CNN 2000ats Page 119
Teachers are most likely to consider improving the quality of education in
schools as the most important issue facing America today. More than four in ten
(44%) choose this issue, compared to one-quarter (24%) selecting having people get
along with each other, followed by keeping schools safe (9%), keeping the environ-
ment clean (7%), helping the poor (3%) or some other issue (11%) (Exhibit 11.9).
Exhibit 11.9
Teachers' Most Important Issues
Q.540 Which of the following is the most important issue facing America today?
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Teachers are not particularly optimistic about the chances of education improv-
ing. Slightly more than half (56%) believe that schools will provide a better educa-
tion during their students' lifetime (Exhibit 11.10). However, this issue fares better
than the others, with less than half believing that schools will be safer (39%), the envi-
ronment will become cleaner (37%), people will get along better with each other
(27%), and there will be fewer poor people (12%). Furthermore, two in ten teachers
(20%) think that none of these will happen in their students' lifetime.
