Teach100 Mentor Gets Political: Education Topics We Want Debated

As the 2016 presidential ballot becomes more and more like a clown car (with 22 candidates at the date this post was published!) politics is a hot national topic. And since education issues will be at the forefront in August 6th's first Republican presidential debate, we were wondering: what topics do Teach100 Mentors hope will get some air time? Here's what a few of our favorite contributors had to say.

(And as for the candidates? A little birdie, AKA our survey, tells us that Hilary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Mike Huckabee, and Carly Fiorina are favorites among our teachers.)

Todd Bloch, Sweat to Inspire

Todd Bloch Head Shot

What's an education topic you think is important?

I wish politicians would focus on allowing teachers to be the experts on educational policies and listen to them and not lobby groups with little or no teaching experience.

What's your favorite source of news for education politics?

Twitter

Peter Cincotta, What's So Good about Public Education in America?

Pete Cincotta headshot

What's an education topic you think is important?

The topics most important to me as an educator are the topics the deal with the issue of student learning. We want to increase achievement among our students; especially among poor students and students living in poverty.

What topic area do you wish politicians would focus on or become more informed in?

The education of poor students.
Issues involving how students learn.
Issues involving how to train teachers to help students to learn.
Issues that emphasize learning and de-emphasize "getting good grades".

What's your favorite source of news for education politics?

Education Weekly

Nancy Flanagan, Teacher in a Strange Land

nancy headshot

What topic area do you wish politicians would focus on or become more informed in?

Child poverty

What's your favorite source of news for education politics?

Internet--blogs and progressive websites

Mike Karlin, The EdTech Roundup

Finding Your Niche

What topic area do you wish politicians would focus on or become more informed in?

All of them It would be nice to see more politicians that actually made education a primary focus rather than just giving our field lip service once they get elected.

What's an education topic you think is important?

How to get the job done so it's fair for all.

What's your favorite source of news for education politics?

Edweek (https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/)

Carissa Peck, mELTing Activities

What's an education topic you think is important?

No Child Left Behind is important to me because it comes from a good place, but is so poorly executed. It really needs to be ditched or revamped.

What topic area do you wish politicians would focus on or become more informed in?

I wish more politicians were honest about not being experts on everything. So many people feel because they studied in school they understand how to fix education. That just isn't the case.

What's your favorite source of news for education politics?

Other teachers I tend to get most of my news from social networking where other teachers point it out. I follow teachers' associations, some candidates, as well as other teachers. Otherwise I look for it myself with search engines.

Juliet Robertson, I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

What's an education topic you think is important?

Learning outdoors -- it's a get out of jail (almost) free card for politicians across the globe in terms of impact especially when children are able to access nature for learning.