Fox's Garrett uncritically quoted from McCain ad mischaracterizing Obama's position on sex education
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SUMMARY: Fox News' Major Garrett uncritically quoted a portion of an ad by Sen. John McCain's campaign that claimed that Sen. Barack Obama's biggest accomplishment on education was teaching "comprehensive sex education to kindergartners." Garrett gave no explanation of Obama's actual position on sex education, provided no response from the Obama campaign, and gave no indication that he had sought such a response, nor did Garrett note that the bill Obama supported would have required school sexual education programs to give "age and developmentally appropriate" materials and instruction for students in kindergarten through 12th grade and included material warning children about sexual predators.
During the September 9 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, congressional correspondent Major Garrett uncritically quoted a portion of an ad by Sen. John McCain's campaign that mischaracterized Sen. Barack Obama's position on sex education. Garrett gave no explanation of Obama's position, provided no response from the Obama campaign, and gave no indication that he had sought such a response. Garrett said: "McCain's campaign, however, just put out a new ad that says, Obama's biggest accomplishment on education? Teaching comprehensive sex education to kindergartners. And it asks, 'Learning about sex before learning to read?' 'Barack Obama,' it says, 'wrong for education and wrong for your family.' " Garrett did not note that the bill Obama supported would have required school sexual education programs to give "age and developmentally appropriate" materials and instruction for students in kindergarten through 12th grade and included material warning children about sexual predators.
In McCain's ad, a narrator states: "Obama's one accomplishment? Legislation to teach comprehensive sex education to kindergartners. Learning about sex before learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for your family." The ad cites Illinois Senate Bill 99 as evidence.
According to an entry on The Huffington Post, in a statement about the ad, the Obama campaign said: "It is shameful and downright perverse for the McCain campaign to use a bill that was written to protect young children from sexual predators as a recycled and discredited political attack against a father of two young girls."
The bill provided that "[a]ll course material and instruction in classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual activity or behavior shall be age and developmentally appropriate." The bill also contained provisions that would have required school sexual education programs to instruct students on how to protect themselves from sexual assault.
From the bill, which sought to amend the sections of the Illinois School Code (underlining constitutes material sought to be added to the section, strikethrough constitutes material to be deleted, and plain text constitutes language that the bill did not seek to change):
All sex education courses that discuss sexual activity or behavior intercourse shall satisfy the following criteria:
(1) Factual information presented in course material and instruction shall be medically accurate and objective.
(2) All (1) course material and instruction shall be age and developmentally appropriate.
[...]
(11) (8) Course material and instruction shall teach pupils to not make unwanted physical and verbal sexual advances and how to say no to unwanted sexual advances and shall include information about verbal, physical, and visual sexual harassment, including without limitation nonconsensual sexual advances, nonconsensual physical sexual contact, and rape by an acquaintance. The course material and instruction shall contain methods of preventing sexual assault by an acquaintance, including exercising good judgment and avoiding behavior that impairs one's judgment. The course material and instruction shall emphasize personal accountability and respect for others and Pupils shall be taught that it is wrong to take advantage of or to exploit another person. The material and instruction shall also encourage youth to resist negative peer pressure. The course material and instruction shall inform pupils of the potential legal consequences of sexual assault by an acquaintance. Specifically, pupils shall be advised that it is unlawful to touch an intimate part of another person as specified in the Criminal Code of 1961.
(12) Course material and instruction shall teach male pupils about male accountability for sexual violence and shall teach female students about reducing vulnerability for sexual violence.
In contrast to Garrett, McClatchy reporter Margaret Talev wrote in a September 9 article -- headlined, "Out of bounds! McCain misstates Obama sex-ed record" -- that McCain's ad made "a deliberately misleading accusation" about Obama and sex education for kindergarteners. Talev wrote:
This is a deliberately misleading accusation. It came hours after the Obama campaign released a TV ad critical of McCain's votes on public education. As a state senator in Illinois, Obama did vote for but was not a sponsor of legislation dealing with sex ed for grades K-12.
But the legislation allowed local school boards to teach "age-appropriate" sex education, not comprehensive lessons to kindergartners, and it gave schools the ability to warn young children about inappropriate touching and sexual predators.
Republican Alan Keyes tried to use Obama's vote against him in the 2004 U.S. Senate race. At the time, Obama spoke about wanting to protect young children from abuse. He made clear then that he was not supporting teaching kindergartners about explicit details of sex.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Tuesday of McCain's ad: "It is shameful and downright perverse for the McCain campaign to use a bill that was written to protect young children from sexual predators as a recycled and discredited political attack against a father of two young girls."
From the September 9 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:
GARRETT: Which brings us back to education, an issue that plays well in the suburbs and among women, target areas on which Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has begun to encroach. Obama tried to sound a note of bipartisanship to shake up what he called a stale debate.
OBAMA [video clip]: It's been Democrat versus Republican, vouchers versus the status quo, more money versus more reform. There's partisanship and there's bickering, but there's no understanding that both sides have good ideas that we'll need to implement if we hope to make the changes our children need.
GARRETT: But that soon gave way to an indictment of President Bush.
OBAMA [video clip]: Our children and our country can't afford four more years of neglect and indifference.
GARRETT: If that's indifference, it sure is expensive -- $59 billion next year, according to the Education Department. That's a 40 percent increase during the Bush years.
Despite those increases, Barack Obama says there needs to be more federal spending on teachers and to improve charter schools and to create alternative schools, ideas that at one time or another McCain has opposed. McCain's campaign, however, just put out a new ad that says, Obama's biggest accomplishment on education? Teaching comprehensive sex education to kindergartners. And it asks, "Learning about sex before learning to read?" "Barack Obama," it says, "wrong for education and wrong for your family." Brit.
HUME: Major, thank you. Don't know what you'd do without your BlackBerry and without your microphone. Thanks, buddy.
GARRETT: You got it.
Dawuss-
I agree. Since 5-year-olds are in absolutely no danger of being exposed to sex in any way, shape, or form, we should keep them in the dark about it as much as possible.
Of course, we all know that you can't be hurt by something you know nothing about!!! Right???
And all Republicans know that girls can't get pregnant before the age of 18. I mean, how could they, if they're not allowed to have sex! That's why I support abstinence-only education. It's the only method that's proven to be 100% effective, all the time. And by that, I mean that every child that has ever been told not to have sex has listened and obeyed.
According to an entry on The Huffington Post, in a statement about the ad, the Obama campaign said: "It is shameful and downright perverse for the McCain campaign to use a bill that was written to protect young children from sexual predators as a recycled and discredited political attack against a father of two young girls."
Very true and good job by the Huffington Post. The McCain campaign need to pull this ad and apologize for running it. Shameful and no one should be remotely suprised that Garrett is being a cheerleader for it.
No need for the old' boy to apologize...
He's going to win the war on unwanted pregnancy.
How, you ask?
Well, um, um, um, uh...uh...uh...Do you hate children?
All that blather about protecting kids against sexual predators looks to me as simply a smokescreen to push their sex-ed agenda.
"blather about protecting kids against sexual predators"
The creepy meter just reach 8.3. Please stop typing creepy thing, CreepyAmerican.
looks to me
Don't worry, Gov. Like all of BarneyAmerican's creepy and inane comments, this is just another unsolicited view of reality as seen through his creepy and warped eyes.I don't think he's actually a child molester. Not because I doubt the tendencies in him, I just don't get the impression that he's the type to take the initiative to successfully accomplish his goals.
I've been sitting here reading Barn's comments for a few days with a big metal ruler in my left hand. Whenever I get the urge to reply to one of his posts, I hit my typing hand as hard as I can with the ruler.
I figure it's a lot less painful than arguing with him.
Are you talking about the blather that's actually in the bill and is printed above by MMFA right in front of your face?
There's no possibility that protecting kids from sexual predators is part of comprehensive sex education?
John McCain is one sick SOB...
He's disgraced himself to a level I didn't think possible.
Maybe Obama should hold a news conference...
Waste another day of trying to get his message out because he has to deal with the filth of Sen. George McCain. I say, get right in the sewer with Grampy, he's got no choice.
Sex education for kindergartners? Next Obama will want to teach sex education in preschool.
Who decides what is age and developmentally appropriate? It is simply another example of the government usurping parental responsibility.
Sex education for kindergartners? Next Obama will want to teach sex education in preschool.
Sex ed should be taught as young as possible.
Mr,
I think McCain's ad is dead on. He shows that behind Obama's urbane manner and great speeches, Obama pushes a radical left agenda.
If you want some teacher, whom you have no idea either shares your beliefs or not teaching your kindergartner about sex, go ahead. To me you might as well be asking some stranger to teach them. I think any sex ed at age five can be handled quite easily by the child's parents.
"Obama pushes a radical left agenda."
There's nothing radical about Obama. There just isn't. "Radical" need not be tossed around. Here's an apt usage in my view: Governor Palin's belief that a woman impregnated as a result of rape or incest must bring the pregnancy to term is considered by many to be batshit freakin' nuts and radical.
I think John McCain's support of sexual predators' rights is evidence of his radical right-wing agenda.
- ANOTHERAMERICAN / Wednesday September 10, 2008 4:57:35 PM EDT
Well, actually, NO.
By all means, give parents an opt-out form if they really feel strongly about it (which the vast majority of school districts do anyway).
BUT, not teaching kids/teens about sex is DANGEROUS--kids (even as young as 11 or 12) are at risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, and young kids DO need to know about not talking to strangers or what to do when someone touches them inappropriately. Parents might have hang-ups about teaching this stuff, and their shyness or stodginess only puts their kids in danger. Even parents who want their kids to be well-informed might feel awkward talking to their kids about this stuff, or don't know how to start the conversation. We can't trust ALL parents to talk with their kids about these things, and ALL kids need to know this!
So, yeah, let them opt their kids out if they have strong religious or other convictions, but society needs to establish the norm that kids should be informed at an appropriate level is best for EVERYBODY, especially the kids!
You should try doing something age appropriate AA...
Like using your brain.
Governor,
I am not opposed to educating children about predators. I feel the education should be done by parents. Who knows what some teacher will say or do?
MrH,
I am married to a teacher so spare me the lecture. I have also sent my older children through a highly praised school system and have first hand experience of some of the crazy things that have been taught by well regarded teachers that were way beyond what is age appropriate.
Well, then feel free to advocate different policies in your school district. It sounds as though the rest of the community is in favor of allowing these crazy teachers to operate with academic freedom. Perhaps you're simply in the minority on this issue.
George Bush is married to a librarian, but that doesn't exactly make him exempt from criticism on his attitude toward the sharing of information.
I agree with AA, only parents should be allowed to teach their children about sex. If we got rid of sex education from all public schools, then the rate of pre-marital pregnancy would go down significantly.
The Palin-McCain administration knows more about this, first-hand, than any of you people do. In fact, the only reason Sarah Palin and her daughter got knocked up before they got married was because of evil liberals and their radical-left sex-ed agenda. Now we need to fight those evil liberal ideas, and protect our children!
"Who knows what some teacher will say or do?"
You should contact the school district and the teachers to request a copy of course materials and the syllabus.
Better yet, you should opt to have your kids placed in the alternative program that, to my knowledge, is normally offered to accomodate parents who want to deprive their children of sex education in school.
My parents were always informed and asked to sign a permission form in order for me to receive sex ed. I don't know for sure if that's how it is everywhere though.
I am not opposed to educating children about predators. I feel the education should be done by parents.- anotheramerican
AA, You do realize that a pretty good amount of child molesting is done by parents don't you? Why are you so worried about your children being told how to avoid being abused? It seems you're protesting too much. Put your kids on-line right now, I think they may want to tell us all about "Daddy's secret".
Ouch, damn. I'm all for rebuttals, but, holy cow.
What part of "All course material and instruction shall be age and developmentally appropriate" is confusing to you?
Maybe you should read the bill in question, rather than let McCain and the professional right-wing liars make up your mind for you.
McCain needs to explain himself and apologize, and the media should call him on it. Sadly, the media's usual response is simply to show the ad, over and over, giving it free airtime. At most, they might say that Obama says it is untrue.
Not holding my breath, but maybe this one is far enough over the line even the "liberal media" can't stomach it.
You know, TBH, sexual awareness might not be that bad a thing to teach at that age - I mean, nowadays seeing sexually charged content is so commonplace, it might actually be a good idea to tell the little kiddies what it is.
Do we teach them how to have sex and teach them how to have sexual relationships? No. We save that for once they start to develop a knowledge of sex appeal.
I'm all for letting people have sex with whoever they want for whatever they want, however many times they want. If you wanna' use contraceptives, that's fine too, but once you've conceived a child, you're either raising that child or you're adopting that child. Abortion is not an option. (I know, this is about sex, not abortion, but I had to dabble into that to set the line somewhere)
Shaggles,
I must have missed it that in the description.
Obviously the devil is in the details. What worries me is if some teacher has some outlandish views regarding sex and feels that much more show and tell is appropriate at that age.
MrH
If communities dictate what is taught in sex ed why did Obama sponsor this bill?
because a) Illinois is a community whose elected officials encode community standards through the legislative process, and
b) Obama and the other representatives of the state meant to give guidance to the smaller communities within the state in matters of educational policy.
Is that what's bothering you? Would all these highly regarded teachers in your district not have gotten away with their crazy teachings if only the state hadn't interfered in your district's collective desire to restrict their purview? Nah, I think you just don't agree with the majority, even in your district. Which is fine. But don't pretend like President Obama would pursue "radical" policies. There's nothing radical about that bill.
I'm sure a lot of parents have that concern. I'm sure a lot of parents would prefer to teach their children themselves. There's a lot of room for discussion on that.
MrH,
Since why does free speech need to be curtailed simply because you think it is ineffective?
A tragedy occoured today as a member of the republican hivemind was found drowned on the bank of a river of truth. The emergency services are suspecting that the strawman he was clutching wasn't strong enough to keep him afloat after all the manure keeping it together failed to keep it intact due to the fast flow of truth river.
A spokesman said "It must have been terrible. The horror he must have felt as his arguement fell apart and the remains he was left clutching in his fists failed to keep him afloat."
This isn't the first such incident, and sadly, as things get closer to November, more and more bodies will be found said authorities. " It can't be helped", said a spokesman, "Things will get more desperate and outlandish and as the waters rise previous strawmen that were thought good enough will be found to be inadequate. We can only hope that we don't lose too many to this folly."
...if some teacher has some outlandish views regarding sex...
AA, I know you've decided that responding to me isn't in your best interest, and I appreciate the honor of being on your ignore list. The compliment doesn't go unnoticed, so thank you. I'll just put this out to you as something to answer to yourself, in your inside voice;
What is an outlandish view regarding sex?
Maybe other posters can help. What do you think, in the mind of Anutteramerican , is an "outlandish view of sex"?
I have to agree with AA on this one, after all who knows what kind of radical leftist crazy ideas these teachers might push on the poor little children under the guise of "sex education." You all know how evil teachers are, that's why they hide behind a union while practicing their agenda to destroy young minds.
In fact, I'm kind of concerned over what perverted ideas these so called teachers might be spreading under the cloak of supposedly teaching other liberal topics like "math" and "english." If a parent wants their child to know about things like that they can teach it themselves. Why involve the government in sponsoring these twisted deviants poisoning young minds that don't know any better.
Exactly, Moonbat. And what's gone unnoticed here is that through sponsorship of this bill, Obama is telegraphing his hidden radical agenda of allowing all the "some teacher" types out there to teach their crazy teachings (unless the parents review the materials they are legally required to be notified of, allowed to view, and decide about on their own child's behalf). Wheras, of course, McCain is against letting teachers teach just any crazy notion considered acceptable by the state and school district in which they work (and the people thereof, who have the power to influence the firing of a teacher whose actions are considered beyond the pale by a majority of the locally-elected school board) and for the sensible policy of not allowing teachers to teach anything other than what Another American deems "not outlandish." What's called for here is a preemptive censure of the teaching profession as a whole, so no more innocents have to be subjected to the "crazy" inappropriate things some of the so-called well-respected teachers in Another American's district have apparently taught (not that we know what Another American considers crazy and age-inappropriate). And if there's one ticket we know is against academic freedom, it's McCain-Palin. After all, if they take away our freedoms, the terrorists will have no reason to hate us! USA! USA!
MrH,
I recognize that teachers are professionals. That is not the point. The point is that that well meaning bills like this open a pandora's box of unintended consequences while at the same time taking away the rights of the parents to educate their children the way they see fit.
I would hope that the teaching would be age appropriate. In principle I have problems with the term "age appropriate". I have two children that are two months apart. What is appropriate for one is clearly not appropriate for the other even though they are in the same class in school.
I have also known teachers who are so biased they don't even recognize that they inculcate their bias into their students. I have seen certain teachers recommend guidelines for certain students that were disasterous for that student but were based on what was supposed to be "age appropriate".
As for the opt-out or opt-in teaching. At the kindergarten and first grade level, it would be pointless as the kids will know something is going on and the youthful interpretations will immediately be transmitted to the non-attending children and most undoubtedly result in misinformation.
I am of the opinion that this sort of education reform is another step down the slippery slope of well meaning "progressive" ideas that when faced with reality do not work. Having schools teach those progressive policies to your children is great if you are a progressive but not so great if you believe there is a better way. It is big brother deciding arbitrarily what is best for the child rather than the parent.
It's above his pay-grade :)
Give him a raise and he might do it ;)
Nothing is above the paygrade of a POW. Being a former POW gives you absolute moral authority on all ethical questions.
So if John McCain wants to protect sexual predators, then sexual predators must be protected from these children.