Science teachers association accused of oil company influence Nov 27, 2006 Special to World Science
Some science educators are questioning whether the leading organization of U.S. science teachers has acted as a shill for the oil industry. The controversy erupted after the National Science Teachers Association rejected an offer of 50,000 free copies of An Inconvenient Truth, the popular film on global warming by erstwhile presidential candidate Al Gore. Global warming will take a disproportionate toll on Africa, creating a greater risk of drought and fires, according to a study published in the Nov. 24 issue of the African Journal of Ecology. Above, fire sweeps through dry African terrain. (Image courtesy NASA) A producer of the movie claimed that as one reason for rejecting the DVDs, the teachers group stated that accepting them could hinder its fundraising. Writing in Sundays Washington Post, a producer for the movie suggested it may be no coincidence that the groups funders include Exxon-Mobil Corp. The company has for years tried to stifle honest discussion of global warming, the producer editorialized. Spokesmen for the association and Exxon-Mobil did not respond to requests for comment for this article. Most scientists believe industrial emissions are gradually warming Earths climate, killing off a range of species and threatening possible environmental catastrophe. The oil industrywhich could suffer financially from regulations designed to curb the problemhas sought to play down or dismiss the fears. The idea that the industry might influence a group closely involved in educating American children sparked an outcry across the blogosphere this week, including from some scientists. The association seem[s] in the pocket of the oil industry, wrote P. Z. Myers, a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris, in his popular blog Pharyngula. The Arlington, Va.-based teachers association, which describes itself as the worlds largest group of its kind, claims a membership of more than 55,000 science teachers. The group describes its mission as promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching. The Washington Post opinion piece was by Laurie David, a producer of An Inconvenient Truth and wife of comedian Larry David, creator of the tv shows Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She wrote: At hundreds of screenings this year of An Inconvenient Truth, the first thing many viewers said after the lights came up was that every student in every school in the US needed to see this movie. Thus, the company that made the documentary decided to offer 50,000 free DVDs to the National Science Teachers Association for classroom use. But the teachers turned it down. In their e-mail rejection, they expressed concern that other special interests might ask to distribute materials, too; they said they didnt want to offer political endorsement of the film; and they saw little, if any, benefit to the group or its members in accepting it. However, she wrote, the movie has been enthusiastically endorsed by leading climate scientists worldwide, and is required viewing for all students in Norway and Sweden. Also, she added, there was one more curious argument in the e-mail: Accepting the DVDs, they wrote, would place unnecessary risk upon the [groups] capital campaign, especially certain targeted supporters. One of those supporters, it turns out, is the Exxon Mobil Corp. Thats the same Exxon Mobil that for more than a decade has done everything possible to muddle public understanding of global warming and stifle any serious effort to solve it. The oil industry as a whole, and with other corporations, have been similarly influencing education for years, she argued. David abstained from directly accusing the teachers group of bending to oil company influence. She also offered some words of sympathy for the organization, suggesting it might have trouble raising money. Some bloggers were less generous. Memo to the Christian Coalition: The NSTA is for sale. For a mere million bucks a year, Ill bet you could get them on board with Intelligent Design, too, quipped Sara Robinson, co-author of Orcinus, a liberal blog. But the blog of the U.S. National Association of Manufacturers sided with the teachers group, criticizing the movie as politics masked as science and accusing David of hypocrisy. We applaud the move of the nations science teachers, who teach the scientific method every day, who hopefully are instilling in young minds some degree of curiosity, inquisitiveness and yes, even skepticism, the blog stated. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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