Parents for Public Schools of Syracuse has been urging our elected officials to make school funding equitable for more than 10 years. With an ever decreasing tax base and an increase in the number of children living in poverty, the inequity has reached crisis proportions. The Syracuse City School District is dependent on the state for the majority of the school funding and the residents do not vote for a school budget. It’s time to take the politics out of education funding and start equalizing the funding between poor and affluent districts.

Closing Heritage Heights directly effects all WNYers. It will effect our community, our jobs, our schools and our economy.

I believe students have the ability to make changes big or small. It would bring more money in for Platte Canyon and it would allow for one more activity for our youth. Activites are hard to come by in our small community. Keeping kids active has been proven to keep kids out of trouble.

It is time for parents to stand up against the unfair forcing of children into high stakes testing situations. Testing is a multi-billion dollar industry. Our government, subject to powerful lobbyists and money, can’t be counted to stop this epidemic. There is NO evidence that these tests accurately measure a child's knowledge. There are numerous real variables, such as poverty, which have much higher significance on a child's success rate. High-stakes standardized test are a boondoggle, created to enable cynical developers to privatize our childrens' education-- for profit. We believe that parents have a constitutional right (under the 14th Amendment) to protect their child however they feel necessary. To protect our children from the madness of standardized testing, we must be free to exercise our parental rights to opt-out, free of any fears that there could be punishments inflicted on their children, their teachers or their schools.

Have you often wondered why there are Bus Cams but not classroom Cams? I am a parent of a child who was verbally, and emotionally abused by a teacher, it's a horrible feeling seeing your child go through something like this. When my son was 7 years old a 2nd grader he would come home saying how dumb he was and said he wish he was dead, all because of misguidance from a teacher. Many times and like my case the only action that would take place was that my son was removed from the classroom to another. Years later we are noticing similar behavior from our son and he would come home in tears. We took action yet again and are currently dealing with another situation of bullying and belittling from one of his teachers. Unfortunately the schools are ultimately one-sided in discipline and punishment. It is difficult to defend a child in this position since the school professionals tend to band together and tell a one-sided story which usually ends in the child being blamed wholly for any "disturbance". Cameras in Classrooms is a bright solution to many of our bullying cases! Issues with a child misbehaving in class rooms or teachers misbehaving/abusing, when having meetings for concerns it will no longer be he said she said, this will create problem solving and a less stressful environment for everyone involved! Why are there cameras on buses and NOT in our classrooms! Bullying is growing fast this would be a great way to identify the problem at the beginning and not when it's to late! We as parent should have the right to know what happens behind closed doors!

I am a certified science teacher, parent of a Detroit Public School graduate, and current Education Advocate which believe all Michigan children deserve a quality public education. Based on the evidence uncovered on the E.A.A. by civic and educational leaders, students attending the E.A.A. are subjected to a culture of violence, sub-par learning conditions, high teacher turnover, over sized classrooms, failing pedagogical practices, which will ultimately leave them behind on college and career readiness. This failing experiment and the expansion via HB 4369 must be stopped to ensure the future of Michigan's greatest asset; "Our Children"! #TogetherWeCan

Since before 1992, the Junior/Senior prom has not allowed it's Juniors & Seniors to bring their underclassmen boyfriends/girlfriends, thereby making the Juniors & Seniors choose - Miss the prom, go alone, or bring someone who you are not in a relationship with. If you are dating an underclassman, then you should not have to miss out on your prom because you cannot bring your girlfriend/boyfriend. You should be allowed to bring the date of your choice. You too, should be allowed to experience all that high school has to offer, including your Prom. You should be allowed to have those cherished memories of taking the date of your choice to your Prom and getting all dressed up, having your pictures taken, and dancing away the night. Please support this petition. We need a majority of Junior & Seniors from Rock Hill High School in order to get this into discussions. Your time and assistance - and SIGNATURE is greatly appreciated.

Illinois State Senator Ira Silverstein has introduced a bill - SB 3017 - that threatens freedom of speech and academic freedom in Illinois. The Illinois ACLU opposes the bill. (1) Similar bills in New York and Maryland have been opposed by the American Association of University Professors, (2) the New York ACLU (3), and the ACLU of Maryland. (4) These bills would, by threat of cutting funding, prohibit public universities from reimbursing faculty participation in professional organizations that adopt resolutions that support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel for its policies toward the Palestinians. Some legislators disagree with BDS and want to punish academic associations that have declared support for it. Regardless of how one feels about BDS, it’s the First Amendment right of academics to support or oppose such resolutions, and it’s their First Amendment right to participate in professional associations that support such resolutions. (5) Urge Illinois legislators and Governor Patrick Quinn to oppose SB 3017 by signing our petition. [UPDATE, 3/5: There was no hearing of this provision in the Senate's higher education committee on March 4. According to the Illinois ACLU, the next time the bill could come up in the Senate's higher education committee is March 19.] [UPDATE, 3/10: There is now a petition specifically for Illinois academics: NOTE: *please* put your Illinois academic affiliation in the comments, in keeping with the spirit of having an Illinois academics' petition. http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/illinois-legislators] [Update 3/21/14: We are delighted to report that State Senate Bill 3017 was not called for debate or a vote during the Judiciary Committee hearing on Wed., March 19th. It now appears, although there is no certainty on this, that the bill will not be moved forward during this legislative session. If the March 28th deadline for moving a bill is not met, it means this unconstitutional assault on academic freedom and free speech will have effectively been defeated. We have come this far because people and organizations throughout Illinois took action. Our hundreds of phone calls and email messages, the petitions, and the direct discussions with members of the State Legislature all had an impact and made a difference! We had a sense we were on strong footing when we saw that 95 organizations and individuals had submitted to the Judiciary Committee "witness slips" through Wednesday indicating that they opposed this legislation, even though they could not appear at the committee hearing in person. Only 3 people submitted witness slips in support of the bill. The issue is not quite settled though. A State Senate resolution introduced by the same Senator Silverstein, SJR 59, is still pending. It has much the same purpose of undermining academic boycotts of Israel, minus the punitive measure of defunding public universities. The Resolution has still not been assigned to a Senate Committee.] References: 1. Letter to members of the Senate Higher Education Committee, Illinois ACLU, March 4, 2014, http://palestinelegalsupport.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ACLU-IL_LetterToHECreSB-3017.pdf 2. “AAUP Opposes Anti-Boycott Legislation,” http://www.aaup.org/news/aaup-opposes-anti-boycott-legislation 3. "Legislative Memo: In Relation to Withholding State Funds from Public Universities that Support Academic Associations that are Engaging in Boycotts," NYCLU, February 10, 2014, http://www.nyclu.org/content/relation-withholding-state-funds-public-universities-support-academic-associations-are-engag 4. “Who We Are,” Keep Free Speech in the Free State, http://www.freespeechfreestate.org/who_we_are 5. “Maryland bills would stifle academic freedom,” Melani McAlister, Baltimore Sun, February 12, 2014, http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-academic-freedom-20140212,0,7489561.story

This Thursday, March 6, the Oregon State Board of Education will vote on whether to adopt Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that include climate science education for Oregon students. These new standards were developed by an arm of the National Academy of Sciences and 26 states including Oregon. Opposition to the new science standards is growing across the country among vocal groups that don't want kids taught the facts about climate change. Let's make sure that the Board of Education hears from parents, grandparents and other supporters of climate science education loudly and clearly before they vote this Thursday. Climate science deniers and other opponents have become increasingly active in states around the country considering adoption of the NGSS. Just last week in Wyoming, state legislators voted to prohibit their Department of Education from implementing the NGSS. In Michigan, opponents have derailed the adoption process by more than a year. This is a crucial moment that will determine whether or not Oregon students will receive a 21st century science education that includes learning about climate change. Let's make sure those who don’t “believe” in climate change and other accepted findings of science don't block the teaching of world class science standards to our kids here in Oregon! Please sign the petition calling on the Board of Education to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards that include climate science education. If we act today, our children and grandchildren will thank us tomorrow! Sincerely, Elizabeth Milner, Mom and Climate Parents member Portland, OR

As a Wise County resident, I was extremely upset that there is a petition to have this book removed from the school's library. This type of suppression of anything having to do with homosexuality does nothing but foster homophobia and bullying against LGBT students in our local schools. A parent or even group of parents should not be able to dictate what everyone's child has the opportunity to read now and in the future. They certainly don't get to decide what's "immoral". Please protect all of our students from this type of suppression because of the inability of some parents to maturely handle such matters.

Part of what makes Timber Creek a desirable school for community members is its diverse elective offerings that appeal to the individual interests of its student body. Let's make sure that OCPS knows that our community wants to keep the classes it has cut (without input from our students, parents, and administrators) such as forensics, zoology, creative writing, African American Studies, medical research, genetics, integrated science, and sculpture. Please consider e-mailing your reasons for wanting to keep these courses to Superintendent Barbara Jenkins at [email protected] and Chief Academic Officer Scott Fritz at [email protected].

On February 27, 2014, my ten year old son, Michael brought a book home from school, entitled, "Addie On The Inside" by James Howe. The book deals with the subject of homosexuality, and is offensive to the faith and belief of our family. My son Michael felt very uncomfortable having to read this book, as did I. Please sign this petition if you do not agree with fifth graders being exposed to such books., especially when the Bible is not allowed in the library. Thank you.