Controversy Surrounds Science Group’s Stance Against Distribution of Gore Film

A prominent science educators’ group has drawn the wrath of supporters of “An Inconvenient Truth,” former Vice President Al Gore’s film about global warming, as well as some of its own members, by turning down a request that it distribute 50,000 free copies of the movie.

The decision by the National Science Teachers Association to reject the offer from the documentary’s makers prompted one of its producers to question the organization’s motives. She noted that NSTA has received contributions from oil companies that have disputed some assertions about climate change.

Officials of the association said they rebuffed the producers’ proposal to have NSTA distribute DVD copies of the film to the group’s membership because such a move would have violated the science group’s policy against endorsing outside...