Kirk says work at school was 'valuable life experience'

SPRINGFIELD - Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Mark Kirk's staff is saying he gained "valuable life experience" while at a New York nursery school, even though a representative from the school says he might have exaggerated his role there.

Kirk campaign spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski told the Daily Herald that the Republican suburban congressman "believes his time working in a nursery school and middle school provided valuable life experience, which he has built upon throughout his career in public service."

A school representative told The New York Times in a report published Friday that no teaching was involved in Kirk's role when he worked part-time at the nursery school while studying at Cornell University. The representative said Kirk only assisted in supervising a play group of children. Kirk also worked for a year at a London private school.

Kirk's Democratic rival - state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias - maintained that the embellishments demonstrate an overall pattern of misstatements with Kirk. Meanwhile, Giannoulias has been criticized for his ties with his family's Broadway Bank, which collapsed earlier this year and had been accused of loaning convicted felons millions of dollars.

Recently, Kirk also was criticized for inaccurate descriptions of his military service when a letter sent by his congressional district office portrayed him as a veteran of the first Persian Gulf war although he didn't serve in the conflict.

Kirk also said he came under enemy fire during reconnaissance flights over Iraq in 2000, but there are no records of such events occurring. Kirk also recently said he never won the Navy's award for intelligence officer of the year despite saying so several times. The award was actually an honor for his entire unit.