School district bans An Inconvenient Truth after one right wing parent complains
The Federal Way School District has appallingly decided to place a moratorium on the showing of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth because one wingnut parent doesn't like the former Vice President or his documentary, which doesn't include a Book of Revelations perspective on global warming:
If Mr. Hardison doesn't want his children exposed to - gasp - science, then why are they enrolled in public schools? There is no doubt a good private school not too far away that teaches creationism. (How about the Federal Way Christian Academy, 30817 Pacific Hwy S).
This is a stupid, ridiculous decision, one that we hope is quickly overturned. An award-winning, critically acclaimed, scientific documentary about the most important issue facing the world is exactly the kind of movie that should be shown in the classroom. There isn't a debate over global warming any more. The consensus is in: global warming is for real and we're causing it.
Given that the debate is over (well, the oil industry would like to pretend it isn't) it's absurd that school board members are saying students should hear from global warming skeptics. That's a harmful policy that reflects a lack of understanding about how science works. Again, the scientific debate is over.
Naturally, other students want the movie to be shown:
"Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does Al Gore. He's not a schoolteacher," said Frosty Hardison, a parent of seven who also said that he believes the Earth is 14,000 years old. "The information that's being presented is a very cockeyed view of what the truth is. ... The Bible says that in the end times everything will burn up, but that perspective isn't in the DVD."Um...can you can say, wacko?
If Mr. Hardison doesn't want his children exposed to - gasp - science, then why are they enrolled in public schools? There is no doubt a good private school not too far away that teaches creationism. (How about the Federal Way Christian Academy, 30817 Pacific Hwy S).
This is a stupid, ridiculous decision, one that we hope is quickly overturned. An award-winning, critically acclaimed, scientific documentary about the most important issue facing the world is exactly the kind of movie that should be shown in the classroom. There isn't a debate over global warming any more. The consensus is in: global warming is for real and we're causing it.
Given that the debate is over (well, the oil industry would like to pretend it isn't) it's absurd that school board members are saying students should hear from global warming skeptics. That's a harmful policy that reflects a lack of understanding about how science works. Again, the scientific debate is over.
Naturally, other students want the movie to be shown:
"I think that a movie like that is a really great way to open people's eyes up about what you can do and what you are doing to the planet and how that's going to affect the human race," said Kenna Patrick, a senior at Jefferson High School.The Federal Way school board has made a dumb, boneheaded decision that hurts its student population. NPI strongly supports the revocation of this moratorium and urges the school board to reverse itself...immediately. It is especially important that young people hear Gore's message. This is a crisis the next generation is going to be dealing with for a long time.
