Teachers from Butler County are set to see and possibly question the slate of Democrats running for president during a forum in Pittsburgh next week.

On Dec. 14, most of the Democrats running for president are scheduled to participate in a forum on education at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Two teachers from Butler County school districts confirmed that they received tickets to participate through the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

The forum isn't a debate, but rather candidates will individually participate in question-and-answer sessions.

Jen Kramm, an eighth-grade English teacher at Karns City High School, said she submitted a question about mental health resources.

“Poverty has affected our community significantly in the past five, 10 years,” Kramm said. “For us, mental wellness has become a huge concern.”

Kramm said she wanted to hear from the candidates on whether they support funding more counseling and other mental health resources in public schools.

In particular, she wants to hear the candidates support such aid to rural school districts like her own.

“Our poverty is different from rural poverty,” Kramm said. “But it is painful as well. Lack of transportation and resources, that hits us hard.”

She said she also wants to see the candidates talk away from standardized testing, as research shows that shaping curriculum around testing hasn't resulted in improved education.

Karen Yost, a 12th-grade English teacher at Mars Area High School, said she wants to hear the Democrats address the coming shortages in teachers, as less and less people are earning teaching certificates.

“As we go into the teacher shortage crisis, we're going to have larger class sizes,” Yost said. “That can be very detrimental, particularly for younger students. What are their plans to make the field more attractive to the best and the brightest?”

Yost said she's glad to see the candidates approaching educators in this way, and hopes they're not just paying lip service.

Kramm said she is leaning toward supporting Elizabeth Warren, in part because Warren used to teach. Yost said she is undecided.

“I haven't made a decision yet,” Kramm said. “Not at all. I'm still up in the air about who I think would be a Democratic leader. This may sway me.”

As of Friday, the slate of candidates scheduled to attend is Warren, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Tom Steyer, Cory Booker and Michael Bennet. The forum is being hosted by MSNBC. It's called “Public Education Forum 2020: Equity and Justice for All.”