As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. The Centers for Disease Control have stated: "Schools may have an ethical obligation to act in response to the precipitous increase in the incidence of obesity among children. Because children are required to spend half their waking hours in school and because they consume a substantial portion of their daily food there, school is a logical focus for efforts to encourage healthy dietary behaviors to prevent obesity and its consequent individual and collective costs...Opponents of school food regulation argue that people have the right to choose the foods they eat. However, we structure and regulate many student activities in the school setting and do not consider doing so an abridgment of children’s rights....For example, parents would rarely serve candy alongside vegetables on the dinner table and expect their children to choose the vegetables instead of the candy. Similarly, school authorities are responsible for offering foods from which the child can select but limiting choices to those that provide nutritional benefit rather than harm." For these reasons as parents we feel that highly processed snack food/junk food/competitive foods/candy such as Doritos, Cheetos, Pop-Tarts, etc. should not be sold on school campuses (cafeterias, vending machines, student stores, etc). More freshly cut fruits and vegetables, and less processed snacks that do not contain high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, artificial flavors, trans fat (trans fatty acid) and preferably contain less than 4 grams of added sugar per serving should be offered instead. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. Right now CVUSD middle and high school students do NOT have access to a salad/produce bar during lunch. For this reason as parents we feel that each Conejo Valley USD school cafeterias (elementary, middle and high school) should have a salad bar/produce bar available for students to choose fresh vegetables and fruits. This bar is to be replenished throughout the lunch period so every student eating at the cafeteria has the ability and option of choosing a fresh fruit or vegetable daily. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. The American Heart Association (AHA) has stated that "over the last decade, at least 6,000 excess deaths from any cause and 21,000 life-years lost can be attributed to the increase in sugar-sweetened drinks" and "Sugar-sweetened soda, sport and fruit drinks (not 100 percent fruit juice) contain equivalent calories, ranging from 120 to 200 per drink, and thus play a role in the nation’s rising tide of obesity" (AHA March 5, 2010). The sugar in these drinks often exceeds the AHA daily allowance of sugar for children and young adults. We would like more water and fruit juices without added sugar to be offered instead. For these reasons we are asking that the CVUSD Health & Wellness Policy state that all drinks including electrolyte replacement beverages (ERB’s) with added sugar, artificial colors and flavorings (Gatorade, Powerade, Nesliquick, sodas, etc) be removed from all school cafeterias, vending machines, and student stores. Sport drinks/ERB’s should only be offered to athletes at sporting events in conjunction with water. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. Currently flavored milk (chocolate) is being served to school children at breakfast and lunch. Chocolate milk has 56% more calories; 108% more sugar (4 tsp); 11% less protein, 50% more salt and 25% less Vit C than unflavored milk. Due to the fact that 1 in 4 children are obese, and 2 out of 3 adults are obese we feel that kids should enjoy the benefits of milk without the sugar and additives of flavored milk. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to state that no flavored milk (chocolate or otherwise) will be offered or served on school campuses. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. Currently ‘birthday celebrations’ are being held on school grounds during recess, before/after school, that involve food (cake, cupcakes, doughnuts, candy, etc). This food/candy is given to kids WITHOUT parent permission. This is an issue due to allergies (8% of kids), obesity (1 in 4 kids), cavities, special needs children, behavior problems in class, not eating lunch, etc. We know that parents want their kids to feel special on their birthdays, but we want these celebrations to not involve food or beverages; instead read a favorite book, give out pencils, share something special, wear a birthday hat, etc. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to include that no food or beverage shall be given for birthday celebrations on school campus. School should be about education; let’s leave the birthday celebrations involving food off school campus. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. Currently candy is being given out by some teachers, principals, school nurses, after school activity leaders, etc. to our children for testing, good behavior, ‘boo boos, etc. This candy is given WITHOUT parent permission. This is an issue due to allergies (8% of kids), obesity (1 in 4 kids), cavities, special needs children, behavior problems, and the basic idea that you are giving or withholding food to reward kids. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to include that no food or beverage shall be given as a reward for student accomplishments or withheld as punishment on school campus. Let’s find other ways to reward kids that doesn’t involve candy or food! Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. For this reason as parents we feel that nutrition education should be a major concern to schools as they are our nation's primary institutions of education. Schools help teach children how to read, write and become problem solvers. As parents we believe schools can also help educate children (and parents) about eating right and keeping their bodies healthy. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to require that nutrition education be included as part of the curriculum for elementary, middle and high school students. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

We must put prayer back into the minds of our children... DEAR GOD TOUCH MY MIND, TEACH ME TO SEE THAT ONLY IN YOU, CAN I BE ME... PRAYER MUST BE A MOMENT OF DECISION...NOT DICTATION... LET'S PUT PRAYER BACK INTO OUR SCHOOLS

School lunches in public schools should be changed to organic. In addition, the lunches should contain more vegetables, fruits and nuts than the current amount.

The DOE has wasted billions trying to impose counterfeit reforms on public education. High stakes, useless testing has demoralized teachers, narrowed the curriculum and left parents on the sidelines. Student achievement has not improved. The DOE could help by becoming a research, resource and advisory organization. As stated in the 10th Amendment, we should leave public education as a state responsibility.

This petition is for saving education. We keep getting cuts every year. Here is a way to save our education. Every person in America who makes one million a year or more must pay 5% of their profit to save education even if they live outside the US. If we do not save America's education, other countries will be ahead of us. Some probobly are. So let us vote for this petition and send it to our congress. This way no more cuts and no more kicking out teachers. This is our contribution to the future generation and we owe it to them.

On April 14, 2011, Jasmine Jahanshahi lost her life in an apartment fire while studying abroad; at least 6 college students affiliated with American universities have perished in fires this academic year. Join J.U.S.T.I.C.E. and Campus Firewatch in requesting that governors across the U.S. proclaim September as Campus Fire Safety Month in his or her home state in order to "raise awareness and encourage schools to provide fire prevention and safety education". If we can inspire university officials to make fire safety a part of the curriculum at freshmen orientations and at study abroad orientations, we can help young adults learn to protect themselves. Please visit firesafetyfoundation.org for fire safety tips and for more information about J.U.S.T.I.C.E., the foundation we have established in Jasmine's memory.