| Kids and family issues are in the debates…how refreshing
Pennsylvania is center of the campaign universe. PA voters have the power to tilt the political playing field in one direction or another.
So much so that in this week alone, four major debates gave voters a glimpse of what the candidates stand for and the needs of kids and families surfaced prominently – paid leave was a hot topic in the vice presidential debate; the needs of children were debated among U.S. Senate candidates; the PA Attorney General debate highlighted the rights of students; and, in Bethlehem, state legislative candidates discussed child care and early learning.
The Child Care Voter Campaign played a part in getting candidates from the top of the ticket to the bottom talking about child care and early learning. Now, the Campaign is focused on making sure the candidates who demonstrate they will be champions for our youngest kids and working families has your vote.
The debate in Bethlehem, hosed by Child Care Voters, was the second in a series of five candidate “conversations” that ask the state house or senate candidates to go on the record regarding child care, paid family and medical leave, and a myriad of issues effecting young children and their parents.
The Child Care Voter Statewide Campaign Tour kicked off last week, traversing the Commonwealth in a pretty slick van, literally projecting their message that voters want lawmakers who support child care. The tour is stopping in communities where candidates are battling for votes to make sure child care is top of mind at the ballot box.
At each stop of the tour, already parents and child care providers are clamoring to meet, share their stories, and tell candidates that, to get their vote, they must solve the child care affordability and access crisis.
Why? Because the cost of child care is already too high for most parents – about $30,000/year. But running a quality child care center is expensive, and owners can’t keep fees low and pay staff a living wage, so they have to either boost prices, or lose staff and turn parents away. The average wage for child care workers in Pennsylvania is $15.15/hour which says it all about why qualified early learning teachers are abandoning the field they love.
This is why Child Care Voters is working hard to get state and federal candidates on the record so voters know what they intend to do to solve the child care crisis.
Child Care Voters, a project of the Children First Action Fund, is aimed at growing a movement of thousands of parents and supporters to deliver an ultimatum to candidates: “You have to support great child care to get my support.”
CANDIDATE SURVEYS
Taking a cue from powerful political movements, the Child Care Voter Campaign asked every state house and senate candidate to complete a survey so that you the voter can make your own judgement about your candidate’s commitment to early childhood development.
More than 100 state house and senate candidates filled out the survey so far. Click here to see where your candidates stand. If your candidate hasn’t responded, the Child First Action Fund is hopeful you’ll ask them to do so. Since early voting started this week in PA, it’s urgent that more candidates get on the record.
CANDIDATE CONVERSATIONS
Help us spread the word about the upcoming early childhood PA candidate conversations in:
In addition, you can watch the Chester County conversation from last week, and stay tuned for the recording of the Northampton County (to be posted here).
IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
In the next twenty days the Child Care Voter Campaign Statewide Tour may be in your town. Find out by joining the Child Care Voter Facebook group.
Child Care Voters will be in Johnstown on Monday afternoon! Stop by and visit us at the Cambria County Library, United Way of the Southern Alleghenies, and Classic Elements Coffee (all on Main Street).
Join the Child Care Voter movement and be a part of solving the child care crisis. Together we can hold lawmakers accountable when they’re the most vulnerable – election season.
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