The Olympian reported in its editions today that,
“Some Thurston County teachers have shown their classes former Vice President Al Gore’s climate change documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”

Other local educators are seeking permission to present the film, which recently sparked controversy 40 miles north of South Sound in the Federal Way School District, where showings have been restricted.

Meanwhile, Bush Middle School teacher Jana Dean is about to get a firsthand experience with climate change research during a two-week trip to the arctic. In February, the Tumwater School District educator plans to join researchers who are studying climate change by measuring the depth of arctic ice, snowpack temperatures and more.

The Earthwatch Institute and the National Geographic Society helped fund a grant that made her trip possible.

Earthwatch contacted her about the opportunity after she wrote an article for the publication Rethinking Schools about her work teaching students about global warming, Dean said…

“People need to know about this,” Dean said.

‘An Inconvenient Truth’

The Federal Way School Board recently restricted showing the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” after parents complained. Federal Way teachers who want to show the movie now are required to balance it with an adequate opposing viewpoint. Plus, the district’s superintendent must approve each showing.

Neither the Olympia nor Tumwater school districts have any plans to ban the film, district officials said, leaving the decision about whether to show it to individual teachers.

So far, several Tumwater High School teachers have shown the movie, district spokeswoman Sue Haskin said. She expects more to follow.”