In a now-viral video, "impressionable youngsters at a public school in New Jersey ... have been instructed to sing the praises of 'Barack Hussein Obama.'"
A scheduled speech by President Barack Obama will be "the first time an American president has spoken directly to the nation's school children about persisting and succeeding in school."
Schoolchildren across the nation "will be forced to watch the president justify his plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs, and racking up more debt than any other president."
"In eighth grade math, we’ve fallen to ninth place."
"We are making the largest investment in education in our nation’s history."
There is a provision in the economic stimulus plan that means that "students cannot meet together in their dorms, if that dorm has been repaired with this federal money, and have a prayer group or a Bible study."
"The centerpiece of Senator McCain's education policy is to increase the voucher program in D.C. by 2,000 slots."
McCain "voted to cut education funding, against accountability standards. He even proposed abolishing the Department of Education."
Education Week says Obama 'hasn't made a significant mark on education,' is 'elusive' on accountability, and a 'staunch defender of the existing public school monopoly.'
Obama's one education accomplishment was "legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergartners."
Says he has "the most impressive education record" of the Republican candidates.
"It used to be the policy of the Republican Party to get rid of the Department of Education. We finally get in charge and a chance to do something, so we double the size of the Department of Education."
The form students fill out to get college financial aid is "longer than the form to get U.S. citizenship."
"Americans spend 100-million hours a year filling out these forms (FAFSA). That is the equivalent of 55,500 full-time jobs."
"We had a No Child Left Behind — a similar piece of legislation in our state a number of years ago, well before the federal law. And it's had a big impact here. It's improved schools."
"Rural schools enroll 40 percent of American children, but receive only 22 percent of federal education funding."
Rural schools "face the highest dropout rates, the lowest college enrollment rates, have the lowest average teacher salaries..."
"Look, I believe in accountability. In 1983, I led the effort in Arkansas to improve our schools."
We want to hear your suggestions and comments. For tips or comments on our campaign promise database, please e-mail the Obameter. If you are commenting on a specific promise, please include the promise number. For comments about our Truth-O-Meter or Flip-O-Meter items, please e-mail the Truth-O-Meter. We’re especially interested in seeing any chain e-mails you receive that you would like us to check out.
PolitiFact is a project of the St. Petersburg Times to help you find the truth in American politics. Reporters and editors from the Times fact-check statements by members of Congress, the White House, lobbyists and interest groups and rate them on our Truth-O-Meter. We’re also tracking more than 500 of Barack Obama’s campaign promises and are rating their progress on our new Obameter. >> More
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