Future of children should be a priority

To the editor:

Presidential hopefuls should share solutions for the multitude of issues facing children.

We want the candidates to address the challenges facing our children and working families - access to high-quality preschool, ensuring every child has health insurance, acknowledging a growing opportunity gap and lack of racial equity in education and other services, affordable and high quality child care; ensuring everyone can attend college without incurring insurmountable debt, and keeping our children and young adults safe from violence.

Based on state and national polling, we know a majority of the population also cares about these issues. Before we choose a candidate to caucus for in February, we need to know his or her plans for securing the future of all our nation's kids and families.

This campaign season, we are requesting that debate moderators to ask the critical questions that will help all of us determine which candidates will receive our support. I need to know, because I Caucus for Kids.

Barb Merrill

Executive Director, Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children

Des Moines