• STOP THE CLOSURE OF THE CITY OF NEWARK (NJ) PUBLIC SCHOOL
    ACTIONS WERE TAKEN WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE RESIDENTS OF NEWARK...THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN IS OUR TOP PRIORITY AND THE CLOSURE OF THESE SCHOOLS WILL PLACE OUR CHILDREN AT A HIGHER DISADVANTAGE...THE PROCESS SHOULD ALLOW PARENTS, STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, COMMUNITY AND TAXPAYERS TO BE PART OF THE DECISIONMAKING PROCESS.
    628 of 800 Signatures
    Created by Shirley J. Johnson
  • Seattle MAP test boycott
    The MAP tests are useless and do not accomplish anything. The teachers are judged on tests that are not acurate and are not in the curriculum.
    13 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Andrew Nelson
  • Speaking Peace: part of the solution
    I believe that the solution to violence is compassion and connection, which can be taught through the Nonviolent Communication system of Marshall B. Rosenberg, which teaches us to explore our feelings and needs. When we have human needs that are not being met this leads to hurt feelings which, if not understood and accepted, can lead to conflict. I know that through mandatory classes that teach empathy and empathic listening skills, nonviolent solutions that acknowledge feelings, provide acceptance, and satisfy our joint needs can be discovered. I know from personal experience that this form of communication is powerful and transformative - it is an avenue that will lead to peace - personal, national, and global.
    39 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Thomas Ferrari
  • Board of Education: Millburn Residents Should Be Allowed to Celebrate Their Religious Diversity
    Dear Board members: America thrives on diversity and is a synthesis of varied races, religions, and cultures. The fusion of cultures here is so exceptional that citizens can be just as proud of their original cultural heritage as they are to be an American. In our own town of Millburn, the escalating influx of Indian Americans in the last five years has dramatically changed the demographics. There are thousands of Indian Americans in town. Hindu students are a significant presence in our township schools. It is thus critical to recognize this religious and cultural diversity. Hinduism is a major religion in the world, next only to Christianity and Islam. And Diwali is the biggest festival for Hindus – it is the Hindu version of Christmas and Hanukkah. But it also has significance for other religious groups such as Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. Diwali is a celebration of good over evil, a value that has such universal appeal that even the White House has been celebrating it for the past five years. Observing one day school holiday for Diwali, a festival which is in fact celebrated over five days, would make a meaningful difference to the scores of people celebrating it in town. It would allow them time to celebrate as the holiday is meant to be celebrated: by going to the temple, exchanging gifts, calling relatives in India or simply celebrating with immediate family and friends throughout the day. It would impress upon children, who soak up values from the surrounding culture, that different heritages are celebrated by all. Creating awareness about other religions and cultures would make Millburn students well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow. This request to recognize one of the major festivals celebrated in town is neither radical nor unreasonable. It is going to take all of us, working together, to embrace, enrich and celebrate the American diversity in our own community. Please support the movement and declare Diwali a school holiday in Millburn. Sincerely, Padmaja Chinta Millburn, New Jersey December 18, 2013.
    325 of 400 Signatures
    Created by Padmaja
  • save garr academy
    To save garr academy by having the sign the M.O.U and stepping down. This is affecting me because my daughter is a long time student of garr as well as many other students who are being forced out and given no choice but to be removed from the environment that excel in and subjected to the over crowding and low test scores of public schools thus affecting their ability to learn.
    48 of 100 Signatures
    Created by shauntel Henderson
  • No School Tomorrow
    It is dangerous to have school on 12/18/13 due to snow and ice conditions. I am seriously concerned about the ice already on the sidewalks and the heavy snowfall on top of that. These conditions alone should be enough to cancel school and protect our community. If school isn't canceled students could get hurt getting to and from school. Some students have long commutes and it is always best to make the safest choice possible and not risk anything.
    10 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Rowan Dinneen
  • Reevaluate current loan forgiveness programs, for teachers!
    The vast majority of educators enter their career in a quest to educate our young and impressionable youth. They have dreams of making a difference. Teachers ensure that their dreams come to fruition, by planning engaging, differentiated and rigorous lessons. In addition to teachers spending countless hours planning, they spend even more time cultivating rapport with the parents and students that they serve. Teachers do the aforementioned, day after day, even though they continue to be underpaid and under-appreciated. In addition to teachers being underpaid, post obtaining a master’s degree (so that they are deemed highly qualified in their content areas), they are often left with expensive student loans, with high interest rates. Unfortunately, this usually means that teachers are working to pay back their student loans, because often times they have very little money to pay their monthly bills, let alone money to travel or partake in leisure. Moreover, many teachers work part time jobs, just to make ends meet. Currently, there are loan forgiveness plans that forgive $17,000 worth of debt, for teachers who have worked 5 consecutive years in schools that serve students who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. This is problematic, because educating youth, is educating youth. Furthermore, all stakeholders, in the arena of education, know that the scholar who lives in an affluent school district requires just as much teacher preparation, as the scholar that resides in a non-affluent zip code. For this reason, I am asking policy makers to reevaluate their EXTREMELY limiting loan forgiveness programs that are available for teachers, by extending loan forgiveness to ALL teachers. I am also asking that policy makers consider reducing or eliminating interest, for teachers.
    23 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Crystal Jade Caballero
  • Have Tablets in Class
    This is started because it is a cause I believe in and this is a school assignment!
    15 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Alex
  • Save the Mckinney FFA Heifer Program
    The McKinney FFA Heifer program offers educational benefits not provided by Market projects. I have spent four years in this program learning its ins and outs and cannot imagine future high scholars not being able to do the same. Don't let this program fade out. Help us keep it in place!
    153 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Madison Duane
  • ASPIRA of IL: A Fair Contract for Teachers = Stability for Students
    Recently, a student asked my co-worker, “Why do we keep having new principals?” One thing I have learned in my experience as a teacher is that schools must sustain a stable learning environment for students. This is not the case at ASPIRA of Illinois, which has endured two changes in the network’s administration, repeated turnover in school leadership, and well over 50 percent teacher turnover. Our students deserve stable learning environments.
    1,128 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by Drew Erdelack, Teacher at ASPIRA Antonia Pantoja High School Picture
  • Stop Over-Testing Our Children
    Children as young as 5 years old are experiencing test anxiety due to standardized testing. Dallas ISD is over-testing our children. Standardized tests do not improve student achievement and are not a reliable way to measure a students or teachers abilities. My tax dollars should not be spent on standardized tests.
    45 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Tara Brock
  • Teach NONVIOLENCE in our SCHOOLS
    We believe that the solution to violence is compassion and connection, which can be taught through the Nonviolent Communication, which teaches us to explore the needs we have that are not being met and lead to conflict. We believe that through mandatory classes that teach us to have empathy for each other through understanding our needs and others' needs behind the issues of conflict, nonviolent solutions that satisfy our joint needs can be discovered. Violence affects us all in our society, and education is a major key to ending it.
    12 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Ana Page