This petition is about New York city teachers that Mayor Bloomburg has been victimizing because the teachers did not support him in his third coming. The mayor gave sweeping mandate to high school principals to rate the experienced teachers unsatisfactory so they can be branded incompetent. In so doing, the DOE can terminate these categories of teachers' employment.

Making sure that teens stay in school to obtain a better education for their future

Corruption is an ongoing problem that has been having an adverse effect on student achievement in urban schools for many years.

Dear Mr. President: You and Secretary Arne Duncan—endorsed in your efforts by Newt Gingrich, Paul Ryan, and a host of reactionary politicians and pundits—now bear a major responsibility for a toxic agenda of “school reform.” The three most trumpeted and simultaneously most destructive aspects of the united “school reform” agenda are these: 1) turning over public assets and spaces to private management; 2) dismantling and opposing any independent, collective voice of teachers; and 3) reducing education to a single narrow metric that claims to recognize an educated person through a test score. While there’s absolutely no substantive proof that this approach improves schooling for children, it chugs along unfazed. Race to the Top is but one example of incentivizing bad behavior and backward ideas about education: It’s one state against another, this school against that one, and my second grade in fierce competition with the second grade across the hall. Arne Duncan attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (as did our three sons); you sent your kids to Lab, and so did your friend Rahm Emanuel. There students found small classes, abundant resources, and opportunities to experiment and explore, ask questions and pursue answers to the far limits, and a minimum of time-out for standardized testing. They found, as well, a respected and unionized teacher corps, people who were committed to a life-long career in teaching and who were encouraged to work cooperatively for their mutual benefit (and who never would settle for being judged, assessed, rewarded, or punished based on student test scores). In a vibrant democracy, whatever the most privileged parents want for their children must serve as a minimum standard for what we as a community want for all of our children. Every child deserves the type of education your children receive. It is time to set American education on that course, and a strong step in that direction would be appointing Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond as Secretary of Education. A teacher and recognized scholar/researcher for decades, Dr. Darling-Hammond will not be swayed by big money or political expediency or the latest fads. She will be independent, professional and principled. We can then return to the precious but fragile ideal that must power education in a democracy: Every human being is of incalculable value, and the fullest development of all is the condition for the full development of each.

My little sister is in 2nd grade and she only has physical education class once a week. children should have this class everyday!

I have had issues with depression when I first started college and began involving friends and staff but felt that, although they had the best intentions, tried to help in ways that made matters worse for the both of us. A group of us would like to see a policy implemented that requires colleges and universities to include, in their curriculum, education on mental health awareness as a prevention tool for students and staff. There are counselors available and that is wonderful but peers and staff can help even more by knowing what to do and what not to do when faced with a friend, peer, or student that is showing signs of mental illness especially depression. Saying or doing the wrong thing can make matters much worse.

The student loan program has only served to put students in debt and put them at a weaker position in the economy. Where other countries in Europe feel that education is a right and does not put their students in debt because they chose to pursue an education and better themselves, our system chooses to punish students. Increasing grants is simply not enough. Either the government provides more ways to abolish student debt or chooses the better of option of making public institutions affordable by covering the cost of tuition. I have started this petition here also: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/reformabolish-student-loan-program/vWMqwfZ2

Under any new student assignment system, permit families who would like to continue an existing affiliation with a Boston Public School to do so, regardless of “zones.” Specifically, this means “grandfathering” current students and their siblings.

My son attend Mount Vernon High School, which the quality of Education in the school is below national level. Our children does not have updated books or computers and other important curriculum to meet our current standard of education in today's competitive market to enter college. Mount Vernon H.S. is using books from 20 years ago to teach our children, and the food they are providing children are terrible. Please help our children in Mount Vernon, New York. Thank you,

yes i have been affected by the issue. these jobs keep temporary employees on the jobs for years. they hold them to the same policy that they hold the permanent employees to. when the holidays come temporary employees are really affected by this in justice. they should at least offer some kinds of benefits after keep temporary employees on the job more than 2yrs

The Texas governor's position on funding public schools has impacted the school district's ability to provide increased teaching methods and increased salaries for public school employees for several years. Rick Perry has refused to accept much needed federal funding, resulting in school districts inability to effectively move forward. The ultimate "crime" is that Texas children are suffering and falling behind the nation's national averages in learning and achievement standards.

The requirement to force employees of the city of saint Louis mo. To reside in an unaccredited school system. To retain their employment.