High school club in Yakima cleared to watch Gore film

YAKIMA -- A high school club that was barred from viewing "An Inconvenient Truth," Al Gore's Oscar-nominated documentary on global warming, has now gotten the green light following approval by a review panel.

The screening by the Environmental Club at Eisenhower High School was put on hold in mid-January by Principal Stacey Locke, who said it first had to be reviewed by an instructional materials committee.

The panel of teachers, administrators and parents was next scheduled to meet Feb. 7, but the meeting date was moved up to Tuesday and recommended approval.

Locke referred questions to Deputy School Superintendent Jack Irion.

"We have a process in place and we utilize this process," Irion said. "That's what this was about, is process."

Club president JosDe Vazquez, 18, said he respects and admires Locke but believed the principal's initial action was unwarranted.

"I'm pleased that we didn't have to wait until Feb. 7th," Vazquez said. "I feel that maybe the administration just wanted to get it over with. I guess all that attention that we were receiving is kind of overwhelming."

The flap was the second in the state over the film, which has been nominated for Oscars for best documentary feature and best original song. Last week the Federal Way School Board lifted a two-week moratorium on showing the film in class.