Are children being indoctrinated in schools? Are teachers preaching political propaganda to their students? In New Zealand, they think so, despite it being ‘Earth Day‘! Dr. Muriel Newman, a former ACT Member of Parliament (MP), is demanding that school children be protected from political indoctrination. Specifically, to stop New Zealand schools from showing and teaching that Al Gore’s film, “An Inconvenient Truth”, is the truth! Dr. Newman said that she had been contacted by parents after the film was shown in 2007, with complaints that from parents that teachers were not pointing out the film’s inaccuracies and the subject was not being taught in a broader context with alternative views.

A petition being submitted by parents through Dr. Newman, calls for education reforms similar to a British education law. This recent law came as a result of a 2007 court decision in Britain, ruling that there were at least “nine scientific errors” in Al Gore’s movie. The film can only be shown in the UK as part of climate change package which provides opposing viewpoints.

Dr. Newman contends that the current New Zealand Education Act does not contain measures or guidelines to protect children from political propaganda. The Ministry of Education disagrees and believes that sufficient safeguards already exist to protect children. They claim that the code of ethics for teachers already requires them present information in a balanced manner. Parents already have the right to take their children out of a class or change schools if compelled.

The petition from parents will be taken under consideration by the New Zealand Parliament’s education committee. Meanwhile, the Education Ministry will continue to allow Al Gore’s movie, “An Inconvenient Truth” to be shown without conditions. Probably without also informing students that much of the information sources for the controversial film have recently been exposed as being either completely fabricated or misinterpreted. A recent interview with Prof. Richard Tol, who worked with the U.N.’s IPCC since 1995 said that the IPCC was “captured” by political activists and that the 2007 study was tainted as a result. Happy Earth Day!