In October, teachers, students, parents, community organizations, civil rights advocates and faith leaders met in Los Angeles and together endorsed "The Principles That Unite Us." Now, on Dec. 9, we're taking action in West Virginia as part of a National Day of Action to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education. We're uniting around a common vision for our schools. Local teachers and parents, community groups and labor unions, students and faith leaders are united to reclaim the promise of public education for all children. We want great neighborhood public schools that are fully funded and are centers of our community, with wraparound services and curriculum that focuses on teaching and learning, not testing. We need our elected leaders to sign on to the principles. By signing this petition, you'll be telling Gov. Tomblin that you're united with us and that they should get on board. Together, we can reclaim public education as a propeller of our economy, an anchor of our democracy, and a gateway to opportunity for every child.

In honor of the late South African statesman, Nobel Peace Prize winner and first President of the post-apartheid South Africa, Nelson Mandela. Changing Cicero Avenue to Mandela road will send a message that Illinois stands for a strong road for justice.

In October, teachers, students, parents, community organizations, civil rights advocates and faith leaders met in Los Angeles and together endorsed "The Principles That Unite Us." Now, on Dec. 9, we're taking action in La Joya as part of a National Day of Action to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education. We're uniting around a common vision for our schools. Local teachers and parents, community groups and labor unions, students and faith leaders are united to reclaim the promise of public education for all children. We want great neighborhood public schools that are fully funded and are centers of our community, with wraparound services and curriculum that focuses on teaching and learning, not testing. We need our elected leaders to sign on to the principles. By signing this petition, you'll be telling our elected leaders that you're united with us and that they should get on board. Together, we can reclaim public education as a propeller of our economy, an anchor of our democracy, and a gateway to opportunity for every child.

A nine year old girl, Ashlyn Gardner tragically lost her life on December 4, 2013, struck down with her brother Landon in the crosswalk. Lack of busing has created a traffic nightmare that continues to put our kid's in danger. We must act now!

Some of my relatives are unable to legally marry within their state because of their state's laws regarding marriage. We would like to propose an amendment to the Constitution that gives the federal government power to allow legalization of same-sex marriages in every state. We believe that some Americans are being denied a basic human right of legal acknowledgement of marriage due to their sexual orientation.

While ALEC's extreme agenda, which includes pushing "Stand Your Ground" and "Voter ID" laws in the states, has caused many of its corporate sponsors to abandon the organization — including Coca-Cola, Kraft, McDonalds, Walmart, and just this week, VISA — TransCanada is still a proud supporter of ALEC. Resolutions urging the President and Congress to approve Keystone XL that were written by ALEC and include paragraphs lifted directly from TransCanada's own public relations talking points were introduced in six states by legislators beholden to ALEC. In Nebraska, Sen. Jim Smith did the bidding of ALEC and TransCanada by introducing LB 1161, the bill that fast-tracked the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline route in Nebraska. Smith is also the subject of an outstanding state ethics board complaint, over his extravagant ALEC-funded trip up to the tarsands of Alberta, where he toured TransCanada's headquarters and was wined and dined by the lobby group at a venue called (we're not joking) "The Petroleum Club." Tell Sen. Jim Smith to represent his constituents, not Big Oil and corporations, and resign as chair of ALEC in Nebraska. Please add your name to the petition. REFERENCES: "ALEC facing funding crisis from donor exodus in wake of Trayvon Martin row," TheGuardian.com, 12/3/13. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/alec-funding-crisis-big-donors-trayvon-martin "ALEC stands its ground," The Washington Post, 12/4/13 http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-alec-stands-its-ground/2013/12/04/ad593320-5d2c-11e3-bc56-c6ca94801fac_story.html "ALEC's troubles continue as VISA leaves ," DailyKos, 12/4/13 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/04/1260186/-ALEC-s-trouble-continues-as-Visa-leaves "Lawmakers lash out at conservative business group ," Lincoln Journal Star, 12/4/13 http://journalstar.com/legislature/lawmakers-lash-out-at-conservative-business-group/article_6296512d-6adb-5cfb-9762-98c7ee0a0ddd.html "Four States Introduce Keystone XL Resolutions, Lifting Language from ALEC and TransCanada Itself," PRWatch.org, 2/5/13. http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/02/11982/four-states-introduce-keystone-xl-resolutions-lifting-language-alec-and-transcana "CMD Calls for Nebraska Ethics Investigation over ALEC Keystone 'Academy'Junket," PRWatch.org, 6/3/13. http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/07/12164/cmd-calls-nebraska-ethics-investigation-over-alec-keystone-%E2%80%9Cacademy%E2%80%9D-junket

E. Christopher Abruzzo, Tom Corbett's current nominee for Secretary of Department of Environmental Protection, said the following at the hearing on his appointment: "I have not read any scientific studies that would lead me to conclude that there are adverse impacts to human beings or to animals or to plant life at this small level of climate change." Daylin Leach was the ONLY State Senator to oppose his nomination. While it is absolutely galling that Corbett would have the audacity to nominate someone for the post of protecting our environment who hasn't read anything, ANYTHING, about the human impact on climate change, it's not unexpected. The only way that we'll change this is by demanding that Corbett nominate someone whose understanding and beliefs about environmental science are in line with the mainstream scientific thinking.

On Nov. 20, the AFT-New Hampshire Board of Directors met and signed on to the pledge to reclaim public education. On Dec. 9, we're taking action in New Hampshire as part of a National Day of Action to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education. We're uniting around a common vision for our schools and took the pledge to reclaim our public schools. Local teachers and parents, community groups and labor unions, students and faith leaders are united to reclaim the promise of public education for all children. We want great neighborhood public schools that are fully funded and are centers of our community, with wraparound services and curriculum that focuses on teaching and learning, not testing.

New studies reveal links between GMO foods and numerous health issues: cancer, hormonal irregularities and infertility, fetal defects, diabetes. The office of Texas Senator Ted Cruz stated in a letter to me that he feels no need to support GMO food labeling because the "FDA has existing, science-based procedures for evaluating food safety, and... has found no demonstrated need to act." The sad truth is the FDA is part of the problem; moneyed interests prevent this body from acting in the best of interests of the American people. It's time for us to take back the control over individual health care.

Just at a time when President Obama is highlighting the problem of income inequality in our country, and the New York Times has editorialized about the role that corporate tax cuts have played in fostering it, City Council is poised to pass a bill that would repeal the City's main business tax, throwing millions of dollars at major corporations that need no help. In a City that leads the nation in poverty, those dollars need instead to be put into schools, social services of all kinds, and new forms of business enterprise like co-ops that foster local initiative and community involvement. We must say no to a vision of society that says only when the rich get richer will some few pennies trickle down to the "deserving" poor.

At a time when much of the media has bowed to pressure from the White House and kept a tight lid on discussion of the controversial and secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade agreement, the Portland Oregonian has been brave enough to shine a light on the issue. By publishing my Op-Ed on the TPP (see: http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/11/what_you_dont_know_about_the_t.html), Oregonian publisher Christian Anderson has demonstrated his respect for the principles of objective journalism, and his willingness to foster an open and public dialogue on local, national and international issues of importance to his readers. I would like to thank him, to encourage him to continue this noble effort, and to encourage other newspapers to follow his example.

It is important that Nelson Mandela's legacy of wise leadership, forgiveness and reconciliation not be allowed to die. An annual worldwide remembrance will remind us all to continue what he began.