Tallahassee republican politicians have proposed that the Holmes County schools concentrate on funneling our children into low paying blue collar jobs, the jobs that disappearing the fastest to automation. I believe that our children are equally capable of being the future leaders of our nation and our commerce and culture just as they are any other place in these United States, and they should not be hindered nor diverted by any deliberate truncation or modification of their educations for this purpose.

In a time when record numbers of students are applying for admission to colleges and universities, LS students are at a disadvantage due to the school's policy of not reweighting GPAs to reflect the rigor of coursework offered at the school. Students are less competitive with their peers in many neighboring communities that do reweight their GPA, and they are often ineligible for merit scholarships that are based soley on GPA and test scores. Its time to give our students the recognition they deserve for the rigorous coursework they complete in high school. It's time to reweight GPAs.

After my sons incident and meeting other mothers who have dealt with this horrible experience we are determined to make a change! I also want to protect the teachers who are wrongfully accused. NOT all teachers are "monsters". I will continue to go to school board meetings, media, and etc to address this issue. I was told having cameras in classrooms is a "Privacy" issue I strongly agree with this comment I read from an article : " Any privacy issue should override the safety of our children"- Tara H We are a small group of strong mothers that are in it to win it! Please help us with this journey and sign!

Nine (12% of) Grade 12 students have just been expelled for personal possession or consumption of a prohibited substance on a school trip. For all of them this was a first offence. This expulsion came just weeks before final exams. They are now unable to complete High School exams, nor the IB, nor graduate from High School. Most of them had university offers which they now have to forego. What these students did was wrong and we, their parents, agree they should undergo consequences and learn from their foolish mistake. The ISK High School Handbook stipulates the following consequential options for this type of violation: 'in-school or at-home suspension; social/behavioural probation; in-school or external counselling; recommendation of expulsion'. ISK chose expulsion for all nine students who were caught. We think this punishment is disproportionate to the violation, and does not provide any value in terms of educational development for our children. One foolish mistake or bad choice and any ISK teenager could face the same lasting consequences. Please show your opposition to ISK's decision to expel the nine High School students by signing this petition. If you can, please leave a comment saying if you are an ISK parent, an educationalist etc.

We know Pre-K and after-school work. Study after study shows that high-quality investments in early education and extended day learning can boost student achievement and success for years afterward. But today, most children in New York City still don’t have access to free full-day, high quality Pre-K, and tens of thousands of middle school students miss out on educational after-school programs. Universal Pre-K is not a new idea. In fact, Albany has been talking about universal Pre-K ever since 1997. But the money to make it a reality has never come through. To expand Pre-K and after-school, we need a steady, predictable source of funding. That’s why we need Albany to pass UPKNYC’s plan to pay for these critical investments by asking New Yorkers who earn more than $500,000 a year to pay a little bit more in taxes.

This coming Wednesday, February 26, the Nevada State Board of Education will vote on whether Nevada students will be taught climate science as part of the Next Generation Science Standards. But opposition from vocal groups to the new standards is growing across the country, including here in Nevada, in part because the standards teach kids the facts about climate change. State Board of Education members need to hear from parents, grandparents and science supporters immediately. This is a crucial moment that will determine whether or not Nevada students will receive a 21st science education, or whether they will be held back because of those who don’t “believe” in climate change and other accepted findings of science. At a time when climate change-impacted drought is threatening water supplies throughout Nevada, it’s more important than ever for Nevada students to gain a strong understanding of the causes and impacts of climate change so they can be part of the solution. Let’s send the Board a strong message that our kids deserve the best possible science education that includes learning about climate change. Please sign the petition calling on the Board to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards. If we act today, our children and grandchildren will thank us tomorrow! Sincerely, Gretchen Huie, Mom and Science Educator Zephyr Cove, NV

Don't victimize young people by forcing them into areas of study that do not reinforce their educational/career goals. What of the students whose ambitions are being hampered by forced course work in disciplines not related to their educational/career goals? Where is the return on their family's educational investment from public school taxes?

On February 10, Moravian College Professor Gary Olson penned an op-ed in The Morning Call. (Read it here: http://bit.ly/1e5uog2) He discussed the 9/11 memorial which he had recently visited, Noel John Foster, a former student of his killed in the World Trade Center, and the commitment to peace and opposition to U.S. foreign policy that both Olson and Foster held in common. In a move unbefitting a Moravian College President, a week later President Bryon Grigsby wrote a letter to the editor attacking Dr. Olson. (The full text of the letter is below.) • Grigsby doesn't engage with any of the ideas or assertions that Olson wrote, preferring to attack him saying anything political at all. That's not a debate of ideas. That's an attempt to silence. • Given Noel Foster's own activist politics (Noel himself was an anti-apartheid activist as a student), it's especially galling to insist that Olson keep a "political platform" out of any discussion about his former student. No one has the right to police how people choose to remember their loved ones. • Writing that Olson "does not speak on behalf of Moravian College" is unnecessary, because that fact was never in question, so it simply serves to try and isolate Olson from the college and community he has called home for decades. Agree with him or not, Gary Olson is the rare academic who actually writes for mainstream consumption. This is the first time we can find that a President has chosen to publicly rebuke him. President Grigsby: We urge you to resist whatever censorious pressures you are receiving. If past Moravian presidents, including an Air Force lieutenant general, weren't threatened by Dr. Olson’s engagement in the debate of ideas, then we suggest you take a cue from your predecessors. If not for Dr. Olson’s sake, for the sake of non-tenured and adjunct professors who no doubt now feel unsafe in speaking their conscience. President Grigsby’s letter: "The greatest value all colleges and universities share is the open and free debate of ideas within its community. The act of debate makes for a stronger college, a more vibrant community, a better-informed citizenry and a stronger nation. It is with this in mind that I write to share my concern regarding Gary Olson's latest Your View, 'Visit to 9/11 Memorial prompts reflections on attacks.' In the Your View, he uses the tragic death of a Moravian alumnus, Noel Foster, who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center as an opportunity to promote his own political platform. I did not know Noel personally, but in the face of unimaginable circumstances, Noel made choices that epitomized bravery and concern for others. This is how he should be memorialized. While Gary Olson is more than welcome to express his personal belief and opinions, he does not speak on behalf of Moravian College or the alumni, students, faculty or staff." (Link to Grigsby’s letter here: http://bit.ly/1gDaA8S)

OCPS promised Richmond Heights Elementary a new school by supporting the 1/2 sales tax. Then voted to close the school and now want us to support the extension of the 1/2 sales tax.

My faith based school/childcare is accredited by Green Apple Association of Christian Schools, (GAACS). PCB EDC 14-01 is coming up for a committee vote on Thursday, February 20, 2014 or soon thereafter. As your constituent, it is important that you file or support an amendment to the proposed committee bill to create a level playing field for GAACS Accredited Schools/ChildCare Providers. GAACS is an accrediting agency that has consistently believed in meeting and exceeding the state licensing standards and conducting inspections. My faith based school/childcare has been inspected routinely by GAACS validators/inspectors and we wish to continue this process. An amendment to lines 259-279 accepting GAACS inspections to meet substantial compliance requirements in lieu of the department or local licensing agencies would level the playing field, avoid overarching, government involvement in faith based schools/childcare programs, relieve unnecessary burden on the department, and save tax dollars for the state. An amendment to lines 711-722 including GAACS in the list of accrediting agencies would level the playing field for GAACS accredited schools/childcare providers to participate in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program without having to apply for gold seal accreditation which is a higher threshold to meet.

Union College's current policies regarding off campus housing are creating situations that force students to sign leases based off of landlord pressure prior to being released off campus. This has created a tremendous issue in which over 30,000 dollars has been put down on housing by students who have yet to be released by the college due to its current policies which neglect many of the realities of the off campus housing process. Over the past few years off campus housing has become incredibly competitive with leases being signed freshmen and sophomore year. Because of this students are often forced to sign or lose a house they are interested in because of the increased demand. This problem has been compounded by the simple reality that the campus has become over crowded in certain areas creating an image of overcrowding. When students arrive on campus they are at times forced into makeshift triples and quads in Davidson and West where rooms are incredibly tight. This has subsequently fostered a desire to get off campus, that has been taken up by many seniors in my class who have decided that part of the college experience should be the ability to live in a real world environment prior to graduation should you so desire. This petition is an invitation to the administration to reexamine an obviously flawed system and allow these seniors the prerogative to enjoy their final year as they desire. Sincerely, Union College Class of 2015 Below is a copied residential life email sent to the current sophomores last spring (5/1/13) highlighting occupancy issues, forced triples, and release for lottery for all students... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Class of 2016, Over the last three years, Union has experienced an increase in our student population and we are working on plans to create more housing accommodations. In the meantime, we have hit a point where our living space has reached capacity and we need to make some changes to our housing options. In order to allow you to potentially make changes to your living arrangements, please note the following: - The housing lottery and selection process, scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday, May 2, has been postponed until 5 p.m. next Thursday, May 9, in Memorial Chapel. - We have re-opened the off campus release process, and are willing to release more people off campus. This applies to everyone on campus. - We have designated up to 40 rooms in College Park Hall as triples. Students who select a triple in College Park during the lottery will be given a housing rebate of $1,000 for the academic year or $333 per term, which will be credited to your student account. Groups of three who volunteer to move into a triple will get first choice of the triple rooms in College Park Hall before the sophomore lottery starts. - If space is freed up elsewhere on campus during the summer, or in winter or spring, those who are tripled will get first choice of available housing on a first come, first served basis. Once you move out of the triple, the rebate will no longer be in effect. If you have questions, please visit the Residential Life office, located in 409 Reamer Campus Center. Be sure to create a contingency plan so that if you do not end up in your first choice housing, you will be prepared to live in a College Park Hall triple. We understand that this is an inconvenience, and we will continue to work with you in any away we can. If you have any questions, please talk with your Residence Director, or call our office at (518) 388-6117. Thank you for your attention. Office of Residential Life ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My son has Cerebral Palsy and Autism, he has been mistreated in three different schools. I have met with over 267 parents who has experienced worse or similar situations. We must be the voice for children that cant speak and the ears for the children that can't hear. It will not only assist parents in knowing what goes on daily, it will be a great documenting tool to protect the instructor. ..It's a win win. Please help me ..and every parent that unfortunately, felt the pain of our innocent child in a unpleasant environment.