As a young widow, and single mother trying to complete my degree in order to support my child without my husband, the increases in student loan interest rates will have a huge affect on my future. I am trying to make a decent life for my family, and already have a lot of student debt to pay off. The pending rate increases will keep me, and many others, struggling even after finally getting an education that will lead to a viable career.

Senator Bennett from the state of Colorado has re-introduced the (inappropriately named) Growing Excellent Achievement Training Academies for Teachers and Principals (GREAT) Act, a bill to reshape teacher preparation, drastically lowering the standards for those doing this crucial work. This bill would allow anyone to open a "teacher preparation academy", regardless of his or her expertise or credentials and would require states equate this training with a Masters Degree from an accredited institution of higher education. Supporters include New Schools Venture Fund, Democrats for Education Reform, Stand For Children, Teach For America, TNTP, NCTQ and many more "reformers." Stand against S. 1250 (112th): GREAT Teachers and Principals Act- our kids deserve better.

Despite the outcry from the people of the City of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel declares that the largest school closing in history is "difficult but necessary." Still, he announces a plan to spend millions of dollars for a12,000-seat arena for DePaul University at McCormick Place, a proposal that will require taxpayer dollars. Join DePaul Students/Faculty/Alumni in demanding that Rahm Emanuel use this money instead to keep the closing schools open.

This petition in support of keeping Jessica Gronemeyer at Lawton in an early elementary position. Jessica Gronemeyer received a pink slip based on her years experience and not her highly effective teaching in the K-1 classroom at Lawton. We believe that this highly effective, national board certified, diversity specialist and ESL trained teacher should retain her current position at Lawton.

To dove tale the already existing petition about the interest rate on student loans, I think that people should only have to pay the Principal back no matter how old the student loan is. Yes it affects me.

Because my sister as an educator and administrator has a Masters in Early Childhood Development, I had assumed all educators were required to have education in child development. Wrong. There is so much more insight to child development than even 20-30 years ago. We also know that addressing your audience is a fundamental key to communication of anything. I would like to see education in child development be a requirement for all teachers.

We support preschool for All children.

We don't want our children to be displaced from their community school and we want them to have access to the resources in their building such as the cafeteria, gymnasium, library, auditorium, and the pool! Also, PS 125 should be allowed to expand its enrollment to service the community especially when there are waiting lists of parents that want to enroll their children specifically in our school. Our children are being subjected to "separate and unequal" educational experiences and in the year of 2013 that should not happen!

Parents requesting freedom of choice for their children for lunchtime seating for all Holmes School students.

Parents requesting freedom of choice for their children for lunchtime seating for Holmes School 4th & 5th graders.

President of El Camino Community College Thomas Fallo has for the third time in his twenty five year presidency threatened to retire then been offered a raise to stay like a Cronyism would behave like. This amid many budget constraints and program budget cuts for students, whole programs and semesters done away with, no raise for faculty and staff for at least five years, many layoffs, and a gaggle of union busting behavior. Let me state Fallo’s salary was $277,000.00 raised to $313,000.00 with another $3,500.00a year in expenses. The President of the Compton campus makes only $188,000.00 for the exact same job and the exact same duties. Moreover the Board of Trustees voted on this 4 t o 1 raise right after going from Trustees at large to answer to the whole community to district which makes them far accountable to all of the constituents.

I am an elderly person living on social security disability and have been as a result of a car accident back in May of 1997 that took me out of work from my job in law enforcement where I was employed for almost 24 years. I attempted at one point to go back to school (when around 1985-86). However, due to health problems, I was unable to complete the course (in advertising and computer design). I had to leave school. My initial student loan was not more than $2,500. Today, on social security disability, I am told that I owe the student loan educational people in excess of $17,000! Despite the fact that they have been deducting $151.00 from my disability check EACH MONTH, leaving me less than $800 to live on for the month, they called me this week and asked me how soon I can send in the balance of the loan which is in excess of $17,000! I am also a diabetic and cannot afford the types of food I need to eat to care for my health. I lost my husband in 2004, live alone and cannot meet my personal needs. I receive $16 per month in food stamps! This is a grave travesty in this supposedly richest country in the world. I reapplied for a forbearance, and was told that the fact that I am on disability and have been for some time is not enough of a reason for them to stop this monthly electronic deduction. I need proof from the medical profession that my disability is sure to result in death! I am 63 years of age and cannot take on gainful employment, and even if I could, where would I get 'gainful employment' at this age? I worked all of my life for this money. Because I had no dependents, very much was taken out of my pay. Why now is it possible for this to be happening that I cannot get access to money that I worked for! No one gave it to me. Is this why the checks went to automatic electronic deduction? So that they could have full control over the money we worked for and paid into the system. Have we no more control over the money we worked for? Is there no recourse for this in that they can take this money out now INDEFINITELY--leaving me not enough to live on!