ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

Eric's absolutely right. Either from the lateness of the Post or a  
subconscious desire not to pile on NSTA too high without hearing  
their side, I inadvertently left off a paragraph from my quote which  
I originally intended to include. It's absence dulls the "did I read  
that right?" factor. The  full quote of the NSTA response to the free  
DVD offer was:

"In their e-mail rejection, they expressed concern that other  
"special interests" might ask to distribute materials, too; they said  
they didn't want to offer "political" endorsement of the film; and  
they saw "little, if any, benefit to NSTA or its members" in  
accepting the free DVDs....
Still, maybe the NSTA just being extra cautious. But there was one  
more curious argument in the e-mail: Accepting the DVDs, they wrote,  
would place "unnecessary risk upon the [NSTA] capital campaign,  
especially certain targeted supporters." One of those supporters, it  
turns out, is the Exxon Mobil Corp."


Continue the discussion.....

Matt White



On Nov 27, 2006, at 6:53 AM, Eric Siegel wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> ********************************************************************** 
> *******
>
> Hello Matthew and all:
>
> I recommend reading the entire editorial, which is considerably  
> more damning than David's synopsis.  NSTA explicitly states that  
> distributing these might interfere with its fundraising efforts for  
> a capital campaign, which includes many corporate donors.   In  
> addition, NSTA *does* distribute material, including videos, funded  
> by large energy companies.  I assume there must be NSTA staff on  
> the ISEN listserv, and I would be very curious to hear how NSTA  
> responds to this in more detail.  On the face of it, this is a  
> terrible decision on NSTA's part.
>
> Eric Siegel
> Executive VP
>    Programs and Planning
> NY Hall of Science
> 47-01 111th Street
> Queens, NY 11368
> [log in to unmask]
> 718 699 0005 x 317
> www.nyscience.org
>
>
> On Nov 26, 2006, at 10:04 PM, Matthew White wrote:
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
>> Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
>> institutions.
>> ********************************************************************* 
>> ********
>>
>> There was an interesting piece in the Outlook section of the  
>> Washington Post this morning that I thought I would bring to the  
>> attention of hte group for discussion.
>>
>> The article was written by Laurie David,  one of the producers of  
>> Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth."
>>
>> The article can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ 
>> content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112400789.html
>>
>> A brief synopsis:
>>
>> Apparently the makers of the movie wanted to give thousands of  
>> copies away to schools. They contacted the NSTA and offered them  
>> 50,000 copies for distribution. The NSTA declined the offer. Here  
>> is the pertinent paragraph with their reply:
>>
>> "In their e-mail rejection, they expressed concern that other  
>> "special interests" might ask to distribute materials, too; they  
>> said they didn't want to offer "political" endorsement of the  
>> film; and they saw "little, if any, benefit to NSTA or its  
>> members" in accepting the free DVDs."
>>
>> The article then goes on to compare that position with the NSTA's  
>> cooperation, some would say complicity, in helping the oil  
>> industry deliver their curriculum materials. They also point out  
>> that many of the programs that the NSTA has developed in past  
>> years have been paid for by companies like Texaco and Exxon/Mobil.
>>
>> The issue is more complicated than the author makes it appear, but  
>> she does have a point.
>>
>>
>> The points I thought worthy of discussion here:
>>
>> 1. Is this typical NSTA behavior? I am not familiar with NSTA as I  
>> don't work much directly with Science Teachers.  Are the Petroleum  
>> Industry sponsored curriculum materials as pro-energy usage and  
>> pro-petroleum industry as the author suggests? I recall the Reddy  
>> Kilowatt character from my youth and he certainly was.
>>
>> 2. We all need money to produce our programs Many (most) of us  
>> apply, compete for , and sometimes even win grants from  
>> eleemosynary arms of large corporate entities that have  vested  
>> interests in specific public policies and even candidates.  The  
>> problems in censorship, external, internal and self, has been  
>> chewed over ad nauseam in the museum and popular press.  But as a  
>> Director of a small center that takes corporate funding that is  
>> part of a larger entity that takes corporate funding, that is part  
>> of an even larger institution that takes corporate funding I find  
>> the NSTA decision odd. When you accept this type of money you have  
>> to be MORE careful not to appear biased. This move seems tailored  
>> made for controversy.
>>
>> Anyway, I have rambled on. Sorry.
>>
>> Discuss among yourselves.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Matthew White
>> Director, Hands On Science Center
>> National Museum of American History
>> Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
>> 202/633-3698
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>>
>> ********************************************************************* 
>> **
>> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>> Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http:// 
>> www.astc.org.
>> To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>> message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> ********************************************************************** 
> *
> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
> Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http:// 
> www.astc.org.
> To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
> message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
> [log in to unmask]

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]