Another Inconvenient Truth!
January 28th, 2007 by phyllis
Recently in the San Francisco Chronicle there was an article about a father who complained when his daughter’s science teacher scheduled a viewing of “An Inconvenient Truth”, the global warming movie narrated by Al Gore. The father wrote this in an email to the Federal Way School Board:
“No you will not teach or show that propaganda Al Gore video to my child, blaming our nation–the greatest nation ever to exist on this planet–for global warming”.
The teacher was then told that she would receive a disciplinary letter because she did not follow the rules that say she must get permission to present “controversial” materials in the classroom.
The result was that the showing of the film was banned for a period of time. Fortunately, that ban has now been lifted. However, this brings up some interesting points.
1. The father certainly has the right to his opinion but why does his opinion seem to count more than the decision of the science teacher’s to show the film?
2. What is the purpose of a classroom but to discuss important issues that are the topics of the day and to train and encourage critical thinking?
3. What is the value of restricting what a teacher can talk about or show in the classroom to the point that children are never challenged to support or defend what they think and why they think what they think.
4. This father’s point of view is that “a warming planet is one of the signs of Jesus Christ’s imminent return for Judgement Day. So, why is a religious, emotional, perspective given more attention than logical, factual information?
5. Why didn’t the father opt to keep his daughter home the day the film would be shown?
It truly does not matter whether you believe that global warming is a fact or not. The point seems to me to be that our children should be able to discuss all views on a particular subject and practice shifting through the available information and then be able to make an informed decision.
Without the ability to evaluate issues and employ critical thinking, children run a bigger risk of making emotional decisions rather than logical ones on things that can affect their lives in negative ways.
One Response to “Another Inconvenient Truth!”
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First of all, if a student stays home for religious reasons (like in example to avoid seeing the film), that child can lose credit or can be measured against those who did attend the showing.
Why would this movie be a benefit to the students? Were there alternative programs, movies with a nonbias host? There are some facts in this movie, but it is also clouded with opinions. Was point#2 shared with parents?
I’m only saying this because I am sick to death of being politically correct, but we have to be. Just as religion is to be respected, so are politics, race, etc. We have become so sensitised as a nation that everything offends.
I am open to my children being exposed to other values, views, but there should be notice.