Mandell is urging all Americans interested in reforming our education system to sign an online petition directed at debate moderators Jim Lehrer of the PBS Newshour, Martha Raddatz of ABC News, Candy Crowley of CNN and Bob Schieffer of CBS News, calling on them to ensure that the candidates are forced to address education reform at the primary and secondary level, to elevate a conversation that is happening across the country into the presidential campaign.

Click here to sign the petition.

There is a debate over education reform occurring in every classroom, union hall, school district and kitchen table in the country, but unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to be occurring in this year’s presidential campaign in any significant way. It’s time to change that. While there has been a great deal of attention focused on access to higher education, it is well past time for a discussion of education reform at the primary and secondary levels. The presidential debates offer the nation an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates on how they would reform our education system and raise student performance and the moderators of these debates should not miss this chance to put them on the record.

We are urging Americans interested in reforming our education system to tweet directly at @newshour, @martharaddatz, @crowleyCNN, and @bobschieffer voicing their desire to see the candidates questioned about their education reform plans, using the Twitter hashtag: #2012debates

There will be three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate for the 2012 election:

1. October 3rd Presidential Debate at the University of Denver, moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS
2. October 11th Vice Presidential Debate at Centre College, moderated by Martha Raddatz of ABC News
3. October 16th Presidential Debate at Hofstra University, moderated by Candy Crowley of CNN
4. October 22nd Presidential Debate at Lynn University, moderated by Bob Schieffer of CBS News