The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) rejected an offering of 50,000 DVDs of Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth”, saying they did not want to give a “political endorsement of the film.” Yet NSTA has previously accepted and distributed the film “You Can’t Be Cool Without Fuel”, which promotes oil dependence, from the American Petroleum Institute.
Writing in the Washington Post, producer Laurie David notes that ExxonMobil has given NSTA $6 million. The American Petroleum Institute and Shell Oil have also made contributions.
Apparently NSTA did not want to “risk” the wrath of “certain targeted supporters” by accepting the gift. So It appears that even elementary-level science has been infiltrated and influenced by oil interests, similar to the Joe Camel campaign in the 1980s.
David’s conclusion:
Today’s students are, after all, the ones who are going to suffer most the harsh realities of climate change in the coming decades. How sad that special interest sponsorship can turn respected establishments into puppets of global warming deniers.
While it may be an”inconvenient truth” for some, the truth is that we can design policies to be cool without using so much fossil fuel.
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I cannot believe science teachers would reject knowledge for their students. What is important to note is the role Big Business is playing in all of the climate change proceedings. In this capitalist system, money can buy anything, and the largest conglomerates are running this country.
I really enjoy your blog, and am writing an academic paper on An Inconvenient Truth. I am attempting to look at the role partisanship plays in the reception of the film. Any input would be helpful!
[...] like many before him, likened the campaign to cast doubt on global warming with the tobacco industry’s campaign in [...]
Maybe they could get it packaged with copy’s of In Search Of… from the 70’s when we were all told by Leonard Nimoy the we would all be dead from the next Ice Age…
ike many before him, likened the campaign to cast doubt on global warming with the tobacco industry’s campaign in
I really enjoy your blog, and am writing an academic paper on An Inconvenient Truth. I am attempting to look at the role partisanship plays in the reception of the film. Any input would be helpful