Education, violence are chief concerns of parents

A survey commissioned by the National Parenting Association (NPA) reports that the number one priority for parents, who make up 38 percent of the electorate, is a better education for their kids. The survey, "What Will Parents Vote For?" asked parents what election-year issues mattered most to them. Eighty-one percent of those surveyed favored extending public education to include pre-kindergarten or early childhood education for all children, and 85 percent favored using federal funds for school construction and renovation.

School violence was also a major concern of parents. Seven out of 10 parents surveyed are worried that a shooting like the incident at Columbine High School in Colorado could happen at a school near them. Legislation requiring that guns be equipped with trigger locks was favored by 88 percent of the parents surveyed. They also overwhelmingly--84 percent--support the registration of all guns and the licensing of all gun owners.

American Federation of Teachers, AFL•CIO - 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW - Washington, DC 20001