Schools have been mandated to use the Common Core Learning Standards. They are not required to use EngageNY for curriculum. They are allowed to develop their own curriculum as long as they align it with Common Core.

I know many people who would benefit from some form of medicinal marijuana, from my father, who died of cancer a handful of years ago, and suffered greatly during chemo and radiation treatments, suffering that could have been alleviated by marijuana; to a niece of mine who suffers from dozens of seizures per week, to another friend who has to leave the workforce due to debilitating migraine headaches. So much suffering that can be at least partially mitigated, by a simple stroke of the pen.

Cami Anderson, the Christie-appointed Superintendent of Newark Public Schools, is escalating her attack on OUR public schools. This time she is attempting to further destabilize schools and neighborhoods by destroying the relationships between students and our teachers - dedicated teachers that we rely on to help build a strong foundation for our future. Cami is requesting permission from state Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf to use a “waiver or equivalency” to fire hundreds of education workers with no consideration for seniority or tenure. Yes, this shreds the basic rights of union workers, but in the teaching profession it also hurts students like us who rely on stable relationships with experienced and professional school staff. Research proves that high turnover rates in schools hurt students, especially the children of working class families who are already economically disadvantaged. And let us be clear, Anderson’s One Newark plan and her attack on Newark’s public schools disproportionately targets low-income, working-class communities and communities of color. Anderson desperately needs this waiver to remove tenured teachers so she can fill a $100 million budget shortfall over the next three years that SHE CREATED by hiring hundreds of inexperienced TFA teachers to push older, higher paid teachers out of their schools, and by promoting the expansion of charter schools that funnel money out of traditional public schools. She figures that if she can get rid of the highest paid education workers – who earned that higher pay through years of dedicated work on behalf of our fellow students, then she can fill much of that budget gap, AND eliminate unionized workers at the same time. Her Christie-appointed colleague, Commissioner of Education Christopher Cerf, is expected to approve her request…just days before he leaves his post on March 5th. How convenient. As students in Newark Public Schools, our teachers influence and support extends far beyond what is in text books. Our teachers and school staff have spent countless hours of their lives advising, teaching, and simply talking with us during our lunchtimes, after school, at sporting events, plays, concerts, college days, and MANY other school related activities. The proof of their work is clearly evident in all of the data. Newark Public Schools met the standards for gaining local control from the nearly two-decade long occupation set by the state QSAC rubric, a measure established by the state to protect their control over our schools. After meeting those standards the state moved the goal post in order to maintain control and prevent Newark’s communities from having a voice in our schools. It is clear that Christie’s control over our schools is not out of concern for academic achievement or student success – it is an attack on Newark’s working-class communities and an effort to turn public money and public necessities into private profit. Anderson has a vision for Newark’s schools. Privatize the system, socialize the costs, and subject students to inexperienced Teach For America (TFA) teachers working for poverty wages under dictatorial conditions. This is not fair to dedicated teachers who have given decades of their lives to Newark’s students. This is not fair to us - the students - who rely on their training, knowledge and experience as teachers and educators to help us build the foundations we need in our lives to be successful. This is not fair to Newark’s communities, to our city or to our future. Kristin Towcaniuk & Jelani Walker Newark Students Union & NJ Communities United Members

Oregon passed HB3460 enabling licensing of Medical Marijuana Facilities in October. HB3460 allows the Oregon Health Authority to license Marijuana facilities March 3rd 2014. After the state legislature passed sb1531 cities have taken it upon themselves to see this as a threat and placed bans on a prescribed medication being dispensed to patients through these facilities. After the passing of SB1531 the city extended it ban until Dec 31st 2014. Sick people are waiting for their medication. We encourage the city to adopt its time place and manner rules asap so these patients can access their medication locally.

Inspired by the recent Win-Win-Win of the student-driven and community-led minimum wage campaign in San Jose, we students in the East Bay are organizing to do the same here in the East Bay. Only 3 other cities in the entire United States have minimum wages at $10 or more. Let’s add the entire East Bay to that list: Oakland! Berkeley! Alameda! Richmond, Hayward, Union City, Fremont, San Leandro, El Cerrito, Albany, San Pablo, Newark, Piedmont even… It’s time for a living wage, East Bay!

because we need it now and the inaction of speaker and the gop is just inaceptable anymore, they have to work in something, days, months and years are passing and this GOP does not work, is that old?

I'm tired of the outrageous lies that have passed for ads over the years. EVERYONE is affected by this. Very few voters are informed enough to know when they're being lied to.

My friend received notice that the survivor benefits she received as a teen due to her mother's death were now owed back to the federal government because she shouldn't have gotten them as she made too much money. She worked part-time at a restaurant at 16 back in 1975. They say she received checks for years she didn't receive anything and they're taking it out of her tax refund this year. They don't even have to prove she received it or signed the checks they sent! She didn't get benefits for the years they are claiming she was overpaid. It was over 35 years ago! And here is the story of another woman and others that this happened to as well: http://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/us-treasury-irs-statute-limitations-tax-grab-208436421.html. Of course no adult will have records of what they received in childhood. They have no way of fighting it even if they fill out the appeal paperwork. This erasure of the statute of limitations for federal debt may not have been intended to target survivor benefits received by children over 35 years ago. But the law allows the Social Security Administration to legally take money from you 35 years later. This is wrong and needs to be changed. It could happen to anybody. Repeal Public Law 110-234 May 22, 2008 Sec. 14219. Elimination of statute of limitations applicable to collection of debt by administrative offset. People should not be forced to pay for alleged debt that may have been incurred by their parents when they were still minor children.

This petition was started to protect citizens and police officers. It will limit civil right violations against civilians and false claims by citizens. Many have been protected from false claims by the cameras most officers have in their vehicles. According to a year long study by Police Foundation Executive Fellow, Chief Tony Farrar in Rialto, CA: "The findings suggest more than a 50% reduction in the total number of incidents of use-of-force compared to control-conditions, and nearly ten times more citizens’ complaints in the 12-months prior to the experiment."

Mr. Richardson, a lifelong Jersey City resident and accountant by profession, ran for a seat in the November 5, 2013 Board of Education election and received 4,511 votes -- just 191 votes short of capturing the third seat. As the fourth top vote-getter and, as set by precedent of the Jersey City Board of Education, Lorenzo Richardson is next in line for the seat being vacated and should be appointed to the board. We believe the appointment of Mr. Richardson reflects the will of the public and a that of the 4,511 parents, teachers and residents who voted for him just four months ago in the Jersey City School Board of Education election. We ask that the current board members act in fairness and respect the will of the people of Jersey City and the lawful, democratic mechanism of the State of New Jersey and vote to appoint him to the Jersey City Board of Education.

This law is irrelevant and is outdated, but more importantly, it is a violation of human rights. Not only does it make it impossible for voters to vote for Communist Party candidates, it also makes it impossible for people to vote against Communist Party candidates. I am offended by it because it violates my democratic rights.

Less than half of California's kids are enrolled in preschool. That's a huge problem, because by her 5th birthday, 90% of a child's brain is developed. So when she steps into a classroom for the first time as a kindergartner, she is already 10 steps behind her peers who went to preschool - and she may never catch up. Prek graduates are better prepared for academic and lifetime success, while at-risk youth who don't go prek are 25% more likely to drop out of high school and 70% more likely to commit a crime and become incarcerated. The decision is up to Gov. Brown - will California invest in high-quality early education for every child or will California perpetuate the school-to-prison pipeline?