"Thank you for your recent e-mail expressing your opinion about the National Science Teacher Association’s decision in regard to the DVD “An Inconvenient Truth.” We value each and every comment we have received from our members and friends.
First and foremost, we want to ensure that you have the most current and accurate information about the issue. Ms. Laurie David, producer of AIT, asked NSTA to distribute 50,000 copies of the movie to its members. The NSTA Board of Directors stood by its 2001 NSTA policy prohibiting endorsements and decided not to mass distribute the DVD to members without their consent or request because it would constitute an endorsement.
As you will see in the letter that NSTA sent to Ms. David on Thursday, November 30, 2006 (http://www.nsta.org/main/pdfs/20061130LetterToLaurieDavid.pdf) we provided her with several options to publicize the availability of the DVD to both our members and the wider universe of science educators worldwide via our communication channels. We also invited Mr. Gore to participate at the NSTA National Conference in March.
This information and more is available on our website at www.nsta.org. We encourage you to read these documents."
Sincerely,
Linda Froschauer
President 2006-2007
National Science Teachers Association
Gerald Wheeler
Executive Director
National Science Teachers Association
Some of the highlights from the referenced letter:
"...NSTA would like to remind you about the many options we have previously offered to you for publicizing such programs to both our members and the wider universe of science educators. These options will greatly expand the scope of the outreach from your original request for access to the 40,000 middle and high school NSTA members. The options include:
1. Providing a link on NSTA's website (two million page views per month) that will enable middle level and high school teachers to obtain a free copy of the DVD from your distribution center.
2. An opportunity to purchase our mailing list for your distribution.
3. Announcing the availability of your DVD through a number of our channels to science teachers, which include the NSTA 'Express', our weekly email blast (circulation 250,000); NSTA publications (circulation 55,000 plus pass-along rate of an additional 50,000); and the NSTA Building a Presence for Science network online newsletter (circulation 40,000)
4. Providing your representatives the opportunity to exhibit at the National Conference on Science Science Education in St. Louis, MO. This would be an additional opportunity for you to interact with the attendees, distribute the DVD, and share the educational material supporting it.
5. Creating an online message board that would focus on the issue of global warming. The message board would be open to both NSTA members and nonmembers worldwide.
Additionally, we extend an invitation to Vice President Gore to join us as a featured speaker, perhaps in a town-hall format, at our National Conference in St. Louis on March 29-April 1, 2007, where we expect as many as 15,000 attendees. We would also plan to web-cast Mr. Gore's presentation to those science teachers unable to attend the conference."
In reading this response and the list of counter proposals offered by the NSTA, I am prone to believe that Ms David has been afforded an ample compromise from the organization. In particular, the opportunity to distribute the DVD via a link on the national website and the offer to have Al Gore featured at the National Conference in St. Louis seem like reasonable avenues for advancing the message of climate change.
I will be sending a follow up to Ms David to ask what her intentions would be in response to this offering from the NSTA.
Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue
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