Hanaway & Schweich Talks of Agenda to Editors

(AP) – Missouri’s two leading Republican candidates for governor disagree over education policy as they look toward the 2016 elections.

State Auditor Tom Schweich (shwyk) and former House Speaker Catherine Hanaway spoke Thursday at the Capitol to media editors and reporters.

Hanaway said she supports eliminating teacher tenure so local schools have more flexibility in hiring and salary decisions. Schweich said he supports tenure protections and equated repealing them to trying to coerce teachers into improving their performance.

Both candidates shied away from proposals raising taxes for transportation. Schweich said he thinks the transportation department can be more efficient. Hanaway said she wants to direct cost-savings from the general state budget to highways.

Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster, who also is running for governor, did not attend the event.