Ryan+Tozier+The+Heartland+Institute

The Heartland Institute
====The Heartland Institute is a libertarian organization dedicated to the discrediting of climate science, and February 14, 2012 a leak exposed many confidential documents concerning their funding and strategies. Within those documents is the outline for a plan to create a curriculum for K-12 students to help spread the message that “The topic of climate change is controversial and uncertain – two key points that are effective at dissuading teachers from teaching science” (Goldenberg) the document, said. To this end, they set aside $100,000. This document also notes that an anonymous donor personally set the money to be used for this purpose. This contributed $4.6 million in 2008, and in 2011 this person made a donation of $979,000 “accounting for 20% of Heartland’s overall budget” according to the fundraising plan. In addition. The Heartland Institute also receives large donations from oil billionaire Charles Koch that further underscores that both groups have shared interests. “The document offers the kind of evidence that solidifies the all-but-prove thesis that oil companies directly sponsor climate change denial” (Merchant).====

====This event caused less controversy than it did bad publicity. The organization itself, which before had been controversial, lost much of their power as their funding sources and unsavory tactics were revealed. The organization was controversial because people disagreed over the legitimacy of their claims and the source of their motivation. Both of which were made clear by this incident when their fundraising documents show that they directly receive money from oil companies.====

====There may have been some controversy concerning the outline for a K-12 education program. On one side of the argument K-12 students would not be allowed to be influence by organizations like the Heartland Institute. On the other, the Heartland Institute should be allowed to make these educational plans because their arguments hold either some or a lot of value and teachers should be able to choose what they believe. So that they can teach their students, the way they want.====

====The way I see it this controversy has four real sides because the two that I mentioned before further break down. There are those that believe that they shouldn’t teach in school because it dissuades from understanding climate science. There are those that believe that they shouldn’t teaching in school because school should be unaffected by world debate and school should focus on facts that are agreed on. There are those that believe that they should teach in school because their beliefs line up with the Heartland Institute. Finally, there are those that believe that they should be allowed to teach in school because it allows students to take part in a worldwide debate, but this side also assumes that students would have some education on climate science so that they could consider the issue. I am personally of the belief that they shouldn’t be allowed to teach in schools because I believe that climate change is a real problem the world faces and trying to convince kids that it isn’t an issue is setting them up for failure in the future.====