School district restricts viewings of Gore’s film
The school board in this Seattle suburb has restricted showings of Al Gore’s movie on global warming, including requiring that it be balanced with an adequate opposing viewpoint.
The board also required that Supt. Tom Murphy approve when the former vice president’s film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” could be presented.
The decision was sparked by complaints from parents who said their child was taking the film as fact after viewing it at school.
“Condoms don’t belong in school, and neither does Al Gore. He’s not a schoolteacher,” said Frosty Hardison, a parent.
“We have to ensure that our schools are not being used to politically indoctrinate anyone,” said board member Dave Larson, who with board President Ed Barney and board member Charlie Hoff voted for the requirements.
None has seen the movie. But district policy requires that an opposing view be aired whenever a controversial issue is examined in school.
“I am shocked that a school district would come to this decision,” Laurie David, a producer of the film, said in a statement.
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