How candidates could support education

After listening to our two major political party presidential candidates argue and launch insults at each other over the past few weeks, it occurred to me how little attention has been given to K-12 education.

None of the three nationally televised debates made mention of policies, funding, or the care and education of children. And the flood of local election campaign literature in my mail has not mentioned or highlighted the care, welfare and educational needs of our K-12 children.

So, without dreaming, imagine that the investment in the welfare and achievement of the youth of our communities suddenly became the single most-important priority this election season. Imagine our local, state and presidential candidates would highlight, fight and argue about elevating and prioritizing resources and policies that benefit children. Imagine our politicians campaigning hard and advocating for the following platform:

• All families living in poverty will have access to quality early childhood programs.

• All children will be provided the resources and programs that enable them to read at grade level by third grade.

• All parents will be actively engaged in their children's education.

• Regardless of their community, every child will benefit from attending an equitably and adequately funded school district.

• All schools will have modern facilities and resources, including technology, necessary to prepare their students to be successful in college and the workplace.

• All schools will provide a comprehensive education, which includes a core curriculum, music, arts, world languages, physical education, civics, hands-on career and technical education.

• All state and federal standardized tests will be fair, multifaceted, timely, informative and just one of many measures that show a child's growth and achievement.

• All teachers and school staff members will be respected and appreciated.

• All communities will support their local schools through voluntarism.

Imagine that "Make America Great Again" and "Stronger Together" were slogans for ensuring the care and quality education of our country's most important asset - our children - was the top priority this election season.

• David F. Larson is superintendent of Glenbard High School District 87. His column appears in Neighbor monthly during the school year.