Jack O'Connell 4494208 224626782 2008-07-09T18:42:31Z 75.24.77.107 :''This article is about a California politician. For the California economist and writer, see [[Jock O'Connell]].'' {{Infobox Officeholder | name = Jack T. O'Connell <!-- Commented out because image was deleted: | image = Oconnell_j.jpg --> | caption = | order = 26<sup>th</sup> [[California]] [[California Superintendent of Public Instruction|Superintendent of Public Instruction]] | term_start = [[January 5]], [[2003]] | term_end = | deputy = | predecessor = [[Delaine Eastin]] | successor = [[Incumbent]] | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|10|8|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[Glen Cove, New York|Glen Cove]], [[New York]] | death_date = | death_place = | constituency = | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] | spouse = Doree O'Connell | profession = Teacher | Website = [http://www.oconnell2006.org/] | religion = nondenominational | signature = | footnotes = }} '''Jack T. O'Connell''' (born [[October 8]], [[1951]]) is a [[California]] [[politician]]. He is currently serving as the [[California State Superintendent of Public Instruction]], having elected to the post in November 2002 with 61% of the vote. O'Connell previously served on the Santa Barbara County School Board. He later went to serve in the [[California State Assembly]] as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] representing the [[Central Coast, California|Central Coast]]-based 35th District from [[1982]] to [[1994]]. He then won election from the 18th District to the [[California State Senate]] where he served from [[1994]] to [[2002]]. As California's Superintendent of Public Instruction, O'Connell is known for heading the Department while it approved history textbooks that indulge in religious indoctrination and thus lowering education standards in California. According to the sixth grade textbooks approved by the Department of Education under O'Connell, many biblical claims have been assigned dates and treated as historical events. For example, one textbook says that Paul had a vision of Jesus in 33 AD, another says that Moses received the Ten Commandments [from God] in 1250 BC, and several books claim that the resurrection and crucifixion of Jesus were historical facts. The New Testament is defined as a history book. The religious indoctrination is not limited to the Bible but includes indoctrination of Islam too. The history textbooks claim that the Koran consists of messages from God and calls Mohammed's claims of getting revelations as a "startling experience." Critics point out that the textbooks must not teach religious beliefs as historical facts but should teach about religion. He was re-elected to his post in the Primary election on June 6, 2006. O’Connell was born in 1951 in [[Glen Cove, New York]]. In 1958, his family moved to [[Southern California]], where he attended local public schools. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from [[California State University, Fullerton]] and earned his secondary teaching credential from [[California State University, Long Beach]] in 1975. He returned to his high school alma mater to teach for several years and later served on the Santa Barbara County School Board. [http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/bo/jk/] ==References== <references/> {{sequence| prev=[[Delaine Eastin]]| list=[[California State Superintendent of Public Instruction]]<br>January 5, 2003 - Present| next=[[Incumbent]] }} {{CAStatewideOfficials}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Oconnell, Jack}} [[Category:1951 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Members of the California State Assembly]] [[Category:California State Senators]] {{california-politician-stub}} {{US-edu-stub}}