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By Anthony Cody.

I just received an issue survey from Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign. It asks which issues I want him to focus on. The twenty issues listed include a $15 minimum wage, combatting climate change, affordable housing and more. The only thing on the list related to education is Free College. There is no mention of K12 education at all. Sanders is not alone in this regard. I wrote about the same problem back in 2015, when “Bold Progressives” offered a similar survey.

Sanders and other candidates are missing a huge opportunity to engage one of the largest, most well organized constituencies in the US today – teachers. There are about five million teachers in our nation, and most of them belong to a union. Teachers have come alive in the past year, through a series of strikes – in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Los Angeles, Oakland. Denver, and beyond. The issues often went beyond pay. Teachers were fighting back against vouchers, charters, and for smaller class sizes. Both Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders sent their support to the Oakland teachers during their strike, but we need to see support for policies that will help our schools.

A focus on  K12 education has created a real problem for some Democratic Party candidates, who have flat out been wrong on some of these issues. Cory Booker, for example, has been a strong supporter of school choice and charter schools. Elizabeth Warren has been a supporter of high stakes tests. The Network for Public Education Action has created a site that tracks the positions of leading candidates, and awards grades based on their stances.

Public schools enroll more than 90% of K12 students in our nation. Years of neglect and outright hostility towards these schools have left them in trouble. Teachers, parents and students are looking for a candidate to stand up and be a champion for our schools.

When you get an issue survey from a candidate or advocacy group, let them know that the time when K12 education can be left off the list has passed. If you get to speak to a candidate, ask them about these issues. We need to know where they stand on unregulated charter schools, on the use of vouchers to fund private and parochial schools, on high stakes tests, segregation, and smaller class sizes. Public school supporters need a champion, now more than ever. The candidates that take this on will be recognized and celebrated.

What do you think? How can we get candidates to focus on K12 education issues?

Featured images used with Creative Commons License: Elizabeth Warren by Tim Pierce, Kamala Harris by California National Guard, Bernie Sanders by Phil Roeder.

Author

Anthony Cody

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