Would you let the N.Y. Times teach your kids about global warming?

Many schools already show Al Gore’s fictional and deeply flawed movie “An Inconvenient Truth” as part of their curriculum. The New York Times could have recommend teachers balance that perspective by showing “Not Evil, Just Wrong,” a film which provides a thorough review of the flawed science of global warming, as well as the pure propaganda that has been used to further fear of climate change.

“Not Evil, Just Wrong” also illustrates one aspect of the debate that the New York Times gives very short shrift: the high costs, including major job losses here in the U.S., of proposals to reduce carbon output. The students are supposed to debate policy alternatives, which makes it critical that they actually consider the full consequences of proposals. Students should consider the possibility that even if man is causing the globe to warm, the measures taken to thwart warming might have effects worse than climate change itself. Many students might be surprised to learn that even supporters of cap-and-trade proposals acknowledge that they would do little to slow any man-caused rise in temperature.

American students should be encouraged to consider current political issues, and evaluate and debate policy alternatives. But if teachers want to provide balance, they shouldn’t look to the New York Times for guidance.

Carrie L. Lukas is the vice president for policy and economics for the Independent Women’s Forum.