Rumors on the Internets

Matt Lewis | September 11, 2008 4:30 PM

CNN debunks internet rumors about Palin:

One Internet rumor alleges that Palin tried to ban a list of books from the public library when she was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, including Harry Potter and several classics.

According to the Anchorage Daily News, Palin asked Wasilla's city librarian in 1996 if she would be OK with removing certain books as part of a larger discussion on policy. The librarian said no, and there's no evidence supporting a book ban.

In fact, some of the books cited on this list weren't even published 12 years ago -- namely the Harry Potter series, which first appeared in July 1997.

Another false claim churning in the rumor mill: that Palin slashed Alaska's special-needs education budget by more than 60 percent.

According to a recent Education Week article, Palin tripled the amount of money each student will get during the next three years.