Critics Accuse NSTA of Having Conflict Over 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 the producers to question the organization’s motives. She noted that the NSTA has received contributions from oil companies that have disputed some assertions about climate change.

Association officials said they rebuffed the proposal for distribution of DVD copies of the film to NSTA members because such a move would have violated the group’s policy against endorsing outside...