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Gubernatorial and select state Senate and House candidates have been invited to participate in a 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25 "Candidates Forum on Education" in the Cultural Centre.

All candidates for governor, Senate candidates from Districts 37 and 38 and House of Representatives candidates from Districts 73, 74, 75 and 76 have been invited.

A panel of four consisting of one teacher, one administrator, one school board member, and one community college representative will ask questions of the candidates. Panel participants so far include political science instructor Amanda Bigelow and Ottawa attorney Jack Cantlin. A reception will follow the event.

The event is sponsored by Vision on Issues and Choices in Education (VOICE), Illinois Association of School Boards Starved Rock Division, IVCC, Illinois Education Association Region 15, 16 and 17, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Regional Offices of Education 28, 35 and 43, the Retired Teachers Associations from ROE 35, 28 and 43 LaSalle /Putnam County Educational Alliance for Special Education, Bureau Marshall Putnam Tri-County Special

Education Cooperative, Woodford County Special Education Association, Whiteside Regional Vocational Center, Starved Rock Area Vocational Center, Indian Valley Vocational Center, Valley Education Center for Employment System, Project Success and the Illinois Principals Association Starved Rock Division. These groups represent the counties of La Salle, Bureau,Henry, Stark, Marshal, Putnam, and Woodford.

Albert Humpage Jr., superintendent of LaSalle Elementary and chairperson of VOICE, states, "We often hear candidates speak about education being their number one priority. We are going to give the candidates an opportunity to share their positions on education from pre-school through community college with educators and the public."