by John F. Borowski
Dear Mr. Wheeler,
The National Science Teachers Association, consisting of tens of thousands of teachers, enlightens tens of millions of school children in the United States yearly. This prestigious organization provides incredible science data, yet some in the environmental education community shudder at “partnerships” between multinational oil corporations/their trade-groups and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). Science education includes civics: the venue by which science fluent citizens make choices about consumption and ecological dilemmas. Oil multinationals look to influence our youngest future voters by having a direct pipeline into classrooms around our country. Their goal is transparent: provide a torrent of anti-global warming propaganda. And in their eyes, being partners with the NSTA gives them ultimate educational legitimacy.
With global climate change looming as the world’s most dire environmental challenge: it doesn’t serve sound science education institutions to partner with two of global warming’s most outspoken and “deep pocketed” antagonists, the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Exxon/Mobil Corporation. Their motives about climate change are clear: debunk it, fund “scientists” to question it and use environmental education as a forum to cast doubt on the creditability of global climate change science. Unwittingly or not, the mission of the NSTA is not well served by such alliances.
Currently, your last NSTA annual report calls API a “partner.” The NSTA distributes an API video called, “Fuel-less…You Can’t Be Cool without Fuel.” API brags on their website that they conspired to create the “Science of Energy” a web link that is rich in petroleum propaganda and avoidance of discussion on climate change: with your own NSTA. The American Petroleum Institute’s website has a “Test Your Climate Knowledge” quiz. It casts dark shadows on the Kyoto Protocol, states that only a fraction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is produced by fossil fuel combustion and makes a mockery of climate concerns. Ironically, the NSTA did stand up to API: but why was it a fleeting moment?
Mr. Wheeler you roundly criticized the American Petroleum Institute a few years ago, deeming them as “irresponsible.” Why? The N.Y Times had broken a story that the American Petroleum Institute, with its deep pockets and alliance of 400 plus oil and gas companies, was scheming to use school children as pawns! On the behalf of companies such as Exxon, API would use $5 million to debunk global warming in classrooms nationwide. This “Science Education Task Group” would help destroy the reputation of the Kyoto Procotol and drive a stake through the collective heart of initiatives to reverse climate change. Why is the API still a functioning “partner” with the NSTA? Your own website “Science of Energy” has an icon that states it is funded by the American Petroleum Institute. Isn’t the American Petroleum Institute indeed a poster child of “irresponsibility” today?
In a recent NSTA annual report document, ExxonMobil Foundation President Edward Ahnert explains its “partnership” with the NSTA clearly. “NSTA is such a natural partner for us. No other organization has the ability to reach thousands of teachers who share ExxonMobil’s commitment to improving science education.” The question that begs to be answered Mr. Wheeler is this: can you trust ExxonMobil?
A current Mother Jones magazine has a riveting expose (June 2005) “As The World Burns.” The piece illuminates ExxonMobil’s quest to undermine global warming science. According to this article, “Mother Jones has tallied some 40 ExxonMobil funded organizations that either have sought to undermine mainstream scientific findings on global climate change or have maintained affiliations with a small group of “skeptic” scientists who continue to do so.” You should look up these avid critics of global warming and find that these same groups have another weird similarity: they detest environmental education. The Heartland Institute, Competitive Enterprise Institute and George Marshall Institute all have excoriated the tenets of environmental education as well as having received millions of dollars from ExxonMobil to attack climate change science. ExxonMobil has funded think tanks, science groups, journalists and even religious groups: in order to mislead US citizens and dash any federal legislation that limits carbon emissions. Will the National Science Teachers Association tell its member teachers about this?
Your intentions may be good with your Exxon/NSTA partnership: raise money. An ExxonMobil news release showed your excitement about $6 million NSTA has received from ExxonMobil. “At NSTA, we strive to enhance the teaching and learning of science throughout all levels of education,” said Dr. Gerald Wheeler. “We would be unable to carry out imperative initiatives in science education without the partnership and financial contributions of companies like Exxon…” What kind of climate change science is Exxon Mobil promoting in classrooms around the country Mr. Wheeler? And is the NSTA going to aid and abet this corporate charlatan?
The Wall Street Journal published, “Exxon makes a cold calculation on global warming” (June 14, 2005). The sentence that sums up this oil giant’s approach to climate change follows. “Openly and unapologetically, the world’s No. 1 oil company disputes the notion that fossil fuels are the main cause of global warming.” When the NSTA board sits and discusses how issues like climate change can be disseminated to children, hopefully the question of ExxonMobil motives are in the forefront. And the NSTA takes swift action to distance them from ExxonMobil.
ExxonMobil is trying to buy access and the $6 million worth of contributions to the NSTA is a pittance when considering they had profits of $23.5 billion in 2004 and their first quarter profits for 2005 were a mere $7.9 billion! ExxonMobil just happens to be key a powerful player in the American Petroleum Institute cartel: with collective revenues of $2 trillion, API looks to buy and sell science that doesn’t sit well with quarterly petroleum profits. While some can rationalize having strange bedfellows, where the ends justifies the means, big oil’s entry in education is as dirty as the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
There is no conspiracy on the part of the NSTA. Mr. Wheeler, it appears that this is a case of good people, trying to do good things for children. Alliances with corporate America should be welcomed in education. Your organization would be well served by adopting a policy of taking no corporate money from organizations that look to use “miseducation” as a political/financial tool for profit. Step one: tell API and ExxonMobil that they are not friends of science education. Give back their money.
Mr. Wheeler, your outstanding organization has an incredible reach into classrooms across our nation. The American Petroleum Institute and its major member, the ExxonMobil Corporation knows this all too well. Don’t allow their tentacles of global warming denial free access to children’s classrooms nationwide. No one advocates “censorship” of scientific viewpoints: yet, children, their parents and teachers should be assured that science education is not held hostage to the highest bidder. Especially sound science concerning global climate change.
John F. Borowski is an environmental and marine science teacher in Oregon who fights the corporate invasion of education. His pieces have appeared in the NY Times, UTNE Reader, PR Watch, Alternatives Magazine, Commondreams and Counterpunch. He may be reached at [email protected]
