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“We’ve seen this movie before. Conservative focus on a certain Obama appointee, dig up issues about him, it bubbles up online, out there. And then the administration issues a statement and then finally the mainstream media wakes up and covers it. And that’s what’s happening with this safe schools czar, Kevin Jennings.” (MSNBC)
Conservative media outlets are heavily reporting the past missteps of yet another Obama czar.
The education official under fire is Kevin Jennings, a gay activist and teacher now in charge of school safety.
Critics say Jennings failed to report a 1988 incident when a teenage boy told then-24-year-old Jennings about his sexual experiences with older men.
Jennings says the teen was of legal age, but still wishes he handled the situation differently.
We’re taking a look at whether the controversy is a smear campaign or a case of irresponsible—even criminal actions with perspectives from MSNBC, FOX News, CNN, Politics Daily, and the Washington Times.
CNN’s Jessica Yellin believes the new attacks are part of a larger strategy to undermine President Obama.
“…Conservatives have been emboldened since their attacks on environmental advisor Van Jones and National Endowment for the Arts spokesman Yosi Sargent forced their resignations, and the knives are drawn for Jennings.”
“The groups that are going after Jennings have been targeting since the day he got his job, long before all this incident came to light. The Family Research Council, for one, started a Stop Jennings campaign accusing him of promoting homosexuality to school kids.”
On FOX News, Sean Hannity and Democratic analyst Kirsten Powers disagreed when Hannity tied Jennings to Pentagon bomber, Bill Ayers.
“He writes the foreword for a book, Queering Elementary Education, and who else blurbs the book, but Bill Ayers, the unrepentant terrorist. What are we to make of this weird connections that exist out there, Kirsten? Isn’t Bill Ayers an education expert? It doesn’t really seem that strange to me.”Politics Daily columnist David Corn says the campaign against Jennings is about gaining political points, not protecting children.
“…Only someone blinded by ideology would refuse to recognize that Jennings was contending with thorny circumstances. Perhaps he didn't make the right decision. It was a tough call. But the go-for-his-throat campaign being waged against Jennings is mean-spirited and fueled by an any-means-necessary partisanship.”
But The Washington Times’ editorial says outrage over Jennings actions is genuine… The article even calls for a resignation.
"Mr. Obama should make clear what his standards are for public servants serving at the pleasure of the president. Encouraging and covering up man-boy sexual activity are serious offenses. The White House should force Mr. Jennings to come clean.”So what do you think? Should Jennings resign? Or is this a case of a right-wing witch-hunt? Tell us what you think.
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