The school board is on the right track. Both sides of the issue need to be represented fairly and accurately. Until then, the film should not be shown in classrooms, where all too often "if the teacher says" it must be true. Students need to be taught to "think" on their own.

The school erred! This program is not about religion or politics. It is about an established scientific set of facts which everybody in the country needs to know about. Worldwide there is a growing acceptance of this reality and the need to do somehing about it. Even business interests who have resisted these facts because of the potentioal economic impacts are beggining to face the truth. Does the Seattle School Board wish to leave its students in the dark? What nonsense! Jerry Schrader

If I understand the the story correctly, I don't think the school over-reacted by pulling the film. It seems to me that not pulling it would have opened up the flood gates of 'why do you get to show that, but not this.' Similar to what John stated, I think schools are teaching children too much of What to think, and not enough How to think.
I don't know what the school board should do now. They have a difficult task on their hands. I know what I would do tho.

I forgot to add, I would also have to see the film to know for myself if it was aproprate.

The school board was right on!

Teachers are trying to expose students to ideas and concepts not taught in the home. Historically, this is what they do...they teach. An Inconvenient Truth is NOT a dangerous concept, it is just what it says it is...a truth...that needs to be taught...to those whose minds are not already made up, as possiblyly their parents' minds are.

School board acted correctly - both sides of an issue needs to be presented, and Gores movie is all about scaring people, rather than actually putting forth some constructive suggestions about global warming. He is out to get publicity. Yep, I do not like Gore alot, you guessed it right!

The school did the right thing. The global warming theory is controversial to say the least. The only things that should be taught in schools are things proven to be true, not questionalble statements by politicians with their own agenda.

This is a documentary about the state of the earth. It has NOTHING to do with religion or politics. It is one mans opinion (with facts) that represents science. This is a power point presentation which asks for you to think about it. Should the school board have pulled it? NO!

the school was wrong. and should back off.

Some people can find something wrong with anything that is taught in schools. The school board shouldn't let one parent dictate what is taught in schools. If the subject proves to be controversial, the school should send letters home, the parents who don't want their children to see the film can excuse their children from the film. But any child who would like to see the film can go to the video store, rent the film, go to a friend's home and watch the film.

I have a teaching certificate. I believe the foundations of a successful education is to create critical thinkers. This means analysis and discussion of diverse issues of the day, some of which are bound to be controversial. No, the school board did the wrong thing. Parents who wish to present mainstream information from a religious viewpoint only, should be given the option to remove their child from the classrooom. One fringe group or another, should not be allowed to dictate educational content for the entire group of students.

The film should be shown in school. School is supported by public dollars, not religious dollars. The doctrine of separation of church & state should be paramount criteria of public employees. If the few fundamentalists disagree with films & academics based on science & reality, then they should notify the school that THEIR children are to be placed in study hall or other studies. The rest of the students should NOT be held hostage to a religious creed or doctrine. This particular film is not about politics, but scientific reality. Our children should be prepared to face the devastation of global warming & they can only be prepared if they understand the science & reality shown in this film.

The Complainant in this case was a self described “creationist” meaning a “Bush-ist”. By not showing the film the school board endorses the fundamentalist Christian view of the world into the classroom; a viewpoint that purports the earth is cursed and doesn’t need to be cared for because Christ is returning anyway. The complainant in this case has essentially asked the school board to step in to be the parent he can’t be at home.

It seems like that awfully a lot of people say "both sides need to be presented". Well when the federal government stays in denial position on the issue, even the public at large is not given balanced opinion.
99% of the world's top brains in all aspect of this issue has been sending out dire warnings about this to the governments around the world since early 90s. I hate to say this but the US and Australia among all the industrialized nations are where this kind of debate still exists.
Are our kids taught about this? From my own experience as a father of two teen age daughters, the answer is "NO".
The fact needs to be taught. And this is the fact all citizens should know. Otherwise we human kind will face serious consequences.

The school board was correct -- the movie is presented as a scientific factual representation of the cause of Global Warming (a consensus of scientists from varied fields does not verify a theory). I do not disagree that Global Warming is occuring, I do disagree that man is totally the cause and that man can do anything about changing the climate. We have had ice ages before and we are emerging from one at this point, Greenland was not named Greenland because it was covered in snow!

I can only surmise that people that are resisting this particular documentary have not actually viewed the film. I don't understand what the controversy could be based on or how you would present a counter view to the issues explored in the film. The points presented are not really new but are just packaged in an entertaining way that is easy to understand and packs a powerful message. Every thinking American needs to see this film. Especially the young ones. The message is that it may be in our hands to save our planet for future generations by becoming proactive in healthy, eco-friendly ways.

The public school boards of Washington State are staffed by over educated, over paid "professionals" who are one of the main reasons our schools are over budget. The school boards view on this matter should not carry anymore weight than any of the parents of the students who attend the school district(s) where the documentary had been intended to be shown. Our children should not be sheltered from the realities of life. They should be exposed to controversial subjects such as this in order to make choices of their own. I believe its called an "education."

I think that public schools are the perfect place to view such a film. We all agree that we need to treat teenagers like adults, so they should be allowed to watch the film and MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS. I think that a classroom is the perfect place because it could lead to an incredible discussion. I feel that the teacher should be prepared with other resources if the students want more information. This is a film about what IS happening to this earth, and I can't understand how it could be considered unappropriate.

The school board did the right thing, and should not ever show the film. This is not about "church and state," but about science. Many recent news stories have shown that many scientists do not see as fact what Al Gore is proclaiming as "truth." If parents want their children to see the film, they can do it in their home or a privately funded facility.

Global warming is an issue, it needs to be presented, not ignored, even if it means some disagreement. You can’t protect your children from everything, they need to know how to create and value their own opinions and others. As a college student I find videos like Al Gores are very educational not only in the facts but also in the discussion of the alternate views.

As a stuent myself,I believe this issue ultimately comes down to the seperation between church and state. I believe the video does not express any views on creationalism it simply expresses the conserns about the "realism" of a serious problem. The school should have showed the film, just as they teach evolution and allow students to develope their own opinions.I feel the argument the parent imposes is irrelevent to the overall purpose of the film.

Teach creationism in the church and home. Weather and climate forecasting and their causes are properly the purview of scientists, meteoroligists and physicists. If you don't want your children exposed to knowledge and given the ability to think critically, then home school them but don't deprive everyone else's children.

This is not a movie about Al Gore. The movie is based on facts presented and explained. This is about science. A science teacher is presenting a lesson via a documented movie.
If you have not seen the movie, how DARE any of you comment on the movie. As a parent, this is great dialogue for family discussion.

I haven't seen Mr. Gores film, so I can't comment on it specfically, I am one of those Christians and my Bible say's in Genesis 1:26-28 . God has commanded us to take care of this wonderful, beautiful earth, and HE expects us to do just that, so we better do what we can to PROTECT IT now. If this film is legitimate regardless of who is behind it , then our kids need to see it. After all they are God's gifts to us and if we don't start training our childern to take care of the earth now, then it maybe to late. Mr. E.

Global Warming is happening. How does pulling this film out of the classroom benefit the students? It doesn't. This isn't politics, and it isn't about Al Gore. It is about GLOBAL WARMING. My bet is that the people who wanted it pulled out of the classroom are the people that are against gore. They are mixing important issues with politics, and it is not fair to the students.

Global warming is happening to our planet. Everyone should be educated about this issue.

The generation in middle school present day will most definitely be dealing with the irresponsible behaviors of our generation, and generations past. If anyone should be learning of the factual occurance of global warming, middle school/high school children certainly should be. We CAN'T keep "putting our heads in the sand", and ignoring what's happening. To those of you thinking this is a religous issue, please broaden your mind, and realize this has nothing to do with religion, and everything to do with that fact that we are destroying our own planet because of our own selfish energy needs. Final thought: Shame on any parent withholding information & education on social/political issues. If you think you are helping your children by "protecting them", you have no idea how much you're hurting them by not allowing them to form their own educated decision.

Why does the knee-jerk reaction of one narrow-minded zealot make the people in charge forget the separation of church and state?

Sudden global warming is a theory, not a fact. In fact, we have had only a small window of observation, for cyclic, non linear weather progressions, which leads to myopic and inaccurate models. The film does not approach the overall subject as such, and therefore needs more balance, which is a perfect opportunity for learning process to begin.

Yes we can do better! Let cool heads prevail.

If the School Board parleys it's cards right, it could be a model for others to follow. The hysteria seems to be a political driven agenda which makes everyone a looser! On that point, Al Gore‘s Personal Inconvenient Truth, is that he himself is a hypocrite. His Vice Presidency oversaw one of the worst periods in our history for environmental failures; hardly a champion worthy of the cause.

Students are still required to listen to the pledge of allegiance with the words "under god" despite the controversy. The school should show the film, and then ask the students to write about the controversy. Teaching the students the conflict seems like a good way to get students to think for themselves. Everyone has different opinions, and we have a freedom of speech. Explore the topic, don't ban it.

Perhaps we should be focusing on ensuring the students learn the skills and have access to the resources to make their own determination ... after all, someday they will inherit the responsibility and the outcome

This is a scientific issue, not a religious issue. Whether you believe in creationism or evolution doesn't make any difference. The climate worldwide is changing. Mankind is causing this change. It's the children of today who are going to have to deal with this problem tomorrow. Ignoring it will not make it go away. Young people do need to be informed about Global Warming.
B.L.Morgan

This movie should be a REQUIRED learning tool in our schools.It is too important an issue.
About the man who made the comment "this happens every 3500 years". Obviously another Republican spouting off about something he knows nothing about. Complaining people should be made to watch the movie before the school gives in to ingnorant preasure not to show it.

All schools should follow the example set by the Federal Way School District. Both sides of an issue such as this should be presented to the board/parents prior to viewing by our students.

Big mistake by the pulling the plug.Students need to be educated. When i was going to school i had to watch violent Drug movie, and Soap Operas.At least this film would of been educational instead of what i had to watch in school.

I have seen this "Movie" and felt I got riped off! It spent more time telling me what I did not want to know about our FORMER Vice-president. It is a political statement about Mr. Gore designed to gleen dollars and exposure through a controversial subject, i.e. global warming. Mr. Gore does spend a little time and show 'n tell about the subject, but most of it is about him. I wanted to know more about the so called "Global Warming". I went to the box office and demanded my money back. This is the seconded blatant untruth I have caught him in. If it is about global warming then let be about that and not another political promotion of a has been horse. I believe the school board and the parent made the correct and right choice. There are several "scientific truths" out in the world that need to be seen, heard and experienced to find the truth of the whole matter.

The school board did the right thing, the global warming theory id controversial. Schools should spend more time on the foundations of basic education studies so kids are ready to take the ACT and SAT tests for college. Then they can study controversial theories.

I haven't seen the film, but if the concerned parent (just one or a few)don't like it..Tough!
If the gentleman on the news said they have been expecting for many hundreds of years because it is written in the Bible, whats the problem. You have a problem with your child knowing the truth and/or the reality of real life? Lets get on the ball here, humans, and save our planet before your kids have to do what you were afraid of doing. The school board should tell this gentleman to go fish and play the video and let the children of the US decide for themselves what their future holds them and for the future of their kids. We as a Nation should quit hiding the truth from out children. We are not protecting them by doing so!

Science facts should not be pulled from a public school! Religion is not science or can it pretend to be science or a science view point. Keep the fundamentalists out of our public schools!!!

In reading the other responses, I believe the Christian Right must be telling their followers to flood the blog. Any well-educated person who truly believes in education would not support such a close-minded request as the one to not show the movie. I am embarrassed to see the sheep-like following of people who follow the right-wing Republican attempt to use them as ploys to gain political power. I'm sure Karl Rove, George Bush, Dick Cheney and the other Neo-Conservatives are laughing up their sleve right now.

The school board should not have pulled the film. Our future is in our children! Without the knowledge of global warming, how are today's youth going to participate in fixing the problem? Parent's who object to the film can ask that their children not view it. Don't deprive other's of knowledge.

Here's a fact about global warming:
July 1963, we visited the Columbia Ice Field in Canada, and toured the tongue of the glacier on a half-cat. I have a calendar photo of the tongue in 1963, and today, 43 1/2 years later, I pulled up a photo of the glacier. The tongue has shrunk considerably and more of the mountain tops are exposed. If more people realized the seriousness of global warming, we could turn this around. Also, the glacier on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa, is all but gone, compared to it's former size.

P.S.
Why are you at NWCN asking such an inane question? The only reason I can think of is that this emotional controversy might raise your ratings. I don't want some right-wing moron dictating what is taught in our schools!
Lee

GORE HAD YEARS AS VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO SHOW HIS CONCERN OVER THIS ISSUE AND WAS IN A POSITION OF POWER AND INFLUENCE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THIS IS SO OBVIOUSLY A SPIN BY HE AND HIS HANDLERS TO PUT HIM IN THE PUBLIC EYE TO FUTHER HIS POLITICAL AGENDA. THEY IGNORE THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT INCLUDES THE LATEST ICE CORE DRILLING SAMPLES THAT CAST DOUBT ON THEIR "TRUTH". INSTEAD OF LEAVING THESE CHILDREN IN THE DARK, PRESENT BOTH SIDES OF THIS STORY.

My opinion is gravity is pulling Earth toward the sun. Therefore, global warming. If that is what the video taught, then it should have stayed.

It’s called “Separation of Church and State”.
This is kowtowing to knee-jerk religious-right reactionists. This school board is gutless and not following the Constitution, repeat, “Separation of Church and State.”
If, as a family they choose not to see this movie because they ‘do not like Al Gore’, that is their choice and their right. They should not be foisting their religious and political agendas on children in a public school. The fact remains that it is not a movie promoting a political agenda, rather, it is a movie fueling thought on the multiple (not singular) causes and consequences of global warming. Fueling scientific thought is what science programs in schools should be doing.
Al Gore was studying this issue long before it became in vogue, and has simply returned to that scientific passion after leaving the political arena. It is not only interesting and thought-provoking in terms of global warming, it is inspiring to any student to see someone have a passion and purpose to solve a global problem, that they pursue with commitment. Curiousity, compassion, and commitment, are all admirable qualities. What truly “religious” person would not want to have those qualities put before their child to view and think about, in addition to the scientific questions??
As a ‘religious’ person (obviously not a member of that Federal Way enclave), as a scientist myself, and as a parent, I feel strongly that MY children’s rights are being violated if religious reactionism prevents them from having the opportunity to see this film, and think and question for themselves what significance it may have or not have in their lifetimes on this planet.
And finally, if these parents feel so strongly picking and choosing educational materials that agree with their personal religious and/or political agendas, they are free, FREE, to send their children to a private school that caters to that way of life. And that is what this school district should have told them before they pulled the movie from the curriculum.

I think that not only schools but parents as well should push the issue of global warming onto their children because its not just a local problem but global. I feel the school distict jumped too soon on banning the film. This film has a very bias standpoint to the idea of global warming, and not one that chooses sides or inflates facts for political outcomes. I've seen schools showing much more harmfull videos to its students and nothing was done. Did we have this big of fightback when the issue of the O-zone came up? No. But infact we acted on it and took a hold on the amount of CFC's put into the atmosphere. Again I fully back the video and believe it SHOULD be shown to the youth of our future habitants. Thank you for this chance to express my feelings on this issue.

It dosn't matter what anyone believes. It only matters what the truth is.

The right-wing has over and over spouted the line that the research on global warming is inconclusive. In part of the film it is made quite clear that out of hundreds of studies, NONE of the scientists disputed the FACTS.

It shows direct correlation between human activity and rising temps.

The end of the film does make suggestion on changes people can make. It doesn't just scare people for fear's sake.

No one is telling you people to give up your faith. But if you view the Earth as God's creation, what sort of statement are you making defacing it? In contrast, you'll jump up and down about abortion killing innocent lives. If we destroy the planet, we'll cause the death of so many more humans along with other creatures.

I think the school boards biggest mistake was acting on the fears of an already unbalanced individual. It certainly makes their decision process questionable. I do believe however, both sides of this "debate" can be represented. Let them watch an "Inconvenient truth" and then have them read "State of Fear". Believing Al Gore is insane does not make one a Bush Supporter.

Yes they made a mistake. The kids need to know this information. Too bad there is so much ignorance on this subject....which the movie could eradicate if people only had the opportunity to see it. I think it should be mandatory for our children to see it! IT is their future, and this movie isn't controversial, that's just the same govt. that would rather spend $ on bombs than education that has propagated that opinion. This movie is fact-based, and it is a discrace to keep this important information away from the generation who will be the most impacted. The school board in Federal Way obviously needs to wake up...they are obviously not making choices that are in the best interest of our children.

I do think the WA school district overreacted when it pulled the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth". They should have taken the time to watch it themselves. It's not about religious or political agendas, but about presenting the scientific facts. If our schools so afraid of the truth, however inconvenient, we might as well be teaching them the world is flat.

What is the School Board afraid of? Learning? Or lawyers? I am disgusted by the stunted minds of those in charge of responsibility for teaching our kids to learn all aspects of issues. How else are they going to end up being able to think things out for themselves versus dutifully repeating narrow, closed-minded, politically "correct" yah-dah-yah-dah? And when they become our leaders, we will deserve them, we will have created them, no matter how clearly we can see their pathetically narrow, uninformed minds, quite out of touch with reality.

We can teach our children about sex in Health, but we can't teach them about Global Warming in Science?

I am fed up to my neck with religious bullies, Moslem, Christian or whatever who think they and only they know "the right way". They think they have the right to bully everyone else into acting, thinking, even feeling their way. If you don't agree the actually torture and kill people "in the name of god".
The wimps who bow down to these people aren't any better. One of the best things about Heaven is neither will be there.
in the mean time how about some guts from the rest of us.

Frosty is an idiot.

I don't understand why they pulled the video... That's kind of like saying dinosaurs never existed.

As a retired physical and life sciences teacher who has been careful not to interfere with a student's right to think outside of the box, and to come to their own conclusions in regards to the many controversial and challenging truths science has presented us with in the last few generations; I have come to the conclusion that the The Federal Way School District did their students a diservice because it doesn't allow this generation to join the rest of the world in problem solving this man made crisis.

I have had students go farther in the International Science and Engineering competition than Americans have ever gone, and lmiting their scope on the world would have been a detrement to their understanding of our position in the global economy. Kids know the whole world is conerned about environmental catastrophies. Global warming is a recognized whole world problem that our generation was unable to solve. It is good business for our futre generations to think problems out, and solve them.

When religion claims to have the only answer those that believe the teaching of that religion have the right to their faith, but outside of that religion, there are many other beliefs that are as ardently adhered to. Galileo endured house arrest and faced excomunication from the only Christian church in existance at the time for stating that the earth revolved around the sun. That didn't make the earth the center of the universe. It simply shows that religions can be wrong and faith can be misplaced. The school district is wrong and shouldn't be afraid of controversy. Basically, that is what Democracy is all about, the freedom to belive differently from others.

Remember with Algore we are dealing with the guy who claims the internet as his own. Now he has the divinely given truth of global warming.

Maybe we should "teach both sides" of the smoking-causes-lung-cancer "controversy", or both sides of the racism controversy, and we could bring in the KKK for "balance". Or how about the Flat Earth Society while we are at it, since they claim all this "round Earth" stuff is just a hoax passed off by the scientific priesthood (at least as credible as the Creationist claptrap about the Earth being created with the appearance of age). The fact is that there is overwhelming and growing consensus amongst experts in climate that the global warming happening now is unprecedented and anthropogenic. I've seen the film and so should these students. And to the genius quoted in the story, there's no "s" in Revelation and it was written at most 1900 years ago, not 3500.

The good news about Global Warming is that as the ice caps melt off we can continue to discover new species of dinosaurs that inhabited Antarctica before present day ice caps were formed. Say what? Yes, the earth has gone through periods where the earth was completely covered by ice, and contrarily, periods where NO ICE was present ANYWHERE on earth, including the caps. As the earths temp rises, CO2 rises. Chicken/egg.

lee stacie, that last comment was an ‘chicken or the egg’ analogy just for you! I figured you may need some low hanging intellectual fruit to grasp!

Maybe Global Warming is a plot by the Republicans to divert the itention from Iraq ;)

Well if they can teach little johnny and little june about the facts of life..how jon may have two dads and june a mom and one in transition to being a dad....then why not show them that unless people do something NOW....they will have to wear 2000 sun block...and have to carry there own personal breathing devices......I think kids have already proven they can be trusted and resiliant when facing some pretty horendous TRUTHS.....and the real conspiracy is that if we get enough kids nagging people about killing there future may be somePErson wiLL dOOOO somthiNG.....B4 its to late..B}

They should show the Gore film in schools. There are many things in life that are not known with 100% assurance. Children need to learn to think and question and seek their own truth.

Global warming is just a theory. By the way many glacial areas (New Zealand and Norway to name a few) are actually advancing.

Does anyone read the news? "Global warming caused by human activity is real and will continue for hundreds of years, a panel of some of the world's top climate scientists said Friday." - CNN. I guess Filepe needs to climb out from under his Christian rock and go outside.

Felipe has been assured that Exxon will keep posting record profits by his glorious leader.

No Federal Way, Washington school district DID NOT overreact when it pulled the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth; because "Anyone who takes Al Gore seriously on Global Warming has to have saw dust for brains. End Global Al Gor-ing!

No Federal Way, Washington school district DID NOT overreact when it pulled the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth; because "Anyone who takes Al Gore seriously on Global Warming has to have saw dust for brains. It was right to end Global Al Gor-ing!

No Federal Way, Washington school district DID NOT overreact when it pulled the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth; because "Anyone who takes Al Gore seriously on Global Warming has to have saw dust for brains. It was right to end Global Al Gor-ing!

No Federal Way, Washington school district DID NOT overreact when it pulled the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth; because "Anyone who takes Al Gore seriously on Global Warming has to have saw dust for brains. It was right to end Global Al Gor-ing!

In my opinion,"An Inconvenient Truth" should be manditory viewing for everyone above the age of 10. This includes middle school, high school, colleges and universities, and, as a public service, should be aired - on free TV - during prime time, at least once per month.

Lies and propaganda should be kept out of the classroom. Our students go to school to learn facts - not some political propaganda junk science such as "global warming".

OOOOk.....If there is no global crisis,then explain.......THE HUGE DEAD ZONE off the coast of oregon......and what about DEEP SEA creatures that live at 2000 ft comming to shore??....and pods (thats more than one) of wahles beaching themselves....and the outbreak EVERY summer of ocean and fresh water alge blooms...TO THE POINT OF TOXICIsity to every thing it touches.....and the rivers over near new york that run with LISTIERA...which makes the fish rot alive if they stay in the water so they try to jump out?????......nope don't look like a problem to me either......It may be propaganda...what al gore is peddling.....but what harm does it do IF it makes people think......and what better time to reach them then when they are young.....i'snt that what you do to set the wheels of change in motion?????....the fact that it has sparked such a debate is note worthy....it shows where most peoples priority's lye, and its a grim picture....

Well, it just won an Oscar, so, I'm pretty sure that will change the minds of people against the movie.