With the recent developments in public education, we have witnessed a general trend: the increase of emphasis placed on standardized testing, along with an increased quantity of the tests themselves.This is seen in the implementation of the Ohio Graduation Tests 2005 and onward, as well as the new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the Next Generation Assessments, the latter two of which have caused dissent among both educators and students, as well as the entire community. The reasons behind this unrest include the exorbitant amount of time said testing takes away from learning, the heavy reliance they place upon technology, and the lack of consideration towards both socioeconomic background and educators’ opinions. We are concerned that these tests do not address the realistic issues we are faced with. The shift towards an emphasis on standardized testing averts the focus of teaching from actual learning and expanding on the curriculum to solely preparing for tests . In addition, the increased number of tests requires a greater amount of time spent taking the tests rather than time spent in a class setting and limits the time and resources available to both educators and students. Thus, the sheer volume of mandated tests should not be imposed as it will take an excessive amount of time that could otherwise be devoted to other educational purposes. While these “reforms” are a disadvantage to every student involved, we recognize specifically the risks they pose to the more underprivileged districts, especially in regards to technology. Not every school has the resources/budget available to make online-only tests possible. Even the schools that have sufficient existing computers may need them for other projects and classes online. Other technological problems may ensue; if a student takes a time-sensitive test, for example, poor internet connection could lead to an inaccurate score. These online tests use software that is difficult to keep up with, and many require introductory courses on how to use this new testing software, taking up even more class time. Emphasis on technology, as well as its subsequent problems, creates a greater disparity between school districts of varying economic backgrounds. Part of the reason why there is a generally negative attitude towards these new policies is that educators feel as though neither their opinions nor their experiences have been considered, and they are not involved in any sort of decision-making. They have had little to do in developing the “reforms” that they themselves must carry out. If there was more productive and multilateral communication between policymakers and educators, new policies and testing mechanisms would be well-informed and better serve the public education system. We have already experienced firsthand the effects of the new ponderous testing system: the loss of enriching projects, a relentless concern for our more economically-burdened peers, and an exam-induced exhaustion of students and teachers.

The petition is about our environment and land fills around the whole United States and the world. As well as about inspiring an ecologically- minded culture.

S.W. Dennis Hanley, recently deceased fell just shy of his 30 year pension by 7 weeks. Dennis has been sick for 2 years with terminal cancer and came to work so he could leave his pension for his wife and three young children. S.W. Dennis Hanley, was exemplary in his career having only gone sick twice in 30 years. He was an upstanding citizen, family man and co-worker. Please help Dennis Hanley achieve his final wish of leaving his pension to his family. A pension he worked for for nearly 30 years. Thank you

There is a common theme with mass shooters. Perpetrators are often taking psychoactive pharmaceuticals as prescribed by their mental heath care professional. We need a Congressional hearing on the subject! Pharmaceutical lobbyists would not like a public conversation about the connection between pharmaceuticals and violence, but there is a connection and we need to know to what extent. We cannot know unless there is an investigation. There is no shortage of coverage on where the guns and ammo are acquired, but what about the shooter's altered state of mind? For more info: http://www.psychintegrity.org/isepp_statement_on_the_connection_between_psychotropic_drugs_and_mass_murder.php Thank You!

To save an historic mill dam, being threatened for demolition

I am starting this petition because I want my vote to count as much as anyone else's vote, but not more than any one individual. In addition, I am tired of worrying about partisan laws being enacted to suppress the vote and disenfranchise people and the very real possibility of voter rigging.

The Supreme Court has determined that the playing field in America should continue to be tilted to favor the wealthy. By hijacking every state's ability to self-govern with a flood of money from not only wealthy corporations but now wealthy individuals too, every state is ripe for the picking and any individual with an axe to grind and money to burn can make policy, buy elections and the free speech of the rest of us is silenced. The very same people who claim to be against big government and for state's rights need to play by that rule; each individual state has the right to elect people, establish laws and the decisions for that state should be made by the people who live there and who will be directly effected by the outcome. These outside wealthy interests will try to establish policy that will preserve their wealth and power over the rights of the people in that state to self govern.

I'm an 43 year old adoptee who has medical issues, and my autistic son may have more medical issues in the future . I need to know my birth family's medical history. I have found my birth mother and I have personally contacted her on the phone, but she has denied that she is my birth mother; she wished that one day i find my birth mother. So the only alternative to get my family's medical history is by changing the current state law. We are about 6,000,000 adult adoptees in the U.S.A. and most of us have no access to our birth family's medical history, or even our own medical history from before our adoption. Candice Inglezos

Wild animals are becoming extinct due to their largest predators, humans. In circuses and traveling zoos they live a suffering, tortured, sad life. Circuses "train" the youngest vulnerable wild animals by torture and forced horribly into unnatural positions until they are old enough to perform. They eventually perform out of fear, and so they can get food and water. Food and water are withheld in training and to prevent them from relieving themselves during performances. Circuses with wild animals are an ancient, horrible attraction by ignorant uncivilized people. All evolved, supposedly civilized, human beings, should open their eyes to the truth and ban together to put end to this atrocity.

Fans have been waiting decades for a remastered Dead Or Alive catalogue. Their debut album 'Sophisticated Boom Boom' just turned 30 last month and there is a treasure trove of single b-sides, single versions and remixes that remain in the vaults for that album and all their others. At the very least, make these tracks available on iTunes.

Fluoride is most hazardous to our children let alone the rest of the population as a whole. There is absolutely no reason why any human being should ever consume fluoride. It's time to stand up and end the fluoridation of our water.

A 4 way stop on the corner of Summit St. and Spring St. would cut down on speeding and car accidents. Would also save the city a lot of money with emergency services.