that they played a necessary role in preserving traditional values.