Do you really want this to happen to your child? Indoctrination of global warming in school?

Question

Nine year old: ‘I don't want to die' from global warming

A Canadian high school student named McKenzie was shown Gore's climate horror film in four different classes.

"I really don't understand why they keep showing it," McKenzie said on May 19, 2007. (LINK)

In June, a fourth grade class from Portland Maine's East End Community School issued a dire climate report: "Global warming is a huge pending global disaster" read the elementary school kids' report according to an article in the Portland Press Herald on June 14, 2007. Remember, these are fourth graders issuing a dire global warming report. (LINK)

And this agenda of indoctrination and fear aimed at children is having an impact.

Nine year old Alyssa Luz-Ricca was quoted in the Washington Post on April 16, 2007 as saying:

"I worry about [global warming] because I don't want to die." (LINK)

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Speeches&ContentRecord_id=dceb518c-802a-23ad-45bf-894a13435a08&Region_id=&Issue_id=

"The same article explained: "Psychologists say they're seeing an increasing number of young patients preoccupied by a climactic Armageddon."

I was told by the parent of an elementary school kid last spring who said her daughter was forced to watch "An Inconvenient Truth" once a month at school and had nightmares about drowning in the film's predicted scary sea level rise.

The Hollywood global-warming documentary "Arctic Tale" ends with a child actor telling kids: "If your mom and dad buy a hybrid car, you'll make it easier for polar bears to get around." (LINK)

Unfortunately, children are hearing the scientifically unfounded doomsday message loud and clear. But the message kids are receiving is not a scientific one, it is a political message designed to create fear, nervousness and ultimately recruit them to liberal activism."

"DiCaprio said on May 20th of this year: "I want the public to be very scared by what they see. I want them to see a very bleak future." (LINK)

While those who went to watch DiCaprio's science fiction film may see his intended "bleak future," it is DiCapro who has been scared by the bleak box office numbers, as his film has failed to generate any significant audience interest. "

Answer 1

The showing of that movie is utterly ridiculous.

I am not saying that our children should not be educated, but MG, educate them with the truth!

Not a bunch of mis-truths and exaggerations!

Answer 2

Well, it's like anything else. Scientists researching climate have been warning about this for many years, and were ignored. The only way to get the public to do anything is to make the story dramatic. It will be dramatic enough as people in third world nations have more famines and become refuges and therefore more unrest and war, etc, plus more crop failures, species extinctions, etc. But the scientific information is very clinical and so certain parts of it are played up to get some very necessary changes in our fossil fuel burning habits. It is a real problem, and we will adapt, but many species will go extinct, that is almost certain, and weather will be more extreme etc. Just because some are over hyping, don't think that global warming is not a problem.

There are very few serious scientists (except for those working for fossil fuel companies) disputing global warming due to human influence and that there will be some serious problems because of it. If there are any left who are still disputing it, and I'm not sure there are any now, they agree that global warming is occurring, but not sure how much human influence yet, and feel we need more data. That's how strong their opinion is. . . study it more. Which of course, we are.

Answer 3

I mean its normal that environmental causes are pushed on young kids. I remember seeing a lot of the films about the rain forest and everything when I was in fourth and fifth grade. I think a lot of it was aimed at getting us more involved in the community, taught along with anti-littering, etc.

But I mean I don't see the problem with showing this kind of movie, or any kind of movie with a scientific theory in high school. To imply that they are brainwashing high school or even college level kids seems to insult their intelligence to me. Theoretically, kids at that age should be capable of critical thinking and to decide what's real and what's not and form their own opinion. Ironically enough, in a very liberal blue state I had a very conservative high school chemistry teacher who at least once a week had us read a chapter from a book that claimed to debunk global warming. He thought it was complete BS. On the other hand in another science class we watched An Incovenient Truth. So you know from that we all came up with our own opinion, because through taking these classes we were smart and came to our own conclusions.

Too bad that opinions of this issue seem to fall down party lines.

Answer 4

I agree that they should of shown the movie, but in a different light. If these kids are scared of dying by global warming, where is the hope? What they should be teaching kids is that we have the intelligence and capacity to prevent this problem instead of telling them that its going to happen no matter what.

Answer 5

Global warming is indeed a fact. Now can we know absolutely what the longer effects will be? Not for certain. I see nothing wrong with giving kids a look at the possiblities so that they may grow up with a better idea of what they may face. Is it really any different than when I went to school and we had air raid drills for a nuclear attack (yes the old hide under your wooden desk for protection against radiation, and yes I am old).

Answer 6

so much of politics is based on instilling fear in the masses. look at 9/11: if we don't do such and such, we're going to get blown up again.

to avoid teaching children about climate change is a mistake. climate change is a long term thing that will affect those who are children now when they are older. it's best to teach them now, so they can learn environmentally friendly habits now.

i agree that it probably shouldn't be portrayed as a doomsday scenario. at worst, people would just have to make adjustments to the way we have structured our lifestyles. people on the coasts would be most affected by rising water levels. agricultural methods would have the be changed. but this is far from end of the world greenhouse effect. (that's on venus)

Answer 7

Anyone that says global warming is man's fault needs to put down the kool aid. Yes the planet is warming but anyone with half an education knows that the planet goes through cycles like this. We contribute to it but we are in no way the primary cause of the event.

Answer 8

Global warming is as much real as geology or meteorology . Those are accepted as normal science . Dooms day information are often associated with these also . Earth quakes or Hurricanes . So why not educate our children ? They could have the proof or the evidence it is all fake ..

Answer 9

Another fine example of no child left behind. Funny how republicans support that rabidly but don't like kids being shown some reality. Keep denying global climate change does not exist. You can explain it to your kids when they ask you why you thought it was a hoax.

Answer 10

Global warming is science, not politics. And is proven, as the fact that it is man-made.

What I don't want is my child exposed to the INDOCTRINATION of right-wing extremists who try to pervert science for their political and religious ends. That is dishonest, unethical--and unAmerican.

The fact that schools are showing this film--and refusing to let some crackpots on the right intimidate them into not doing so--is all to the good. I commend the for doing so.