New "No on Proposition 8 Ad" Released

Finding it necessary to acquaint them with state education laws and curriculum standards to which they appear to be unfamiliar, the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign today sent a letter to the Honorable Jack O’Connell, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Ted Mitchell, president of the California State Board of Education (BOE) to correct their recent statements to the media about Proposition 8 and the teaching of gay marriage in public schools.

Most interestingly, BOE President Mitchell seems unaware of guidelines on his own Web site, which state that 96 percent of school districts accept the technically voluntary sex education curriculum. Further, the California Department of Education (CDE) Web site notes specifically that in the 96 percent of school districts that do accept the curriculum, they are REQUIRED to include instruction and materials that “teach respect for marriage.”

Are they saying they'd force a change in 96% of all California schools banning this practice if Prop 8 doesn't pass? Or are they saying that we should ignore the man behind the curtain, look at this shiny object or just forget to vote on Nov 4th because it doesn't matter? I must have forgotten to take my crazy pills today because, it sure seems like I'm out of sync with the media and the rest of the liberal community (Hello Hollywood!).

See what others have to say about this blatant lie from Jack O'Connell, the Californian liberal Superintendent of Schools.

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FACT SHEET

Superintendent O’Connell:“Prop 8 has nothing to do with schools…Our schools aren’t required to teach anything about marriage…”

FACT:

California Education Code (EC) 51933 specifies that school districts are not required to provide comprehensive sexual health education, but if they choose to do so, they shall comply with all of the requirements listed below.

…Instruction shall encourage communication between students and their families and shall teach respect for marriage and committed relationships. (http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/se/sexeducation.asp)

FACT:

According to a study posted on the California Department of Education’s (CDE’s) website, 96% of California school districts voluntarily provide classroom instruction under the California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act (Education Code,§§51930et seq). That study states:

HIV/AIDS prevention education and sex education are nearly universally taught in California today. Ninety-four percent of surveyed schools provide HIV/AIDS prevention education, as is mandated by law, and an even larger number, 96%, provide sex education despite having no requirement to do so.

ACLU/PB Consulting report,“Sex Education in California Public Schools,”August 2003, page 5.

Superintendent O’Connell:“Using kids to lie about that is shameful…”

FACT: O’Connell seems content to accuse supporters of Prop 8 of“lying”while deliberately ignoring the rules and researchof his own department.