Gore Banned ... In The Worst Way Possible

There are so many things wrong, so many things over-stated, so much hysteria posing as science in Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth that it's an easy call that it should not be shown in public schools unless a film with the opposing view is shown as well.

So it was with a hopeful heart that I approached the Seattle Post-Intelligencer story Federal Way schools restrict Gore film. But instead of reading a story about scientific challenges and strong stands by a school board, I found this:

This week in Federal Way schools, it got a lot more inconvenient to show one of the top-grossing documentaries in U.S. history, the global-warming alert "An Inconvenient Truth."

After a parent who supports the teaching of creationism and opposes sex education complained about the film, the Federal Way School Board on Tuesday placed what it labeled a moratorium on showing the film. The movie consists largely of a computer presentation by former Vice President Al Gore recounting scientists' findings.

"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."

The school board's response, which I'll get to in a minute, was more along the line of what I was looking for, but framing the story in this manner is most discouraging. How much better it would have been if a local climatologist or statistician or computer model maker or common citizen who doesn't believe dinosaurs didn't live 65 million years ago would have raised the challenge.

Instead, the Post Intelligencer, one of the greenest newspapers in the country, got to blame the whole thing on a Young Earth hayseed touting Revelation in James Watt fashion and calling it an argument. I believe in Revelation, but I don't believe in using it to argue for anything other than staying close to Jesus.

Frosty (a very funny name for a warmism critic) Hardiston has done Al Gore a great service. Gore is certain to work this incident and Hardiston's quote into all his future college lectures -- furthering his cause while harming the cause of conservative Christianity. Quite a twofer.

Fortunately, a more thoughtful school board memeber siezed on the opportunity provided by Hardiston's protest and framed the argument against Gorefest in a much more reasonable manner:

Hardison's e-mail to the School Board prompted board member David Larson to propose the moratorium Tuesday night.

"Somebody could say you're killing free speech, and my retort to them would be we're encouraging free speech," said Larson, a lawyer. "The beauty of our society is we allow debate."

School Board members adopted a three-point policy that says teachers who want to show the movie must ensure that a "credible, legitimate opposing view will be presented," that they must get the OK of the principal and the superintendent, and that any teachers who have shown the film must now present an "opposing view."

Larson saw the movie for what it is, propaganda, and stated a clear and defensible position: Propaganda is not appropriate for public schools. That should strike fear into the hearts of liberal teachers unions everywhere.

Good.

Hat-tip: memeorandum
Related Tags: Global warming, Al Gore, Education