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RCS School Board: Wait on the K-5 decisionParents and staff want to be heard and see a plan of action BEFORE this switch is brought to vote. There have been many changes recently, leaving little time to adjust. Our children's education should be our top priority and this action is too swift.54 of 100 SignaturesCreated by abbey good
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Portland Public Schools: Fix Your SurveyWe support PPS using a survey as one tool in its outreach to parents. We expect PPS to take our privacy rights seriously too. Build trust by hearing parents on this privacy policy change and we will spread the word on the survey. Thank-you!44 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Siobhan Burke
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Bring healthier food to Maryland's schoolsAs parents, grandparents, parents-to-be, and community supporters, we believe that the food served by our public schools is a significant financial and social investment intended to help our students attain better health, enhance their learning, support food security, and foster a lifetime of good eating habits. However, at present, it’s not uncommon for schools to sell and market chemical-laden, sugary foods to our children, nor is it uncommon for processed meals containing additives, some of which have been shown to cause cancer, hyperactivity, and other behavioral impairments in children, to be routinely served. Healthy School Food Maryland proposes this legislation, in part, to help parents and community members know more about the foods sold in our children’s schools, and to enable us to participate in the process of establishing wellness policies for our schools. We believe that Maryland’s public schools can do more to maximize federal, state and local investments in school food so that they enhance rather than detract from the health of our children. We ask that you support the following legislation to address these concerns: Jane Lawton Farm-to-School Act Expansion: Expand Maryland farm-to-school week from one week a year to two weeks a year, one week in the fall and one week in the spring. School Lunch Diabetes & Obesity Reduction Act: Ask each school district to write and implement a plan to reduce sugar loads for all school-provided foods to within limits recommended by the American Heart Association. Thirsty Kids Act: Offer free, unlimited water to children in school cafeterias by using reusable water bottles and offering cups. Chemical-Free School Food Act: Prohibit chemicals in school food that have been shown to be carcinogenic in animal studies or associated with hyperactivity and/or other behavioral and health problems in children. Healthy School Snacks and Marketing Act: Require 24-hour compliance with local and state guidelines for food and drinks sold and/or served in schools on a regular basis; marketing limited to only compliant foods and beverages. School Food Transparency Act: Improve transparency of foods served in schools by providing parents with a list of a la carte, breakfast, and lunch menu items. Require menus to be posted on the school’s website, including ingredient lists and nutritional information for all foods sold. School Wellness Committee Act: Establish standing wellness committees with parent and community representation. For the full details and bill text, see: http://www.healthyschoolfoodmd.org900 of 1,000 SignaturesCreated by Lindsey Parsons
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Food reform at HobartI attend Hobart, and the food served is unhealthy, dismal, and tasteless. Feeding kids moderately healthy, tasteful food leads to more academic success, and the well-being of the student body is increased with actual nutrition in the meals.174 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Mitchell Sklar
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Educators need union protection to advocate for test refusalAs professionals in the field of education, we are held responsible to high standards in the classroom. We must ensure that we provide excellence and results for our students. We are held accountable not just by supervisors and districts, but by parents who rely on us for honest assessments of their children’s progress and classroom choices that are in the best interest of their children. Fundamentally, our primary responsibility is to our students and as such we must be able to speak freely about what is in their best interest. Since the introduction of high stakes standardized testing, it is even more critical that we are protected to speak honestly about what is happening in our classrooms. If teachers believe, based upon their professional expertise, that high stakes standardized testing and preparation are not in the best interest of their students, they must be allowed to say so. They cannot be asked to support something that their professional expertise informs them is not useful and is in fact detrimental. But teachers currently fear retaliation if they share their professional opinion. Teachers are being told they are not allowed to speak about their concerns regarding PARCC or to engage in discussions with parents who wish to refuse the tests. Concerns are compounded because there is no formal policy coming from many districts, and because many teachers are also parents. There is no more important time for the teachers union to be at the forefront of protecting the freedom of speech and academic freedom of their members. Without that protection, teachers will have to choose between being honest to their professional responsibilities and remaining silent in fear of retaliation.296 of 300 SignaturesCreated by Melissa A Tomlinson
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Petition to SAVE the Entrepreneur High School (EHS)The North Carolina State Board of Education's Executive Committee has voted to initiate the revocation of the charter for EHS. In their vote, they ignored the fact that we obtained what they asked for - financial and management support from two very strong and experienced partners. Preparing high school students to be self sufficient and independent allows them to avoid low paying jobs or worse - chronic unemployment, welfare dependence or incarceration. EHS met this need. EHS was started to provide students with a high school diploma AND a technical certification. We prepare students for employment in a trade, to start a company or go to college. If the school shuts down, it will be difficult for our students to find a comparable entrepreneurial education and access to the promising future EHS would like to provide.377 of 400 SignaturesCreated by Robert Hillman
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Protect HCPSS Para-educator Positions!Please make your concerns with school based staffing cuts in HCPSS known prior to the Board of Education's public hearing on the proposed FY16 budget on February 3rd. HCPSS's commitment to school based staffing is one of the vital keys to our students' success!3,158 of 4,000 SignaturesCreated by Lynn Rashid
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Support teachers' right to organize a union without fear at ASPIRA ChartersASPIRA was originally founded in 1961 by social justice advocate and union activist, Antonia Pantoja, to address the high drop-out rate and low academic achievement of Puerto Rican youth. Their staff is dedicated to upholding that mission and seeks the board’s recognition of their hard work. In the spring of 2013 a committee of concerned educators at ASPIRA launched their campaign to form a union. The board of ASPIRA and its administration immediately launched an anti-union campaign in response. They threatened to terminate several key members of the union committee. The community rallied around the educators and charges were filed against ASPIRA at the National Labor Relations Board. Thankfully no members of the union committee were terminated. The NLRB charges were settled, and ASPIRA considerably toned down their anti-union rhetoric. Over a hundred staff members at ASPIRA schools have courageously and publicly declared their support for a union. However there are still members of the staff who are hesitant to openly support the union effort because of the chilling effect of ASPIRA’s initial anti-union campaign. That is why we are now asking for the board to publicly declare that they will not interfere with the staff’s right to organize, and agree to provide a peaceful and unobstructed pathway to union recognition. Please sign this petition demanding the ASPIRA board respect the rights of their staff by pledging to remain neutral during the unionization effort at ASPIRA. Spanish Translation: ASPIRA fue fundada originalmente en 1961 por el defensor de justicia social y activista sindical, Antonia Pantoja, para hacer frente a la alta tasa de deserción escolar y el bajo rendimiento académico en la juventud puertorriqueña. Su personal está dedicado a la defensa de esa misión y busca el reconocimiento de la mesa directiva por su ardua labor. En la primavera del 2013, un comité de educadores interesados de ASPIRA lanzaron su campaña de formar un sindicato. La mesa directiva de ASPIRA y su administración inmediatamente lanzaron una campaña antisindical en respuesta. Amenazaron con despedir a varios miembros clave del comité sindical. La comunidad se reunió en torno a los educadores y presentaron cargos contra ASPIRA ante la Junta Nacional de Relaciones Labores (NLRB por sus siglas en inglés). Afortunadamente ningún miembro del comité sindical fue despedido. Los cargos de la NLRB se resolvieron y ASPIRA moderó considerablemente su retórica antisindical. Más de un centenar de miembros del personal en las escuelas ASPIRA han declarado valiente y públicamente su apoyo al sindicato. Sin embargo, todavía hay miembros que no se atreven a respaldar públicamente el esfuerzo sindical debido al efecto de enfriamiento de la campaña inicial antisindical de ASPIRA. Es por eso que ahora estamos pidiendo a la mesa directiva que declare públicamente que no va a interferir con el derecho del personal a organizarse y que esté de acuerdo en proporcionar una vía pacífica y sin obstáculos para el reconocimiento del sindicato. Por favor firme esta petición exigiendo a la mesa directiva de ASPIRA que respete los derechos de su personal mediante la promesa de permanecer neutral durante el esfuerzo de sindicalismo en ASPIRA.1,096 of 2,000 SignaturesCreated by ASPIRA Teachers
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WMU: Save the College of Arts and SciencesFiring a popular, student-supporting dean over end-of-the-year bonuses to administrative staff while rewarding a football coach with a $800,000 a year makes clear WMU's priorities. They need to change. Reinstate Dean Alex Enyedi; it's the right thing to do.1,375 of 2,000 SignaturesCreated by Sarah Hill
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Evening the Odds Against Bullying (and Violence) In SchoolsAs a parent of children who attend public schools in Virginia, I have witnessed first hand the effect school violence can have on the ability to learn and thrive in the school system. It is time for a change to happen. It is time for parents who send their children to school to learn, to be able to feel safe in doing so. As parents we have a right to be able to send our children to public schools to learn and be free from violence. It should not be the victims of these attacks and/or instances of bullying, that must find new schools to attend out of fear or embarrassment, but should instead be the requirement of those who commit the violent acts. It is also important for schools and those in power to realize that the need for counseling and anger management in early instances of violence is important to preventing these children from growing into violent adults. Our children have a right to education and to feel safe in getting that. Please help show support in making our schools safer for our children and in ensuring that children who need help receive that.58 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Valerie Arrington
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Do not let Obama's plan to tax 529k plans become lawThe idea that all people in America should have access to a Community College education is a great idea. I have saved for the last 16 years for my daughter's education. Living frugally and forgoing new cars and dinners out so that we could put aside money into the 529k. Now the President is suggesting that these funds be taxed so that others can benefit from my years of saving and planning.42 of 100 SignaturesCreated by John Logan
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Stop the Common Core teaching methods and testingOur children' s education is being ruined by Common Core teaching methods and testing.34 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Cynthia Hill