KFSO talk show hosts can voice any inflammatory opinion they like over the airwaves (e.g., electrocute the NY Times editor? Great idea!) and that’s just them exercising their free speech rights. But kids in one school district can’t watch An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore’s documentary which highlights the current state of scientific knowledge regarding global warming, because one wingnut fundamentalist fruitcake parent objects?
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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 Bible says “that in the end times everything will burn up,” and we should just accept that as the last word on the subject of global warming? An Inconvenient Truth doesn’t contain that “truth” and that justifies a school district refusing to let teachers instruct their students on the science behind global warming by letting their classes watch it? Apparently, the answer to both of those questions is — yes.
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 Bible says “that in the end times everything will burn up,” and we should just accept that as the last word on the subject of global warming? An Inconvenient Truth doesn’t contain that “truth” and that justifies a school district refusing to let teachers instruct their students on the science behind global warming by letting their classes watch it? Apparently, the answer to both of those questions is — yes.
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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.”
Apparently, a credible opposing view to Al Gore’s film (which real, honest to god climate scientists give high marks too for its accuracy in describing the science behind global climate change) is anyone who believes the Bible is the literal word of God, and is the sole source of truth about our world. What school teacher in their right mind is going to jump through all these absurd hoops in order show this film to his or her class? This “policy” is clearly intended to intimidate and prevent teachers from even considering educating their students on the dangers of global warming. Can you imagine a teacher wanting to put his or her career on the line by bucking the School Board’s implicit warning that showing An Inconvenient Truth will get you in a great deal of hot water (no pun intended) with the people who sign your paycheck?
Can you believe this is happening in America? You can spout any hate speech you like on conservative radio talk shows about killing liberals, or murdering Muslims, and anyone who has the audacity to contact your advertisers to inform them of your “opinions” is violating your constitutionally protected rights. On the other hand, a school board censoring and inhibiting its own teachers from showing the film “An Inconvenient Truth” is, according to the words of the school board member who caved in to this one right wing Christian parent, actually “encouraging free speech.”
I’m sorry, but even in this upside down, Orwellian Newspeak world we live in today, this was just too much for me to take, today. I don’t know who this David Larson is, or what kind of a lawyer he might be, but this was not a decision based on encouraging “open debate” and enhancing free speech rights. And it certainly wasn’t a decision made with the best interests of the children who are being educated at the schools in the Federal Way School District. What it is, frankly, is a craven and incompetent response to one lone loudmouth bully, who thinks the Bible should be the sole source of truth that is taught to children. Well, fine and dandy. If you don’t believe in the scientific evidence highlighted in An Inconvenient Truth, than by all means don’t allow your children to learn about those dangerous, subversive scientific ideas. But don’t impose your outdated, reactionary viewpoint on anyone else. Give Mr. Frosty Hardison, and every other parent, the opportunity to have their kids removed from the classroom on the day the film is shown, but don’t deprive the rest of the children from seeing the movie, and don’t silence teachers who want to show it to their kids.
That isn’t right. And it certainly isn’t protecting anyone’s free speech rights. Quite the contrary.
now Al Gore = condom?
Why can’t they just have this kid sit in the office and read a book if his/her parent objects to them watching the movie?
Oh wait, that would make sense, and wouldn’t give the parent the opportunity to rant about their religion being persecuted. Nevermind.
Amazing, isn’t it? Global warming and condoms. Both inappropriate for kids to know about.
BTW, this is also posted in orange
Sometimes, Al Gore, is just, umm, Al Gore.
So they’re now coming out of the woodwork in true blue Washington state.
We’ve all got a lot of persuasion to do; we cannot sit back and think that just because we live in a true blue area all is copacetic.
I would say that there are some progressive folks in the Federal Way School District who should consider running for school board. Apparently apathy has let some ringer slip in.
So they’re now coming out of the woodwork in true blue Washington state.
This isn’t Kansas or the South and while Washington state is infected with way, way too many ‘centrist’ Democrats most of the population genuinely dislikes religious fundamentalists and we particularly dislike religious fundamentalists trying to force their neanderthal belief systems down our collective throats or down the throats of our children.
I cannot imagine that this Federal Way decision will stand. After all, we pay for the education of this man’s excessive number of children, not the other way around and we do not pay for anyone’s religious education.
This is a matter of local political action. If the folks in Federal Way don’t take action locally like the folks in Dover, PA did, you will see this campaign begin in other places.
I dare say you mistake the danger. You’ve 190,000 voting Republicans in King County (the county that Federal Way is in). Are you sure that this large a minority dislikes religious fundamentalists and neanderthal belief systems? Are any Republicans standing up and saying that this action was un-American? Or are they enjoying the fact that Al Gore was banned from a school? And what are the local righty talkshows saying about this?
The Federal Way decision might not stand, but the overturning of it must be decisive and popular and not half-hearted.
Despite what most folks think, it isn’t the water that makes Kansans and Southerner do these stupid things. Any location is capable of it.
This is a matter of local political action.
Indeed. Although WA residents who live outside the FW district can supply their own pressures.
I dare say you mistake the danger.
I daresay that you are wrong. Indeed a major reason I am politically active is because of the erosion of the establishment clause and the rise of the religious right. And when I speak of the RR I include the influence of the Catholic church on US politics.
Are you sure that this large a minority dislikes religious fundamentalists and neanderthal belief systems?
Some of them do, some not. I did not mean to imply that everyone here dislikes religious fundamentalists, particularly not the religious fundamentalists. What I am saying is that they’re not just a minority, they’re the kiss of political death in this state. Because a sufficiently large portion of the population does recognise the danger.
Despite what most folks think, it isn’t the water that makes Kansans and Southerner do these stupid things. Any location is capable of it.
I don’t believe that I said anything about water. I think the difference has more to do with regular church attendance and the fact that WA has the lowest # of regular church attendees of any state. The fact of the matter is that (at least on this side of the mountains) no fundie OB-GYN or pharmacist would publically advertise his/her refusal to provide basic services like contraception to customers as I understand happens in, say, Georgia.
If the Democratic party in WA decided to run a religious right Catholic like Casey here they would lose badly.
I’m not claiming that WA isn’t burdened with religious fundamentalists and certainly not underestimating the danger of religious fundamentalism on the larger community. What I am claiming is that enough of us are aware of the dangers (although I am not entirely certain that you are) and thus I would be suprised if the FW school board’s decision holds up. And particularly because FW is in King County.
Trying to remember why “Federal Way” is so familiar to me…Went to Google and remembered that they had a horrendous science accident there in 2004, and they have had outrageously bad inspections of their science program since that time. It’s evident this is a school district that doesn’t live in the 21st Century.
about the consequences, in the Muslim world, about being educated in radical madrassahs?
“True Blue” Washington State has more than its fair share of wingnuts, creationists, skinheads, survivalists, Holocaust-deniers & just-plain Bush supporters.
I lived there up to the year 2000 & found myself up to my armpits in Nice Polite Republicans, Clinton-haters, & Microsoft stockholders who just wanted yet another split, no matter what it took (along with the above-mentioned, lower IQ versions of “conservatism”).
They couldn’t have been happier when W. gained office & made that nasty anti-trust suit go away. And their knuckle-dragging brethren & sistern are there too – still kicking & screaming at attempts to drag them into the *20th* century.
I had “Federal Way” stuck deep in my neurons, and had to do some Googling to remember. They had a horrendous science lab accident a few years ago, and then had a disgracefully public inspection of their science program–many safety violations. This district is disfunctional in more ways than one. That one parent could control curriculum in that way is just one more piece of evidence. When is the next school board election? Does a candidate with a brain need contributions?
I don’t know who this David Larson is, or what kind of a lawyer he might be…
This may be the key.
Here’s the link to Larson’s school board webpage and his e-mail address.
Here’s his law practice page – trial lawyer in a huge firm in Seattle & Tacoma. I see the roots for his bias here. The firm “has handled significant Federal Clean Water Act and State Pollution Control Act litigation” — defense of natural resources/habitat damage claims, representation of developers and property owners in wetlands, growth management, pollution discharge.
On a school board of five, the big city lawyer would have enormous power. If Larson had said “one parent should not prevent 21,000 students from seeing this important movie” they would have listened to him. Instead, apparently, he promoted the interests of his firm’s clientele.