To promote solar and wind energy ,..to move away from fossil fuels ,..and to combat climate change.

Rutherford county tn violated my right.

Governor Quinn just announced school destroyer Paul Vallas to run on his slate as Lieutenant Governor. It's a huge mistake, but he still has time to change his mind. I was a teacher when Paul Vallas was the CEO of the Chicago Schools, and my children and grandchildren were public school students. Under his management, the schools instituted more standardized testing, and begun the pattern of sudden school closures that continues in Chicago to this day. After he left Chicago, he led school districts in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Bridgeport, Connecticut. In each city, he left more of the same kind of damage; sudden school closure especially in poor neighborhoods, teacher layoffs, cuts to arts and special education, and more and more meaningless tests. In Bridgeport, this fall, parents, teachers and community members stood together and threw him out, electing a slate of progressive candidate who opposed Vallas' corporate reforms. Now the last thing we need is to bring him back to Illinois. Governor Quinn, Paul Vallas just isn't the kind of "Democrat" that I can support. Please pick a running-mate who hasn't done so much damage to our communities. Join me in telling Governor Pat Quinn to say drop Paul Vallas as Lieutenant Governor.

Mark Crawford, a Combat Veteran of the Gulf War Awarded Judgment Against DIRECTV Inc. On September 29, 2010, the Honorable David L. Mining, Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court entered Judgment (Case No. BC417507) in the amount of $353,171.60 in favor of Plaintiff Mark A. Crawford ("Crawford") and against Defendant DIRECTV, Inc. ("DIRECTV") in accordance with the Arbitration award dated June 25, 2010 executed by Arbitrator Sherman W. Smith Jr. (Ret.). Attorney Vincent Calderone of the Bononi Law Group, LLP represented Crawford and Dianne Baquet Smith and Lauren D. Thibodeaux of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP represented DIRECTV. Crawford, a combat Veteran of the Gulf War, requested a job transfer from his position of a Broadcast Operator as a reasonable accommodation because his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms were worsening as a result of having to view unedited combat footage as part of his regular work duties. DIRECTV placed Crawford on an involuntary medical leave, required him to undergo a fitness for duty examination, and terminated his employment without speaking to him about possible accommodations. Crawford testified at trial that while working for DIRECTV he had either worked or knew of other jobs that did not require him to view unedited broadcast of violent images including positions of Scheduling Operations Coordinator, Broadcast Technician, Broadcast Operator of Sports and Special Events, Program Tech Technician, IT Broadcast Technician, On Air Assistant, and RF Broadcast Technician. Crawford testified that based on his experience from his military service, his employment with other companies and his experience with DIRECTV he would have qualified for either of these positions during the time he was seeking an accommodation. The Arbitrator found that DIRECTV violated the Fair Employment and Housing Act by failing to engage in the interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations for Crawford's disability and awarded him damages.

Adlai E. Stevenson High School students have relied heavily on proceeds made from selling things like donuts and cookies that are not individually packaged to raise money for charity events such as Give-A-Thon and Project Dance. The recent ban on these types of products are detrimental to these charity events's funding. Please use your full name!

English teacher Linda Landels was recently given a "below expectations" review by Mr. Pizzo, the VP at Rodriguez High School due to “lack of rigor” and has been strongly encouraged to sit in other classrooms to “see what rigor looks like”. The goal of this petition is to demand that VP Pizzo and the rest of the Rodriguez High School administration retract this evaluation. Linda has inspired and challenged the best students of Rodriguez High School’s short past – sometimes singlehandedly helping students to be accepted to the country’s most prestigious institutions. Linda has not only inspired future writers and journalists, but scientists, doctors, engineers, sociologists, and more. She transcends the role of teacher for her students, she is mentor, guidance counselor, friend, and coach. Rigor cannot be measured in bureaucratic systems of evaluation nor cannot it be achieved arbitrary guidelines created by those who do not exist in the classroom. We ask you, as both friends and pupils, to write to Rodriguez High School administration and explain how Linda has challenged you, supported you, and helped you achieve your goals in life. This is not simply a letter for our esteemed friend and guide, but a message to those who continually diminish the invaluable role of the teacher in favor of test scores and guidelines. Remember, as Linda has taught us all, act with your heart and with your mind and “you will end up where you need to be.”

Renisha McBride got into a car accident at early last Saturday morning, in Dearborn Heights, MI. Since her cell phone battery had died, she knocked on a door to ask for help. She was shot in the face. Neighbors reported the shooting to the police, and the homeowner is saying that he felt threatened and that his gun went off by accident. [1] I guess the gun was accidentally pointed at her head, too? Her killer was arrested and released, while horrifyingly, the prosecutor is still deciding whether or not to press charges. Perhaps the prosecutors are trying to figure out if they can successfully bring a case since Michigan has a 'stand your ground' law, and the killer is claiming that he felt threatened because he thought she was breaking into his house. 'Stand your ground' is a law developed in 2005 by a National Rifle Association lobbyist [2] who decided that feeling threatened is enough reason to use deadly force. Considering how many millions of paranoid, white gun owners there are in the United States, these laws have been a recipe for disaster. 'Stand your ground' has inflamed gun culture fantasies about a coming 'race war,' emboldening a wave of crimes where white perpetrators saw a Black person taking out the trash, coming home from the store, resting by a river bank with their family, or approaching the police for help after being injured, and shot to kill. Treating yet another incident like this as anything but a crime is a public safety menace. It's for the prosecutor to decide what charges to bring. But either their office thinks it's some kind of crime to shoot a woman in the head or that it is, in practice, reasonable to assume that being startled by the presence of a Black person is a justifiable cause of mortal terror. Tell the prosecutor: keep American families safe from the scourge of racist vigilantes by treating Renisha McBride's death as a crime. [1] - "Renisha McBride's family asks for peace as they mourn her death" by Bill Laitner and Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, November 7, 2013. http://www.freep.com/article/20131107/NEWS05/311070119/Renisha-McBride-shot-in-face-not-back-of-head-Dearborn-Heights [2] - "Obama Uses a Teaching Moment to Challenge "Stand Your Ground' Laws," by John Nichols, The Nation, July 20, 2013. http://www.thenation.com/blog/175367/obama-uses-teaching-moment-challenge-stand-your-ground-laws

This pipeline will destroy the natural resources of the region. The Pinelands will see more air and water pollution as a result of the project and more spills that are inevitable and result in polluting of the aquifer. The Pinelands is too precious to put at risk for dirty fossil fuel infrastructure. This pipeline will cut a scar through the region, causing irreparable harm that cannot be mitigated.  Stop the expansion of fracked gas pipelines into one of New Jersey’s most ecologically important areas.

I am tired of the continuing trend of "keeping up with the Jones' at the expense and total disregard for the feelings of the floor level employee.

I have experienced false allegations from and perjury of felonies from individuals and organizations that receive our money to protect the public. Nothing was ever done about it. I am the only one I know who has survived. Unless this is seriously looked into we really do not have a justice system.

Break the Wall Street control of our government with HR1579. We need a Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street … and a movement that forces the legislators to care about our communities… Economic Justice for every American. $350 Billion annually that can be spent on Human needs - not Billionaire or Corporation needs. It is the game changer for a better funded, fairer, more democratic, humane, balanced, and moral American Tax System. It begins in our town, with you …

I, Jesse Collens, had a mountain biking accident in 2009 that left me paralyzed from my neck down and completely dependent on a ventilator. At the time I was 21 years old, going to college for a BS in biology and chemistry, the assistant kitchen manager of a very popular restaurant, and a very athletic and outgoing person. Currently I live in a private residence with my elderly mother and because I cannot be left alone she takes care of me when there are no other caregivers around. When my mother or a single nurse is taking care of me it's nearly impossible for me to leave the house; my mother cannot physically do it and the nurse is not allowed to drive me anywhere although they may accompany me if someone else is driving. If and when my mother is no longer able to take care me at all the only option for me would be to go into a skilled nursing facility where my independence and ability to live life every person is entitled to would be taken away. As a 25-year-old male I am continuing my college education and I still have goals and aspirations as much as anyone else and I would like to see them through.