My first career was as a school teacher, trained in early childhood education. I saw how effective the techniques pioneered by Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget are in stimulating children's learning and creativity I want this opportunity for all of Minnesota's children. With the current surplus, our state can afford to invest in our students.

At Port Charlotte High School, three Algebra 2 Honors class, one Advanced Placement Statistics class, and one Trigonometry honors class filled with students from three grade levels were left for 4-5 months without a consistent and qualified teacher to prepare them for their exams, EOCs, or for their future courses. Although they were given substitutes as temporary replacements, these instructors were simply bodies within the room to take attendance while other teachers from the Math department would occasionally (meaning 3-5 different teachers showing students 3-5 different methods of completing their work which is inefficient) come in. As one of many sophomores that didn't have a consistent and qualified instructor to teach her/him the course material, I am now at a disadvantage against other students from different schools that were offered the learning experience I should have received and am still being required to take a final exam on material that's been simply handed to me through worksheets without adequate instruction.

I don't want to see people in this state go without a basic necessity like health care.

Despite Costco’s reputation as socially-responsible and worker-friendly, it continues to profit from selling products made by sweatshop manufacturer Reynolds and its subsidiary company, Pactiv Corp. Pactiv forced its women workers in Kearny, NJ, to work mandatory and excessive overtime of up to 84 hours per week (12 hours 7 days a week) for weeks on end. Overheated factory rooms, limited bathroom and water breaks, and multiple other violations on top of the fatigue, exhaustion and extensive repetitive actions from dangerous and destructive mandatory overtime hours all led to severe injury and sustained disability among the workers. When workers tried to speak out, they were laid off. By refusing to take Reynolds' products off their shelves, Costco is violating it’s own Supplier Code of Conduct which forbids suppliers to impose mandatory and excessive overtime. Costco is also supporting sweatshop labor. While affected workers are demanding that Pactiv and parent company Reynolds address sweatshop conditions, do away with mandatory overtime and reinstate workers, neither Pactiv nor Reynolds has complied. COSTCO, STOP SUPPORTING SWEATSHOP FACTORIES AND DO THE RIGHT THING - BREAK TIES WITH REYNOLDS AND PACTIV!

Expanded medicare provides healthcare for 40,000 New Hampshire citizens who previously were unable to get any health coverage. These hardworking people either had to go without care altogether, or their providers were forced to provide the care with no compensation. This program, which is currently entirely paid for out of federal funds, has proven invaluable to both recipients and providers.

This petition is a reaction to the Refugio Oil Disaster that is currently unfolding.

It’s time for Ralph Lauren to step up and eliminate forest destruction and human rights abuses from its supply chain. It’s critical that Ralph Lauren makes sure it is not sourcing fabrics from some of the worst forest destroyers in the world, and that it creates a policy that ensures that its fabric will always be free from controversy. Ralph Lauren is a huge company with worldwide brand recognition. Now it’s time for Ralph Lauren to be a leader and make itself known for protecting forests and Indigenous rights. Tell Ralph Lauren to clean up it’s act!

The damage caused by Conflict Palm Oil is tremendous. Deforestation to make way for palm oil plantations threatens unique and priceless areas like the Leuser Ecosystem in Indonesia. It threatens species like the Sumatran rhino, orangutans, and sun bears. The impact on communities who are forced off their land or pushed into forced and child labor is simply unacceptable. Despite the last year’s progress, there are still some critical companies that are refusing to take action to address their Conflict Palm Oil problem. One of the worst offenders in the Conflict Palm Oil world - who is also one of biggest makers of popular kid’s snacks - won’t even acknowledge the destruction it's causing. PepsiCo is a major Conflict Palm Oil laggard, dragging its feet, refusing to admit it even has a problem. With a whopping 457,200 metric tons of palm oil used annually in snacks like Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, Cheetos and Lay's potato chips, PepsiCo has a huge impact on the planet, the forests, and the people and animals which call them home. Send your message here: Tell PepsiCo you won't have deforestation, extinction, or slavery in your home.

The damage caused by Conflict Palm Oil is tremendous. Deforestation to make way for palm oil plantations threatens unique and priceless areas like the Leuser Ecosystem in Indonesia. It threatens species like the Sumatran rhino, orangutans, and sun bears. The impact on communities who are forced off their land or pushed into forced and child labor is simply unacceptable.

I want to see online voter registration passed so that we can have a better turnout of voters. Why not make it as easy as we can for people to vote? The first step is to get them registered. We all work many different hours and can't all get to the registration polls at the few times they are open.

I believe that providing for voting online would increase access to the polls, increase participation by the electorate, and make voting and counting of votes more convenient and organized with little or no risk of fraud because of encryption requirements.

To restore V.A. benefits to those entitled , regardless of their income.