Debate field set

The Democratic National Committee confirmed that seven candidates hit the fundraising and polling qualifications to appear in Thursday’s presidential debate: Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, environmental activist Tom Steyer and businessman Andrew Yang.

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro — the only Latino candidate in the field — failed to make the debate. Both have been outspoken critics of a process they say has disadvantaged minority candidates.

Warren suggested she shares that criticism.

“Public school money needs to stay in public schools,” Warren said. “It will be my responsibility as president of the United States to make certain that every public school is an excellent public school.”

Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, a former Denver Public Schools superintendent, said he’s the first former superintendent to run for president.

Bennet focused on his proposal for free preschool. Though he backs a plan that would allow students to graduate from college without debt, he said he believes Americans are “a hell of a lot more interested in free preschool than free college.”

Billionaire Tom Steyer noted that he led a 2012 proposition in California that helped rebuild public schools “with union labor.”