Entirely out of public view, the Political Fight of the Season, a sizzling potato, dramatically was staged this week in Culver City:
Pitting the Plains Exploration & Production Co./PXP and the School District, the politics of oil clashed with the politics of running Culver City schools.
A winner has not yet been declared.
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Fifth graders at Mobil Oilfield Learning Unit last week
Two intended science-based educational visits by a traveling exhibit to Culver City schools, starting eight days ago, have been halted – at least, so far – after the first one.
At issue:
Should PXP, one of the most controversial business actors in Culver City because of drilling practices in the Inglewood Oil Field, be permitted to make scientific exploration presentations – non-partisan, they say – to all fifth-grade students in the community?
The Background
PXP lately joined other oil companies in producing educational scientific programs that are being held across the country.
As even the youngest purveyor of news realizes, oil companies in recent years have been linked with banks and allied financial institutions as America’s most pilloried industries, typically for political reasons, often sparked by President Obama.
The perceived wounds to the oil industry were severely lanced all over again six months ago when an anti-fracking movement swept the country. The fever shows no signs of abating.
Deliberately without fanfare, the elaborate oil industry-sponsored traveling exhibit made Culver City its first Los Angeles County stop on Thursday of last week, at El Rincon School.
During a lively three-hour morning session, El Marino Language School fifth graders joined El Rincon students on a rotating basis.
Here was the accompanying announcement from PXP:
“The Mobile Oilfield Learning Unit (MOLU) is an example of the exciting new types of programs industry is sharing with elementary schools across the nation to help expand understanding about our business. PXP is pleased to be partnering with the Central Coast Education Collaborative and the Culver City Education Foundation to bring the MOLU to Culver City’s students.
“The MOLU is a traveling exhibit being used in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles County schools, teaching youth about energy, technologies and sciences used in the oil and gas industries. The Education Collaborative is coordinating the MOLU Exhibit, brought from Houston’s Offshore Energy Center to California’s Central Coast. This is the first time the MOLU exhibit has been in California. It was scheduled to be in California for 30 days beginning in October; however the response has been overwhelming, and additional November dates are being contemplated.”
By accounts of all on the scene last week at El Rincon, adults and children stoutly praised the program. Virtually all students plunged into the hands-on experiences with infectious vigor.
School and PXP officials said a second staging, to accommodate the rest of the fifth graders in Culver City, was being planned for an unchosen date.
Now it develops, the rest of the students may not have the same opportunity.
New Supt. Dave LaRose explained the direction change to the newspaper:
“Based on what I have learned, I felt it was advisable to ‘table’ future sessions until necessary discussions are held and shared positions are established and well communicated.
“I believe it is vitally important that we have strong, student-centered rationale for what we do/don't do.
“I will continue to facilitate the conversation.
“However, ‘opportunities’ that place children in the middle of emotional and political issues require me to be cautious and thoughtful.
“So again, the term ‘cancelling’ the future sessions is not necessarily accurate. I have simply asked that we not yet make commitments.”
From the other side of the table, PXP Vice President Steve Rusch told the newspaper:
“The Mobile Oilfield Learning Unit provides an interactive and exciting way to expose students to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
“PXP is proud to be sponsoring this unique learning experience – not as a way to promote the oil industry – but as a way to hopefully get kids excited about STEM. “We have a strong corporate commitment to education, which is why we've contributed support to the Culver City Education Foundation for many years. We are disappointed that a planned second learning experience in Culver City has been unnecessarily politicized and tabled.
“However, PXP remains committed to supporting programs that help improve educational opportunities in the communities where we operate.”
