McCain’s recent education ad deals Obama some pretty harsh blows. The ad claims Obama wants 5-year olds to learn about sex before reading. And it says Obama has accomplished zilch in the education arena. Of course, it doesn’t speak at all to McCain’s track record on sex education or lessons for the kiddies.

Well, I’ve done a little digging and found that the statements are largely untrue, according to FactCheck.org.

STATEMENT 1: The ad claims that Obama’s one accomplishment is “legislation to teach comprehensive sex education to kindergarteners.”

FALSE – Although the Illinois bill McCain speaks of included the phrase “comprehensive sex education,” it also mandated age-appropriate instruction for kindergartners about issues like sexually transmitted diseases, inappropriate touching, etc. Obama supported the legislation because it would update Illinois’ sex education curriculum by making it “medically accurate.” And under the legislation, parents could remove their children from the class – no questions asked.

STATEMENT 2: The Illinois bill mandated sex education for kindergartners is Obama’s one accomplishment.

FALSE: Obama was a supporter of the bill, not a sponsor. And although the bill (SB-99) passed in the Illinois House of Representatives, it failed in the Senate.

STATEMENT 3: Education Week says Obama “hasn’t made a significant mark on education”. This statement is both true and false.

TRUE: Education Week did make this statement. However, the article also included criticism on John McCain’s education policy not mentioned in the ad. Arizona’s Casa Grande Elementary School Superintendent Frank Davidson (via Education Week) said: “I don’t think [McCain] has a strong track record of putting education at the top of his priorities.

FALSE: The word “significant” can be debated, but Obama has accomplishments in the education policy arena.

1. He was a cosponsor of the Chicago Education Reform Act of 2003. This legislation permitted an increase in Chicago charter schools and a formal partnership between Chicago Board of Education and Chicago Teachers Union.
2. He was a cosponsor of a bill to help Illinois high school graduates receive in-state college tuition rates, regardless of their U.S. citizenship status.
3. He sponsored three federal amendments to The American COMPETES Act. The legislation passed in 2007. The act created mentoring programs for women and minorities; summer learning programs; and requirements for women and minorities to be considered for President’s Science and Technology Summit.

Although its politics as usual, the American public deserves the facts to make their own decisions about the candidates – not distortions rendered as the truth.

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