Labor unions, as organizations in civil society that form the groundwork of a democratic, pluralistic society, need determined, courageous leadership that understands the threat of fascism, and is willing and able to stand up to it. A union representing academic workers, who are under a systematic assault by well-financed right-wing groups (like Turning Point USA, which maintains a “Professor Watch-List”), has a particular responsibility in that regard. In the case of Lars Maischak, CFA accepted, defended, and continues to defend the decision by CSU to remove a faculty member from the classroom, accepting it as justified because the faculty member had been the target of violent threats by right-wing groups and individuals. This is a case of capitulation in the face of politically motivated violence unacceptable for a labor union in a democracy. There is no shame in admitting the complicity of your organization with right-wing violence. The only shame is in continuing to pretend it did not happen. By delegitimizing the experience and perspective of the victim, CFA keeps the victimization alive. CFA should take this petition as an invitation to become an effective force for the defense of democracy. For documentation, please see: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/yq9vcp8oi9s4e/

I am a parent of 2 sons, 10 and 12 years old, which have had and/or currently have services with all 3 of the above mentioned therapists. Continuity of care is key within the areas of occupational and speech therapies. All 3 therapists have been part of our district for many years and have consistently guided and assisted our children in their needs. Outsourcing may save money, but problems will always occur when we do not have the ultimate say in who we hire to fulfill these rolls. Turnover seems to be the common factor when outsourcing, just as we have experienced with the janitorial staff. With the current home schooling situation, our children are displaced, socially suffering and sad from all of the changes. They miss the everyday consistencies of their classes, their teachers/aides/therapists and their friends. It is incomprehensible to think the children who receive services from these invaluable woman would not have their friendly, recognizable faces awaiting their return to continue the work in these special areas. Please do not misunderstand my compassion for how nice these woman are as my only plea, they truly are masters in their respective areas and have impacted the lives of so many of our district's children, especially mine. I understand fiscal requirements may need adjusting, but I beg of you to search elsewhere rather than terminating these women.

The majority of eighth-grade students in the United States rely on the internet at home to get their homework done. Roughly six-in-ten students (58%) say they use the internet at their home to do homework every day or almost every day, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of data from the 2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Just 6% of students say they never use the internet at home for this purpose. There are differences in these patterns by community type and parents’ education level. Roughly two-thirds of students attending suburban schools (65%) say they use the internet for homework every day or almost every day, compared with 58% who attend schools in cities, 50% of those who attend in rural areas and 44% of those attending schools in towns. Students whose parents graduated from college are more likely to use the internet for homework at home. Some 62% of these students use the internet at home for homework, compared with smaller shares of students whose parents have some post-high school education (53%), have only a high school education (52%) or have no high school education (48%). The “homework gap” – which refers to school-age children lacking the connectivity they need to complete schoolwork at home – is more pronounced for black, Hispanic and lower-income households. Some 15% of U.S. households with school-age children do not have a high-speed internet connection at home, according to a previously published Pew Research Center analysis of 2015 U.S. Census Bureau data. School-age children in lower-income households are especially likely to lack broadband access. Roughly one-third (35%) of households with children ages 6 to 17 and an annual income below $30,000 a year do not have a high-speed internet connection at home, compared with just 6% of such households earning $75,000 or more a year. These broadband gaps are particularly pronounced in black and Hispanic households with school-age children – especially those with low incomes. Some lower-income teens say they lack resources to complete schoolwork at home. In a 2018 Center survey, about one-in-five teens ages 13 to 17 (17%) said they are often or sometimes unable to complete homework assignments because they do not have reliable access to a computer or internet connection. Black teens and those living in lower-income households were more likely to say they cannot complete homework assignments for this reason. For example, one-quarter of black teens said they often or sometimes cannot do homework assignments due to lack of reliable access to a computer or internet connectivity, compared with 13% of white teens and 17% of Hispanic teens. Teens with an annual family income below $30,000 were also more likely to say this than teens with a family income of at least $75,000 a year (24% vs. 9%). In the same survey, around one-in-ten teens (12%) said they often or sometimes use public Wi-Fi to do schoolwork because they lack a home internet connection. Again, black and lower-income teens were more likely to do this. Roughly one-in-five black teens (21%) said they use public Wi-Fi to do schoolwork due to a lack of home internet connection, compared with 11% of white teens and 9% of Hispanic teens. And around a fifth (21%) of teens with an annual family income under $30,000 reported having to use public Wi-Fi to do homework, compared with 11% of teens in families with a household income of $30,000-$74,999 and just 7% of those living in households earning at least $75,000. A quarter of lower-income teens do not have access to a home computer. One-in-four teens in households with an annual income under $30,000 lack access to a computer at home, compared with just 4% of those in households earning over $75,000, according to the 2018 survey. There are also differences by race and ethnicity. Hispanic teens were especially likely to say they do not have access to a home computer: 18% said this, compared with 9% of white teens and 11% of black teens. State Representative La Shawn K. Ford has drafted legislative language to provide broadband services at no cost to all residents of the state, with priority given to areas with high levels of poverty and lacking the infrastructure to receive high-speed internet access. Amends the Broadband Advisory Council Act. Directs the Council to develop a plan to provide access to broadband services at no cost to all residents of this State. Provides that the Office of Broadband within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall support and assist the Council in the development of the plan. Requires that priority be given to zip codes identified as having high levels of poverty and areas lacking the infrastructure necessary to meet requirements for high-speed access to the Internet. Requires the Council to identify existing and new streams of State revenue necessary to implement the plan. Provides that the Council shall report the plan and recommendations for legislation necessary to implement the plan to the General Assembly by March 31, 2021. Effective immediately.

Because just as those who have been out of work are at risk and need help, so are the people who still have to go to work every day...

Because Senator Sanders is still on the New York ballot and no institution should ever get away with spitting in the face of democracy, including the New York Board of Elections.

College students are struggling and our grades are suffering from being forced to take online courses. We did not sign up or pay for an online education. We paid for the experience and in-person instruction.

“All of members of community have suffered due the COVId-19. Students have been impacted in numerous ways: • Changing instructional distance learning • Loss of employment, • Loss of housing • Loss of social and academic support • Grieving and mourning COVID related losses and illness • Many students were not eligible for the stimulus check nor unemployment • Loss of access to campus provided internet • Loss of access to printing • Loss of graduation ceremony and graduation related activities Western Michigan University only provided $40 off the tuition for Summer I which would not even cover the cost of internet for a household in lieu of accessing WMU’s campus as par of our usual tuition. SIGN HERE to ask WMU and President Montgomery to provide more substantial financial relief to students! Universities should support their student and faculty community, not add hardship to hardship!

Reaching out to neighbors and friends, even if it is virtually, can help our society thrive even in the face of a pandemic. If we choose, instead, to curl in on ourselves and ignore the plight of those around us, we lose part of our humanity. It is important to preserve our compassion. This period in history is difficult, but we can ease some of the pain if we remember that we are not alone and that we have the power to help ourselves and others.

The future of our country and American Democracy where reason prevails and there are not supposed to be autocratic dictators (if it's not already too late) is at stake.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorado teachers have had to adjust to "at-home" virtual classrooms; the demands on them have been longer days (without additional pay), "home-office" expenses, increased utilities during these teaching sessions, and increased workloads to accommodate individual student/parent interactions. Now, Governor Polis is suggesting that these alternative teaching methods (and virtual classrooms) may continue beyond this 2020 spring school year and extend into the fall, impacting the 2020-2021 school year. Our educators cannot physically, emotionally, and psychologically carry this entire burden. Governor Polis needs to publicly support this proposal and sign it as part his upcoming budget approval process.

Because people need to start protesting and getting their lives back to normal again and letting kids have a life playing sports going to school. People need to start going back to work and making money. You are making us American people suffer and it's not right. We need to work go back to every day life and have a life back and enjoy our lives and stop this crap. Because people are killing themselves and jumping off bridges and buildings and people are oding and this is not right so hurry up and fix this. You need to step up and open up our New Jersey state up quickly and stop spreading fear and let us have our freedom back.

Not only is this important to the graduating class but also to the families of those graduating. This is the moment all individuals attending college are looking forward to.