Sex education should not be banned from any school.

Because interest accumulates during student loan deferment periods, the balance on student loans exceeds the principal more than once during a borrower's lifetime. The result is that borrowers are stuck with student loan debt when they retire on Social Security, even if they had paid back their principal once or twice. Many of the student loan forgiveness bills apply only to loans taken out during the past 10 or 20 years and ignore old student loans.

Borrowers shouldn't be asked to repay the principal on their student loans twice. But that is the current situation. During periods of unemployment, when people have an unemployment or hardship deferments, the interest continues to accumulate. Currently, for loans consolidated before 1994, the interest is locked at 8%. During the deferment period, interest continues to accrue. The interest exceeds the amount that the borrower has already paid back and the balance reverts to even more than the original principal. The result is that student loan borrowers are being forced to pay pack their loans twice or even three times. Some of the legislation to help borrowers applies only to relatively recent student loans and not to old student loans that are still being repaid.

The Obama administration unveiled plans to create an elite corps of master teachers, a $1 billion effort to boost U.S. students' achievement in science, technology, engineering and math. Math and science literacy is crucial to the long-term health of our economy and culture. Tell your Congressmen to vote for implementation of this plan.

I am drowning in my student loan debt. The economy is horrible and I am bartending part time to make ends meet. I am $45,000 in debt with student loans and any help with this would be greatly appreciated! I currently live in California but my education was completed in Wisconsin.

Join the Charlotte Black/African-American Heritage Tour in demanding the removal of disgraceful symbols of our past off the city-owned Time Warner Cable Arena, home of the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC.

Public education policy in the United States is under attack from a variety of directions. Corporate influences want to push for a for-profit model to tap into what they see as an untapped source of income. Misguided "reformers" want to push to end basic due-process protections for teachers in a quest to root out the insignificant numbers of "bad teachers." Politicians continue to push for "teacher accountability" while ignoring the accountability of the parties that control student achievement the most; parents and students. Meanwhile, our education system, our dedicated teachers, and our students all suffer further degradation of their morale.

Children should be educated, not incarcerated, the "school to prison pipeline," a disturbing national trend wherein children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Many of these children have learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse or neglect, and would benefit from additional educational and counseling services. Instead, they are isolated, punished and pushed out. "Zero-tolerance" policies criminalize minor infractions of school rules, while high-stakes testing programs encourage educators to push out low-performing students to improve their schools' overall test scores. Students of color are especially vulnerable to push-out trends and the discriminatory application of discipline.

Decision-making on the future of public education in my town is being handed over to outside interests who view charter schools as a lucrative “industry.” A Walton-funded plan, developed by a Walton-funded real estate venture, calls for closing or "turnaround" of dozens of DC public schools and using their property "as incentives" for outside charter operators, many funded by the Waltons. Public input has been relegated to a few neighborhood-based, summertime "Conversations," organized by a Walton partner. We call on the Mayor and the DC Council to exercise oversight responsibilities, investigate obvious conflicts of interest, and reject government by outside interests. ***Signing is not a vote for/against charter schools, for/against unions, or a statement about any particular reform agenda. It's a request that DC officials exercise responsible oversight before making drastic changes that will affect our entire city, not just school children and their families.*** Petition comments add to the power of this document. Non-residents of DC, particularly, are encouraged to comment with their signatures, so District officials will know why their actions matter beyond our borders. Here's some additional background -- http://wp.me/p2zkS4-P

I am hoping that the US Congress passes the law regarding our not having to continue to pay our college educational loan after 10 years of paying. I was downsized and my ex-husband had to go onto social security due to an illness. I am now under-employed and cannot pay on the $33,000.00 + college loan.

Ever since the Michigan Governor appointed the Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) to the Detroit Public Schools, the teachers have been unfairly targeted. In the process of targeting the teachers, the students have suffered. The teachers have taken a huge financial hit and now the working conditions for the teachers will be greatly compromised. With the new 2012/2013 contract, severe work impositions have been added. I believe the EFM's new draconian contract will greatly compromise the health of the teachers, as well as adversely impact the students' learning environment. The EFM has refused to negotiate with the union president. We need the EFM to sit down at the table and negotiate in good faith.

sex education in public schools.