Education in Presidential Debates

By Krista Carney
We know the facts. Our nation’s education system is failing too many students, and we need to have substantive policy discussions on what we can do to ensure every child has an opportunity to succeed. While many candidates have discussed their education plans, voters are concerned about the state of schools in their community. In AFC’s Annual School Choice Poll, over 93 percent of voters said a candidate’s view on education is important to them when deciding who will receive their vote.
During last week’s Republican Presidential debate, Gov. John Kasich discussed the need for educational options and school choice to bring about positive outcomes for students.
On urban school districts, he said, “I also believe that you need to introduce vocational education in those schools. You need mentoring in those schools…And you need school choice, both vouchers and charter schools. All of those things can come together to help.”
“We as adults have to fight in our neighborhoods, in our communities, for our children’s education. Put the politics aside, and everyone in this room can play a role in lifting their schools and lifting the students who are in those schools, because too much politics gets in the middle of it, and where we focus as adults, and put children first, we see tremendous results,” he added.
As we get down to the final few candidates for both the Republican and Democratic parties, we need to encourage more meaningful conversation on education from every candidate. Students trapped in failing schools across the country need a plan and options to help them succeed.
To hear Gov. Kasich and other Presidential candidates discuss education reform, check out video from AFC and The 74 Millions’ 2015 Education Summit: