Stand for Children endores Sigler (34th district). Cox (45th), Lockhart (47th), and Whitson (65th).

From their website - Stand for Children is committed to ensuring that every child in Tennessee has access to, and is prepared for, a college education. This is why we support experienced, dedicated, and focused leaders who are committed to innovation in education and aligned with our vision to make quality public education available to all children. In this year’s upcoming election, stand with these candidates in your district:

Christy Sigler (District 34) – As a lawyer specializing in child welfare, she is committed to fight for high education standards.

Beth Cox (District 45) – With a proven track record of working for students as the Chairman of the Sumner County Board of Education, she is focus on finding and retaining the best teachers for our children.

Will Lockhart (District 47) – As the husband of a kindergarten teacher, he has made high quality public education a top priority and understands the importance of working to close the achievement gap.

Sam Whitson (District 65) – With 5 grandchildren in Tennessee public schools, his focus is on college and career readiness for all students.
How do we know that these candidates will be a stand-out voice for our children?
We endorsed them after reviewing their responses to a candidate survey, conducting phone interviews, and reaching consensus within Stand for Children Tennessee’s Statewide Endorsement Committee.

Help us spread the word that these candidates speak for us on education and stand with us to ensure that every child receives the education they deserve.  Stay tuned for more information about the 2016 election!

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My Comment: In district 34,  Sigler is one of four Republicans seeking the seat being vacated by Rep. Rick Womack. In district 45, Cox is challenging Rep. Courtney Rogers.  Rogers won election to the House in 2012 challenging incumbent Representative Debra Maggart in a race that painted the reasonable mainstream conservative Maggart as a liberal and ally of President Obama.  In district 65, Lockhart is one of two Republicans challenging Rep. Judd Matheny. Matheny has been a controversial figure in the State legislature associated with the most nutty elements of the tea party movement. He was the sponsor of the bill to ban Sharia law, that before being watered down to being meaningless, was so broadly written that it would have criminalized the most benign of Muslim religious practices. His once mistook a mop sink in the Capital as the installation of a Muslim foot bath fountain and sounded an alarm (link). In 2012, he mounted an unsuccessful effort to unseat Beth Harwell as speaker.

Stand for Children's mission "is to ensure that all children, regardless of their background, graduate from high school prepared for, and with access to, a college education."  They advocate for greater school funding, are sometimes critical of teachers unions, and  generally view charter schools favorably. 

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