Truth' gets stuck in red tape
Truth' gets stuck in red tapeBy JAMES JOYCE IIIYAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
Eisenhower High School principal Stacey Locke has halted an after-school screening of Al Gore's Oscar-nominated documentary on global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth," insisting the decision was based in process, not politics.
The school's Environmental Club's plan to show the film last week seemed to be in line with its mission: "To promote current environmental ideas throughout the school." But when club adviser Nancy Lust mentioned the plan to Locke in passing, the principal hit the brakes.
"That is not how we handle any supplemental materials. That usually goes to committee to determine the educational value," Locke explained this week.
Now, a recommendation on whether the movie will be shown at Eisenhower lies with the school's instructional materials committee, which includes administrative, teacher and parent representatives. Locke, who has not seen the movie yet, has the final say.
However, Lust said she was unaware that process applied to club activities. The club has not shown a movie since it was established in 2002, so the issue has not come up before. In fact, Locke said this is the first time during her four years as principal that a club has shown a movie, to her knowledge.
Lust, a social studies teacher at the school, has used the process in the past for supplemental classroom materials.
This is not the first time "An Inconvenient Truth" has raised controversy in Washington schools. Earlier this month, Federal Way's school board imposed a moratorium on the movie's viewing in classrooms after some parents complained of philosophical differences with the film.
"An Inconvenient Truth" -- which received two Oscar nominations Tuesday -- features former Vice President Al Gore discussing the science behind the theory that global warming is caused by humans.
"In Federal Way, they were trying to use it in the instructional process in the school day," Locke said. "They (Ike's Environmental Club) were trying to show it after school but under the umbrella of Eisenhower High School. The perception is that they have school support."
Locke seems to have the support of district administrators.
"We have a school board policy that very clearly outlines a process for use of supplemental materials," said Jack Irion, deputy superintendent of Yakima Public Schools.
"We need to have folks review that film and if there is another side, have that presented. If what we are showing is an issue, we need to make sure we are reviewing both sides," he said.
But that means more work for club members if they want to continue their plan to view the movie. After meeting Tuesday morning with Locke, they now have to come up with an opposite view to present -- "So we don't give the audience only one view," said Ike senior José Vazquez, president of the Environmental Club.
For the most part, Vazquez agrees, but he still thinks his group is being unfairly targeted.
"Personally I don't think they (administrators) want to deal with any controversial issues," he said. "School should be about promoting different ideas."
But Locke maintains that her decision is about following the process, which is outlined on the school district's Web page (http://www.ysd.wednet.edu/) under Policy 2311, starting at Section 3.2.1.
Although the movie would be part of an extracurricular activity, Locke said, it is still considered supplemental because "it's a supplement to anything that goes on under the direction of Eisenhower High School. Therefore it needs to go through our process."
A similar situation came up earlier this school year when Davis High School principal Lee Maras stopped the school drama club's production of "The Laramie Project," which had not been cleared with him first.
The play is based on the circumstances surrounding the brutal 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student.
At the time, district administrators expressed concern over negative community reaction to the play. While the production is still possible this year, Davis' drama club adviser, Terry Cooper, said it would likely be after the March 13 bond election.
The district is asking voters to approve a $65.7 million bond issue to replace four elementary schools -- Garfield, Hoover, McKinley and Nob Hill -- as well as Stanton Academy and the Discovery Lab School.
Meanwhile, back at Eisenhower, the viewing of "An Inconvenient Truth" is awaiting approval from the instructional materials committee. Locke was unsure Tuesday when that meeting might be.
* James Joyce III can be reached at 577-7675 or jjoyce@yakimaherald.com.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/288039986575154
Eisenhower High School principal Stacey Locke has halted an after-school screening of Al Gore's Oscar-nominated documentary on global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth," insisting the decision was based in process, not politics.
The school's Environmental Club's plan to show the film last week seemed to be in line with its mission: "To promote current environmental ideas throughout the school." But when club adviser Nancy Lust mentioned the plan to Locke in passing, the principal hit the brakes.
"That is not how we handle any supplemental materials. That usually goes to committee to determine the educational value," Locke explained this week.
Now, a recommendation on whether the movie will be shown at Eisenhower lies with the school's instructional materials committee, which includes administrative, teacher and parent representatives. Locke, who has not seen the movie yet, has the final say.
However, Lust said she was unaware that process applied to club activities. The club has not shown a movie since it was established in 2002, so the issue has not come up before. In fact, Locke said this is the first time during her four years as principal that a club has shown a movie, to her knowledge.
Lust, a social studies teacher at the school, has used the process in the past for supplemental classroom materials.
This is not the first time "An Inconvenient Truth" has raised controversy in Washington schools. Earlier this month, Federal Way's school board imposed a moratorium on the movie's viewing in classrooms after some parents complained of philosophical differences with the film.
"An Inconvenient Truth" -- which received two Oscar nominations Tuesday -- features former Vice President Al Gore discussing the science behind the theory that global warming is caused by humans.
"In Federal Way, they were trying to use it in the instructional process in the school day," Locke said. "They (Ike's Environmental Club) were trying to show it after school but under the umbrella of Eisenhower High School. The perception is that they have school support."
Locke seems to have the support of district administrators.
"We have a school board policy that very clearly outlines a process for use of supplemental materials," said Jack Irion, deputy superintendent of Yakima Public Schools.
"We need to have folks review that film and if there is another side, have that presented. If what we are showing is an issue, we need to make sure we are reviewing both sides," he said.
But that means more work for club members if they want to continue their plan to view the movie. After meeting Tuesday morning with Locke, they now have to come up with an opposite view to present -- "So we don't give the audience only one view," said Ike senior José Vazquez, president of the Environmental Club.
For the most part, Vazquez agrees, but he still thinks his group is being unfairly targeted.
"Personally I don't think they (administrators) want to deal with any controversial issues," he said. "School should be about promoting different ideas."
But Locke maintains that her decision is about following the process, which is outlined on the school district's Web page (http://www.ysd.wednet.edu/) under Policy 2311, starting at Section 3.2.1.
Although the movie would be part of an extracurricular activity, Locke said, it is still considered supplemental because "it's a supplement to anything that goes on under the direction of Eisenhower High School. Therefore it needs to go through our process."
A similar situation came up earlier this school year when Davis High School principal Lee Maras stopped the school drama club's production of "The Laramie Project," which had not been cleared with him first.
The play is based on the circumstances surrounding the brutal 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student.
At the time, district administrators expressed concern over negative community reaction to the play. While the production is still possible this year, Davis' drama club adviser, Terry Cooper, said it would likely be after the March 13 bond election.
The district is asking voters to approve a $65.7 million bond issue to replace four elementary schools -- Garfield, Hoover, McKinley and Nob Hill -- as well as Stanton Academy and the Discovery Lab School.
Meanwhile, back at Eisenhower, the viewing of "An Inconvenient Truth" is awaiting approval from the instructional materials committee. Locke was unsure Tuesday when that meeting might be.
* James Joyce III can be reached at 577-7675 or jjoyce@yakimaherald.com.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/288039986575154
posted by presgore19 at 2:16 AM
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