We are requesting that our elementary schools provide students with at least fifteen to twenty additional minutes of additional unstructured, outdoor playtime each day. Teachers should be included and supported in figuring out how best to implement the recommendations, in order to best support the needs of their students. We support the teachers’ request for less testing and more learning, and we envision that adding recess will fit into those efforts. There has been a marked increase in the past few years of the intensity of children’s emotional needs within our district. This increase has coincided with a push to increase students’ time spent on classroom instruction and on standardized assessments. Increasing instructional time and assessment time have not made a dent in the achievement gap. Meanwhile, research has shown that increasing recess time improves students’ ability to focus on academic tasks, while reducing behavioral issues in the classroom. Children with special needs and children of color receive a much higher proportion of disciplinary action within our district. Providing more recess would be providing a more equitable system.

Because I am 83 years old, I sometimes think about unpleasant possibilities for my last years. I know many contemporaries in the same position.

1994: The first lie... and apology http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/us/politics/chris-christie-first-campaign.html 2010: First call-out regarding travel expenses http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/gov_christie_cited_as_us_attor.html 2010: $400 million in federal education reform funds; mistake or vendetta? http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/error_on_race_to_the_top_appli.html 2012: Temper, temper, temper http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/gov_christie_takes_part_in_hea.html 2013: The bridge closing; why did they think they could? http://www.mediaite.com/online/everything-you-need-to-know-about-chris-christies-bridgegate-scandal/ 2013: Grade-school one-upmanship at the Supreme Court level http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/gov_christie_takes_part_in_hea.html 2015: Hugs and contracts; a love affair with Jerry Jones http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/01/port_authority_awarded_contract_to_christies_cowboys_owner_jones.html 2015: Going down? State credit rating sure is http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/nj_credit_rating_cut_record_ninth_time_as_moodys_c.html

It is imperative that we address Global Climate Change immediately due to lack of action that has allowed it to reach this stage of development. It will take immediate and aggressive action on the part of our legislators if we ever hope to stem the tide of its effect on our lives and economies. Acting now will save trillions in future costs and untold numbers of lives and suffering to the American people.

I am concerned about the lives of Illinois' most vulnerable residents. IL still has no budget and hence is not paying for social service programs and schools. Our governor is leading our state towards a public health and educational crisis. So far 4700 residents will lose needed social services, 30 programs have closed, and 750 jobs have been lost- mine or yours could be next! This is unfair and poor management of our state tax dollars. Please take a stand and sign this petition! Debbie

Justice for Darrien Hunt and family.

This is for the future generation of this nation. Yes! I do feel for the students of this nation, including mine. Just reduce the defense spending by 10%.

“Ashley's Memory Project” In 2007, Ashley Sietsema gave her life for her country serving in Kuwait. Ashley was called to serve her country to protect freedom and democracy and gave selflessly. Now, in the wake of losing his daughter Ashley's father, Alberto, has been placed in deportation proceedings. No parent of our brave service men and women should be faced with the additional trauma and injustice of being torn apart from their families. Ashley's Memory Project also brings to light the over three thousand US veterans who have already been deported. They return from war damaged and suffering from many forms of mental illness and addiction. In these cases, many of these men and women receive drug charges and are then ineligible for citizenship and are consequently sent back to their country of origin, separated from their family. This is no way a government can justify this treatment of the very people who risk their lives to defend it.

As a mother of a 30 year old autistic son, I see first hand the limitations of housing for autistic adults. The number of people diagnosed with autism continues to climb, but the number of services have not. What is going to happen to these individuals as they age while their elderly parents are no longer able to care for them? As a state, we need to pass legislation to provide housing for this special population.

Retirees and senior citizens are struggling to pay their school taxes throughout the Commonwealth. 10,000 people lose their homes and there are 350,000 foreclosures each year. People's golden year are turning to rust; finding that after the mortgage is paid off they don't own their home. The working middle class who want to own a home, a dream that some will never see because they cannot afford to purchase and pay taxes that are out of reach. Think about the Grandma down the street, the sweet older man at your Church or Temple, the widow or widower or your family members. Chances are at least one of these seniors are struggling to pay their taxes or to put food on the table. Where do these people in middle class with children, after the loss of a job or illness go that are evicted ? People of all ages suffer when they fall on hard times through no fault of their won. No man should lose his Castle who has worked up to retirement and dreams of owning a home. If we can send man to the MOON that seemed impossible, but WE Did IT! WE can with HB/SB 76. When you purchase something, pay it off, you own it .You purchase a home, pay the mortgage but you don't own it . You have been paying rent to the government.

To stop another attempted act of voter suppression by the Arizona Republican Secretary of State Michelle Reagan, Arizona Republican governor Ducey and the Rught wing extremist Az Republican legislature.

Oregon's elections are dominated by huge contributions. The Oregonian says that campaigns for the Oregon Legislature are the most expensive in America per capita, except New Jersey. Single Individuals and single corporations often make contributions in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to candidates. It now costs $600,000 to $1 million to win a contested race for the Oregon Legislature, even though a seat in the House can be won with as few as 12,000 votes. No wonder that the long-standing State Integrity Investigation of the Center for Public Integrity and Public Radio International in November 2015 gave Oregon an overall F grade on avoiding corruption in state government, as well as Fs on political financing, executive accountability, lobbying disclosure, and ethics enforcement agencies. Oregon's overall rank fell from 14th to 42nd, the biggest drop of any state. It's time for Oregon to join the other 45 states with limits on political contributions.