I started this petition because I'm currently in a school in East San Jose where most of the students that attend this school are Latinos. A high percentage of our teachers have very little experience. This means that they are less effective at resolving a number of problems, such as: maintaining discipline, motivating students, and adapting instructions for students with special and learning needs.

The AFL-CIO recently filed proposals to let big-bank shareholders demand greater transparency around golden parachute practices that make huge payouts available to executives who leave big banks for top posts in government. The banks reacted in panic and are working as we speak to persuade the Securities and Exchange Commission to step in, allowing them to keep their policies a secret and their shareholders in the dark. Wall Street executive, Antonio Weiss, was recently in line to receive a $20 million bonus from his investment-bank employer for agreeing to take a Treasury Department undersecretary position. Weiss, who eventually took an advisory job that did not require Senate confirmation, is only the latest in a series of would-be and actual public officials who have stood to benefit from these “golden parachute” deals. When bankers get large bonuses for taking government jobs, it sends a dangerous message about who is really calling the shots. If the big banks think these practices are defensible, they should let their shareholders know the facts and judge for themselves. Sign our petition and call for Wall Street to allow shareholders to vote on these practices.

UPDATE 4/2: President Obama has just announced a framework agreement for a deal. Republicans are already attacking. Democrats need to speak up now! === President Obama may be on the verge of striking a historic deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program - unless some Democrats scuttle it. [1] Some Democrats are considering siding with right-wing Republicans to undermine Obama’s diplomacy, thereby pushing us towards another war in the Middle East. Two pieces of legislation in the Senate, one backed by Sens. Mark Kirk [R-IL] & Robert Menendez [D-NJ], the other by Sens. Bob Corker [R-TN] & Lindsey Graham [R-SC] are poison pills designed to kill any chance for diplomacy. One GOP senator said the “intended consequence” of any new Iran bill is to “end the negotiations.” The Kirk-Menendez bill would impose new sanctions on Iran in violation of the interim agreement. The Corker-Graham bill would throw impossible-to-meet procedural hurdles in the way of successfully completing an agreement. The passage by Congress of either bill would blow up the talks – which is exactly what the Republican diplomacy saboteurs want. Urge your Representative and Senators to oppose these bills by signing our petition. References: 1. “Democrats: Don't Side With Republicans on Iran,” Anna Galland (MoveOn) and Becky Bond (CREDO), Roll Call, March 2, 2015 http://www.rollcall.com/news/democrats_dont_side_with_republicans_on_iran_commentary-240443-1.html

As a parent and a public school teacher, I am disgusted with the amount of importance the governor is looking to place on standardized testing. Under the governor's new proposal, a teacher's evaluation would be based more than double what it is now on test scores. Children are already having too much of their school day wasted on test prep, with only 20% of teacher evaluations based on test scores. I can only imagine how out of control it would get with 50% of the evaluation based on test scores. We have great teachers across our state. TEACHERS are not the problem. Stop punishing schools and give them the money you owe them Mr. Governor. Put education ahead of your political agenda and billionaire charter school campaign contributors.

Senate Bill 541 has created a platform for Election Regulations that would allow more money into elections and take control away from WV voters. This would scare even more West Virginians away from participating in the political process. This is OUR State and we need to REMOVE the powerful influence of in-state and out-of-state Corporations and those that hide behind Non-Profit Organizations.

A friend of mine is being stalked and harassed by someone, but she has been told that there is nothing the law can do to help her. She doesn't feel safe, and I think this is a huge failure in our system.

We are facing ten years in prison after getting arrested and accused of cultivating cannabis--not for distribution and profit, but for medical treatment and research.

I am tired of seeing Jewish students attacked verbally and physically in our schools, Universities and Institutions. We must stand up to this hatred and ignorance. Violence and confrontations are not the way to make change happen. Understanding, cooperation, and education will stamp out anti-Semitism and hatred!

My great grandkids are with cps and in foster care. They need to be with family and we are denied the right to see them. There was no abuse or neglect 4th amendment and 14th amendment violated.

Local families are struggling harder and harder just to stay afloat. Figuring out how to keep our parents living with us is hard, but it is good for our family and good for society. Japan and South Korea do it, we can too.

Clint has been away from his family, friends and children for over 12 years. Clint is remorseful for his past and ready for everyone to meet the new Clint who wants to be a positive influence on all he knows and meets.

Americans owe over $1.3 trillion in student debt. Eighty-six percent of that money is owed to the United States government. This is a crushing burden for more than 40 million Americans and their families. It's time for immediate action to relieve them of this burden -- by forgiving all government-held debt, and purchasing the rest so that it can be forgiven, too. Be a Student Debt Voter, and join the fight for the Student Debt Jubilee.