Folks in Georgia want the Georgia legislature to restore funding for public schools rather than spending tax dollars on building a parallel system of charter schools that lack the same oversight and standards as public schools.

My twins I'sai-yah and Shiloh has been educated at Early Head Start in Monroe, North Carolina since 2010, until this year they were kicked out because my gross income exceeded what the federal government says I should make for a family of five. My children were adapted to going to school. They loved to learn and were eager to share their new found knowledge with their eldest sister that is currently enrolled in school, but they were put on a waiting list that has no projected return date. To add insult to injury they were bumped down every time a new mother with a greater need came in for their children. I met with the board director this past Wednesday and she stated that my husband's income and mine was too high, she also stated that I was not in a domestic relationship, DSS was not in my home and my children were not in their care, in addition to me not being homeless. No child should be left behind, but why are the working citizen’s children falling through the crack? President Obama, North Carolina has had your back in the election, can you have our back and hear our cry?

The time has come for teachers and other school employees to stop the use of food rewards in the classroom. At my daughter's school it is very common for the teachers to hand out candy as rewards in the classroom. When the whole country is struggling to keep children healthy and avoid childhood obesity, I find it surprising that teachers and the school as a whole are doing this. While it may provide short term behavior or performance changes, this practice has real long term consequences. As parents, it’s our job to look out for our children’s long term health and learning experience. Some may point out that my daughter’s food allergies make it easy for me to disapprove of this, but this goes beyond children with food allergies. This practice is hurting everyone, including the teachers and the school. I know many parents who really don’t like the practice as well, but are just not sure how to change it. The teachers and school openly support and rely on these rewards, but I guess no one has challenged it or pointed out how inappropriate it is. Here it goes, here’s my case against food rewards in the classroom: *The first and obvious reason – these foods are unhealthy. Candy and junk food contribute to poor health. Candy and sugary rewards increase the risk of cavities and hyperactivity and can lead to problems like diabetes and obesity. Pizza, ice cream and cookies are not healthy foods and should be eaten in moderation. When given throughout the day, they can take the place of or interfere with healthy choices. Eating when your not hungry teaches poor eating habits and interferes with the child’s ability to understand when they are hungry. *Parents should decide what their children should eat and the school should respect that choice. Children are given food in the classroom all the time and parents have no idea what and how much. *Eating sweets increases a preference for sweets. We’ve all seen it. I gave my 3 year old a fruit juice lollipop and for a week afterwards, he he insisted on lollipops for breakfast, lunch and dinner instead of a real meal. It was a tough battle that I hadn’t anticipated. *It’s manipulation. A child promised a treat for learning has been given every reason to stop doing so as soon as the reward goes away. Children will very quickly realize that the rewards can work both ways -” if you don’t give me the reward, I won’t cooperate”. *It teaches children inappropriate associations with food. Food rewards create the understanding that food and sustenance are things one has to earn. *Food rewards are confusing and compromise learning. The children are taught about nutrition to promote healthy habits, but by giving out candy in class they are completely contradicting that message. A recent field trip to the skating rink was touted as being part of the children’s health curriculum, but pizza was included as part of the field trip. My daughter was quick to point this out and I have to agree with her–this isn’t the best way to end a “health” fieldtrip. Developing a child’s inner sense of accomplishment is a beautiful thing. An internal sense of success is powerful, and creates a sense of accomplishment that pales in comparison to any external praise, or tangible reward, for a job well done. This, in my opinion is the real juice that keeps kids excited about learning. This is what we need to aim for as a goal for our children and support our schools and teachers in that goal. So what can we do? We want what’s best for our children and we want them to have the best education experience possible. If we want change, we have to ask for it. This is me asking for change. This is me asking teachers and schools to stop using food rewards in the classroom. Join me in asking our schools for change. Let's see how far we can go for our kids!

Since graduation, I have been unable to secure full time permanent employment, which makes it a hardship to repay the student loan. The schools promise to assist in employment positions after graduation was not productive. I am close to retirement age and foresee great difficulty in repaying a loan for education that could not be used to produce sufficient funds to warrant receiving the loan.

Sex Education is so vital in our Country and is a free right. We cannot allow a legistlator, polititian or Minister toy with thelives of our youth and of the unborn. I worked for HealthWorks Theatre Company in Chicago and saw the difference it made to be able to answer questions by our young people about their bodies, HIV and AIDS, pregnancy and how to protect themselves and how to make the right decisions for themselves. We as Americans have an advantage that many people across the world don't. We can share our knowledge and help others openly and graciously. Let us keep our country real and full of positive pride.

Get 100 people creditable people to vote on the issues that the candidates state as truth. Get the public to vote for and against people on the panel to get rid of the far right and far left people.

Our taxpayer dollars bailed out the banks. The interest our money we save in these banks is earning less than 1% interest. I petition that students Stafford Loans that are being paid should have the interest eliminated, or at least lowered to the same low rates we are receiving from the banks we bailed out. If you want to get more money back into the economy, eliminate or lower the rates as I've stated, Help bail out these students, many who can't even find jobs. Congress was considering raising rates back up to at least 6% and we are supposed to be thankful that they are trying to keep them at 3%. Well congress 3% is not low enough. Eliminate, or lower them to the same rates the banks that taxpayers bailed out are giving us on our savings accounts. If you're even lucky enough to still have a savings account.

Mandatory education on people's cultures and heritages which make up America's population is needed to prevent spread of ignorance, fear and hate especially in cases where it's misdirected. Also education on the constitution is needed to be implemented in the military, police and law enforcement and high school as a mandatory level of proficiency. This weekend there was a mass murder on a Sikh Temple or Gwardtha and the perpetrator likely thought he was attacking Muslims. The majority of the country does not know anything about the religion of Islam in the first place. Misunderstood, misguided anger. Military members take an oath to "support and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies foreign and domestic." Yet after they take their oath there is no education or discussions on the constitution unless you have someone who wants to stick out their necks and have a private class with their troops. They have no idea why they are in Iraq and preparing to war with Iran as well as the attempted long term occupation of Afghanistan after Russia's failed 15 year attempt and bankruptcy and fall as a country. All the mandatory training in the military and none of it is on the constitution or the religions of the world which is the first thing we are taught that this "War on Terrorism" is from .... key word RIP Religious Ideological Political.... reasons for terrorist acts. Labels and racial slurs are perpetuated in the military which may have contributed and lead to the shooting in Fort Hood Texas as well as this last shooting in the Sikh temple. When people have a basic understanding of each other they have proven to get along better. Many Americans and in other countries work together side by side regardless of religious denomination or ethnicity. Multicultural heritage celebrations, food and festivals are great and do wonders for the communities. It can't be limited to one group and groups should not be excluded unless they perpetuate hate and fear through the spread of like messages of ignorance.

The objective teaching of all relevant scientifc theories both for and against evolution in public schools

Petition the President of the United State to make all schools equal and the arts included in all curriculums. Not only wealthy communities should have Arts and Foreign langauage. Lets make it a law for all Public schools.

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A decade's old regulation (part 'd' of the "a-g" requirements) is stifling California's high school education. The University of California's Office of the President should act to recognize the promise of modern technology and drastically revise this regulation to save money and improve science learning.