We reported in February about a teacher who was punished for violating the school’s academic freedom policy by showing two videos, including The Story of Stuff. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that the video “has become a sleeper hit in classrooms across the nation.” The article continues:
“[M] any educators say the video is a boon to teachers as they struggle to address the gap in what textbooks say about the environment and what science has revealed in recent years.
“Frankly, a lot of the textbooks are awful on the subject of the environment,” said Bill Bigelow, the curriculum editor of Rethinking Schools, a quarterly magazine that has promoted “The Story of Stuff” to its subscribers and on its Web site, which reaches about 600,000 educators a month. “The one used out here in Oregon for global studies — it’s required — has only three paragraphs on climate change. So, yes, teachers are looking for alternative resources.”
Critics argue that the film is anti-capitalist. This article, for example, argues that “The Story of Stuff” is anti-American and urges parents to be aware if it is being shown in their children’s schools.
Watch the video here.