Petition Tag - education

UPDATE 2: THANKS TO ALL YOUR SUPPORT STERRE BACK IN COLLEGE!!

The principal of the college had a meeting with 2 governors yesterday 12th Sep. The result is that Sterre will be accepted back on her performing arts course from Monday 17th Sep. This is a great achievement. Now it is just about the college recognising that a disabled person cannot be flexible in his support needs and not putting up barriers for her any more.

One governor has asked Micheline Mason to be involved and give advise to the college. She says: “There has been many issues in the past of mistreatment and oppression of the family by the College, and there are still many issues to be sorted out but a step has been taken in the right direction. We should make the college aware that we will be keeping a vigilant watch on what happens, but that we recognise that a step has been taken in the right direction.”

The family accept Micheline's judgement and calls off the demonstration that was planned for today Thu 13th September.

UPDATE:

​The meeting with the college on Monday 10th September 2012 did not go well. By enrolling Sterre has an agreement with Newham College to do the level 1 Performing Arts course, but now the Principal has overturned this decision. They made the excuse that Sterre needs to have assessments by a clinical psychologist in order to work out a good programme for her! She doesn't need to see a clinical psychologist! She doesn't need a good 'programme', she has already chosen to study performing arts and all she wants to do is take part on the course she has been enrolled on. Sterre looked forward to starting the course so much and the first week went so well – why is the Principal trying to make people believe that this isn't the right course for her?

We are having a demonstration on Thursday 13th September 2012 at 12.30pm at the front of East Ham college. Please come to the demonstration and ask other supporters to come as well. This disability discrimination has gone too far. If we let them get away with this then what hope do Sterre and other disabled students fighting for education have?

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Thanks to a very successful campaign, Sterre was enrolled on the Level 1 performing arts course. She started last Monday and has had a great week.

However, yesterday the Principal attacked. She excluded Sterre from college until a meeting could be arranged between the college and Sterre's advocates because she argued that Sterre had brought her own pa's without permission of the college and had therefore breached college policy.

It was clearly agreed when Sterre enrolled for the course that she could bring her own personal assistants as that was the only way she would be able to communicate and achieve.

Sterre has been prevented from attending classes at a critical point in the year. The students are completing their initial induction assessments which will determine whether they can continue on the course. By excluding her now the principal would make sure that Sterre is unable to stay on the course after the induction period.

Sterre has not done anything wrong and so there is no justifiable reason to suspend her. She is only being punished for bringing in her own PA's, something she can't do without and so this is disability discrimination.

We must act now to make sure that Sterre can attend college in this critical period.

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When was the idea of GACD born and why it died?

The idea of GACD was born before World War II, within the League of Nations, which devoted much time and energy for disarmament, although many governments doubted that extensive disarmament could be achieved or was even desirable in this time. The inability of the League of Nations to prevent the Second World War led to its dissolution in 1946. For some time it seemed as if GACD was buried forever.

The new international organization, the UN shifted the emphasis from GACD to peacekeeping mission in the armed conflicts by control of certain types of weapons, especially nuclear and protection of human rights, and humanitarian aid, etc. Thus, the idea of GACD, per se, was in fact forgotten. The security was set as the cornerstone, which, as shown by the post-war history, cannot be guaranteed by any amount of weapons and their proliferation. The GACD was sacrificed to security. However, we know that security in the ocean of arms is a very fragile ship with constant leaks and the threat of explosions in general.

In the 60's, the idea of GACD was revived again as phoenix from the initiatives of the USSR. In the history of the United Nations, only in 1962, the World Congress for GACD was held in Moscow. Revival of the GACD idea was fleeting (1959-1962) and soon it went into oblivion due to its uselessness for industrial civilization. It was partly because of lack of understanding of its fundamental precepts and partly because of its intangible content. The GACD had no place in the UN.

Now the GACD idea is dead firmly. The concept of "general and complete disarmament" is not exists even in the modern world encyclopedias: Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Britannica, etc. In the last five decades, the GACD has been suppressed by ever greater oppression of the arms race, the cost of which, under the pretext of security, grows each year by an incredibly huge amount. In fact, the GACD has been quietly moribund by the military industrial civilization. The GACD is being undermined because it poses an easier and viable solution to prevent conflicts at the expense of the vast military-industry complex that depends heavily upon building the weapons of war. However, there is a silver lining for the GACD. The complete nuclear disarmament launched the United States and Russia in 2009 is a good sign for the revival of GACD, but still only an elusive dream. The proposed petition can turn it into reality.

The profound cause of helplessness and death of the GACD idea is military industry understanding of peace without recognizing the merits of GACD and completely excluding the idea of world peace. Their objectives are temporary peace supported by the threat of military force. Therefore, any talk about GACD is not needed. Military-industrial civilization lives on the old and false militarist slogan “If you want peace - prepare for war.” This slogan transforms peace into a time of temporary period of rest between the wars and in preparation for the new wars. It profits only the military-industrial complex eliminating the prospect of global peace and GACD. This principle subordinates peace to war, turning peace into a slave of war. So have been the periods of peace to this day. Since the military-industry civilization has no other perspective for peace to view from, the prospect of GACD died in it.

The universal peace depends upon GACD, whereas the universality and freedom of war eliminates the need and possibility of GACD.

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ALERT- FOR CA RESIDENTS ONLY !

SB1540 requires the State Board of Education to consider, by June 30 2014, the adoption of a history-social science framework. The draft framework includes information about SIkhs in seven distinct areas.

When completed, this will become an important tool which will be used in all California schools to increase awareness and knowledge about Sikhism and its followers.

This will help build a strong foundation of tolerance and respect for other cultures and diversity in our future generations. These are the same values which this great nation stands for and we want to ensure that they become a part of our children’s education.

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During the period between the 14th of February 2011 till the 16th of March 2011, where the Bahraini revolution took place before authorities cracked down all the protests, we were not allowed to get in or back from Saudi Arabia as smooth as it was.

That’s why we had to stay over the weekend at the students housing although we used to get back to Bahrain to meet with our families. Ala’a and Zainab were in Bahrain during the weekend before the crack down took place on the 16th of March and could not get back to university until the 19th of March. However Zahra’a stayed there for more than two weeks because she had exams and was afraid if she get back to Bahrain she will not be able to get back to Saudi as all Shia were banned to get in.

On the 21st of March 2011 10:00 PM the director of Al Dmmam University housing requested us to take our personal belongings as an order came from the Higher national security counsel requesting to depart us from Saudi Arabia immediately. We asked for more clarification at that time, but we were told that our families are waiting for us at King Fahd causeway without even mentioning the reasons for that action.
Out of the students housing building which our flat is in, the Head of university’s office manager was waiting for us as he drove us in his private car to king Fahd causeway and he handed us to the Bahraini security Force. Around 50 masked police officers were waiting for us.

Until that time we were able to contact our families in Bahrain, but our contact them got stopped since we were submitted to Bahrain security Force as they’ve taken our mobile and they switched them off. They put us in a mini-bus and closed the windows and one of the policemen was shouting on us, belittling us and frightening us. We felt suffocated. We were concerned because our parents do not know anything about us. Please note that Zainab was in her 13th week of pregnancy as she was most of the time in Bahrain. The lawyer demanded three times the public persecution to release her because of her maternity condition, however, each time the request was rejected.

After that, we have been taken to the police station at king Fahd causeway for further investigation. At 4 a.m. from the 22nd of March Bahraini authorities took us to another temporary police station to stay the rest of the night there. Our families have had appointed Mr. Abdullah Al Shamlawi as our lawyer. At 11 a.m. we had been taken again to King Fahd causeway police station where they started the investigations all again with the investigator started screaming and shouting that we have lost all the years of study and we will get a sentence of life imprisonment. Also he said that we don’t deserve to get scholarships despite that we got the scholarship after we graduated with high GPA (98%) from secondary school.

On the same day, we have been presented to the Public Prosecution and the lawyer attended as well.
General Persecutions directed an accusation to us listed below:
1. Cursing the government symbols and leaders.
2. Incitement the hate toward the regime and demanding the over drawl the regime
3. Organizing protests at the university and at the university housing in Saudi Arabia
4. Contacting foreign TV channel and providing misleading information’s regarding the situation in Bahrain.

The lawyer asked the Public prosecutor to close the file, as there were no evidence against us neither by the Bahraini government or any known evidences provided by the Saudi authorities that would charge us.

Despite that, the Public Prosecutor had decided to imprison us up for 7 days while holding our case pending for further investigation in a police station called “Isa town police station for women rehabilitation”. We were among the first women to be accused and imprisoned after the crack down in pearl roundabout took place on the 17th of March 2011.

As per investigator decision we were supposed to stay in the custody for 7 days only. However, the custody duration expanded to 23 days until the13th of April.
Suddenly, the authorities have decided to release us where we were handed back to our families from the same police station we detained from. At that time, they let us sign on pledge that we will not participate in any activity against the government and the royal family, we will not contact any media and they have the right to call us anytime if they hand new evidence and by that he case had been closed.

On the 2nd of June Ala’a and Zahra received a call asking us to attend the military court. Zainab was not asked to go due to her maternity. We asked for clarification but what we have been told that we need to sign papers regarding our closed case. On the 6th of June we went to the military court and shocked that we were presented in front the military court judge were he accused us with the charge of participating in a protest in the Pearl Roundabout to commit crimes and breach of public security. None of the previous accusation was directed to us. We had appointed another lawyer called Mr. Mohsin Al Aalwi and procreated to attend court on our behalf. He attended 3 court sessions, when finally on the 21st of June we got the acquittal.

Later, when we decided to get back to the university, we where told from the Saudi authorities on the King Fahd Causeway that we were banned from getting in and we are not welcomed in the country anymore. We contacted the University to get a clarification regarding our studying status but they cleared that they have no authority to help us getting back and it was all directed to them from higher authorities. From that day until today we had communicated with all possible responsible parties both in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia that might help in our case.

Moreover, we reported the case to BICI (Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry), which one of their recommendations was to return all dismissed students back to their studying seats. The National Committee who’s assigned by the King to apply the recommendations duty was finished on the 20th of March 2012 without even reporting back regarding our case. Keeping in mind that we met with the president of that committee since they started.

Also, we communicated with all human rights defendant parties and committees inside and outside Bahrain. Last but not least, we met with many committees and missions sent by many countries as US and Ireland who visited Bahrain. Also we met with FIDH.

In Bahrain , we tried with ministry of foreign affair , Ministry of Education , Ministry of Interior , Supreme Council of women , Saudi Embassy in Manama , Bahrain Embassy in Saudi Arabia . Bahraini Member of Parliament Ahmed Alsaati . MOI in Saudi Arabia. University of Dammam . king Fahad causeway authority.

We applied for admission to the University of Arabian Gulf, but our request was denied for the reason that the Gulf universities operate within a single system .As a result, the Saudi authorities refused to allow us to complete our study there , the Arabian Gulf Univesity refuses to accept us as well as.

Al Wasat newspaper published a number of topics related to our cause.

Our Current situation, is unknown if we will be able to get back to Saudi where we need to complete the remaining semester (2 months. Otherwise, we need to apply to private universities where most of them we contacted requested us to repeat 3 to 4 years and on our own funding despite we used to have it as a scholarship.

We hope that your foundation could consider our case and help us completing our study.

With regards,

Aalaa Al-Sayed
Zainab Mohammed
Zahara Salman

_________________________________
Personal Information of Zainab:
Name: Zainab Mohammed Maklooq
Nationality: Bahraini
Occupation: Medical Student
University: AL Dammam University (King Fiasal University previously)
Year of studying: 6th year medical student, last semester (two modules to graduate)

Personal Information of Aala’a:
Name: Aalaa Sayed Shubber Mosin Majed
Nationality: Bahrain
Occupation: Medical Student
University: AL Dammam University (King Fiasal University previously)
Year of studying: 6th Year medical student, Last semester (two modules to graduate)

Personal Information of Zahra’a:
Name: Zahra Salman Mohamed Zabar
Occupation: Medical Student
University: Al Dammam University (King Faisal University previously)
Year of Studying: 5th Year medical Student.

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This petition is designed for reparations as Promised by the United States Government, by proxy, for those of African descent whose forefathers/mothers were forcefully removed from our homeland, deprived of their human rights, sold like cattle, treated without humanity, separated from their families for life, beaten, killed, raped, tarred and feathered, hanged, etc., given no compensation for the building of America and worst of all, programmed with the Willie Lynch doctrine which is still at work today.

The United States government has been instrumental in pressuring the German and Japanese governments into paying reparations to the people who suffered and survived the crimes and legacy of slavery endured during World War II. The United States government has also paid reparations to Japanese-Americans who were detained in concentration camps during World War II.

As African-Americans, we are entitled to, and the American government is indebted to us, and is therefore obligated to provide long and over-due Reparations to African-Americans for the atrocious crime of Slavery which is important to the future of ALL African-Americans.

Compensation through education.

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Sharon R. Wells is a survivor of child sexual abuse. At age 14 she could no longer suppress the traumatic secrets of being abused. She felt alone, abandoned, damaged, guilty and responsible. The guilt and shame impacted her life in a very negative way. The deep embedded scars of abuse carried over into her adult life, causing much pain and suffering. Had resources been available for teens during that time, there is a great chance that she may not have experienced such life-long suffering. Sharon's story is just one of many who continue to suffer in silence because of sexual abuse.

There is an estimate of 60 million sexual abuse survivors that live amongst us in the United States of America. Because sexual abuse leaves victims feeling ashamed and guilty, most victims never tell. The secret torments them and causes life long suffering. Research has shown that the population of teenage abuse victims have been known to take their own lives, engage in drug and alcohol abuse, experience depression, rage, post-traumatic stress disorder amongst many others. If the trauma is not treated, some victims are doomed to repeat the cycle of sexual abuse.

The only way that we can save our future generations is by educating and empowering them to speak up and out. We must provide resources and support that will encourage them to break their silence and seek help and be aware of their surroundings.

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2012 წლის იანვარს, ეროვნული სამეცნიერო ბიბლიოთეკა http://www.sciencelib.ge/ გადაეცა თბილისის ჯავახიშვილის სახელობის სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტს, მისი უძრავი ქონება კი ეკონომიკის სამინისტროს ბალანსზეა. ცნობილი გახდა, რომ ეკონომიკის სამინისტრო ბიბლიოთეკის შენობის გაყიდვას აპირებს.

http://www.investingeorgia.org/upload/file/National_Library_of_Science.pdf საინვესტიციო შეთავაზებაში შენობის სარეკომენდაციო ფუნქციაა სავაჭრო-გასართობი ცენტრი.

ხელისუფლების გადაწყვეტილება გაასხვისოს ბიბლიოთეკის კუთვნილი შენობა აშკარად ეწინააღმდეგება საბიბლიოთეკო საქმის შესახებ კანონის მე-4ე მუხლს.
http://www.nplg.gov.ge/index.php?sec_id=302&lang_id=GEO

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In January 2012 National Scientific Library, formerly an autonomous organization, was transmitted to Tbilisi State University, while its real property stays on the balance of the ministry of economy.

Recently it became known that the ministry has put the building of the library on the auction with the recommended future function of shopping and entertainment center. Government’s decision to privatize the building of the public library is against the Georgian Law on Librarianship.

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Visit this website to read more about the Education cuts in Ontario: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/03/27/toronto-ontario-budget-education.html

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The northern corridor continues to be the fastest growing area on the Gold Coast in terms of population levels, with three of the top five fastest growing Statistical Local Areas located within this region. This has resulted in a surge in residential development projects in the region over the last 12 months, according to the latest research from Colliers International.

Lynda Campbell, Gold Coast Research Manager, who compiled the report, said of the suburbs addressed in her research, which includes Ormeau, Jacobs Well, Norwell, Yatala, Pimpama, Stapylton, Steiglitz and Willow Vale, three are among the top ten fastest growing Statistical Local Areas in Queensland.
www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2011/10/01/353765_gold-coast-real-estate.html

In 2007 the Ormeau population was 19,065 and it continues to grow on a daily basis. The size of Ormeau is approximately 24km2. The population in 2001 was 4,221 people and by 2006 had grown to 8,506 showing a growth of 96%. The predominant age group in Ormeau is 0-9 years. Households are primarily couples with children. Most are repaying mortgages with a 70% owner occupancy rate. www.myormeau.com.au/local-info.php

Of the 38 SLAs within the Gold Coast (C) LGA, almost 95% experienced population growth in the year to June 2009. As in previous years, Kingsholme-Upper Coomera was the largest growing SLA, with an increase of 2,100 people (9.9%), followed by Southport and Ormeau-Yatala, which increased by 1,400 (5.0%) and 1,300 (9.5%) people respectively.

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Please help us to reinstate the Ontairo Lieutenant Governor's Aboriginal 'Summer Reading' Book Drive! We are two sisters, 14 years old and 13 years old in Oakville Ontario, and we want to see the children and teens of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation communities receive these much needed books.

Their libraries are bare. They are 4 to 5 years behind in literacy skills and suicide rates are high in these remote communities. Most of these children and teens live below poverty line and they cannot afford to attend post secondary school. Some of these communities are 'fly-in' only and they are forgotten... but not now!

Help us to give them hope... please sign to reinstate the Ontario Lieutenant Governor's Aboriginal Book Drive!

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Dear Sally,

We note the results of the ballot to effect constitutional change in the University and College Union as communicated by you in March. We believe this ballot was conducted in undue haste following your re-election as general secretary in pursuit of a narrow political agenda to stifle legitimate opposition within the union, including by elected national executive committee members. There was insufficient time to debate what are critical issues for members.

Subsequent to the ballot, we note that there has been a marked increase in “personal” communication between you and the membership on major issues – most recently the Universities Superannuation Scheme. As a union we would not tolerate management engaging individually and directly with our members and bypassing established collective and democratic machinery, and we are thus concerned about such an approach from our union. We are opposed to the individualistic turn that the UCU appears to be taking, since it undermines collective processes and is being falsely counterpoised to building inclusive and participatory activism in the workplace.

This year’s UCU congress voted to adopt motions 63, 64 and L5, which raise concerns about the misuse of membership surveys to bypass democratic structures and encourage “timidity and inertia” (in the wording of Motion 63), particularly in the absence of proper time for discussion within branches and committees. Motion L5 calls for union officials and structures to abide by congress decisions, and to use online surveys subsequent only to their debate by congress, sector conference or the NEC (and as sanctioned by the NEC).

Motions 65 and 67, in support of your proposal to reduce the NEC’s size, were defeated. However, as part of your congress speech, you promised to continue to campaign for the reforms regardless of the congress decision. This has worrying implications for union democracy.

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Now is the time for PTSA Advocacy to ensure that the DeKalb County School Board does not cut transporation services to Arabia Mountain High School!

AMHS offers successful programs in Career Pathways, Environmental Science and Engineering and was recognized this week as a "Green-Ribbon School" by the U.S. Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The academic dreams and hard work of 891 Arabia Mountain High School students, over 1/2 of our entire student enrollment, are at risk.

These students depend on county bus transportation from the Satellite locations to pursue their academic goals. The elected members of the DeKalb County School Board have decided to eliminate the transportation lifeline for some of the best and brightest students in the DeKalb County School System.

Here are the facts:

AMHS is not accessible by public transportation services like the other high schools on the transportation elimination list.

There are no continuous sidewalks on Browns Mill Road for our students to walk to school, which may put an increased number students at risk along the 45 MPH speed limit state road.

Adding over 800 additional cars to the Browns Mill Road area will create unbelievable gridlock and chaos in an already congested area. Recall the congestion "road rage" incident that occurred last year at the school that resulted in a parent brandishing a weapon on school property.

From AMHS Traffic - Summary

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The following is the definition of dyslexia adopted by the Research Committee of the International Dyslexia Association in August 2002:

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterised by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.

Secondary problems may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Dyslexia Australia's Definition:

Dyslexia is the capacity to process information differently, enabling innovative thought and perception. It is characterised by a visual and experiential learning style. Methods using this learning style allow dyslexic people to realise their capabilities and minimise the negative impact commonly developed by conventional methods. (concept by C. Fraser. Wording by B. Baird and C. Fraser)

People with dyslexia display some of the following signs:

Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.

Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.

Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying.

Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem.

Trouble learning Sight Words (WHY? Click Here)

Reads and rereads with little comprehension.

Spells phonetically and inconsistently.

With the exception of New South Wales, Dyslexia is not recognised within the Australian School System.

This is not in line with other countries like the United Kingdom, or United States of America. Australia is behind and our children are suffering.

Dyslexia is a learning difference not a learning disability. It is only a disability because the current education system only recognises one way of learning. If you don't fit the "norm" then you have to adapt or get left behind.

It should not be a fight between parents and the school system. Teachers and specialists should have the knowledge and tools to be able to assist all children with their learning, whatever their style.

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School are in need of an Educational Resource to teach Indigenous Cultures in the classroom in a respectful yet easy to use approach.

The new Australian Curricular places a heavy focus on Indigenous Cultural studies. Sharing Culture is an Indigenous Owned business that provides a voice to Indigenous Elders and ensures IP is held by the communities to which the knowledge belongs. The program provides a Two Way Learning opportunity but requires funding to extend the delivery of the service into ALL schools.

This petition is to showcase to the Government and funding partners the level of interest and need for Sharing Culture in schools.

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Our schools are getting budget cuts. Which means classes will be getting cut to save money. We could have two teachers teaching per class and classes with more then 40 people. We will be getting rid of a bunch of teachers also.

We need you guys to sign this help us keep our classes the same.

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We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, respectfully request the addition of a practical exam be administered to all red seal certification exams.

This exam is currently 100% written and does not reflect the TRUE experience level of the apprentice.

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed closing 50% of after school programs in New York City, one of which is HeartShare's P.S. 102 One World After School Program.

HeartShare's program provides more than 250 children ages 7 to 13 with a safe place to go after school where they complete their homework before participating in recreational and social activities.

Closing this program would be devastating to the children and their parents who are not able to afford private programs.

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The Albertan Constitution currently includes a provision from the 1905 School Act that allows for the recitation of the Lord's Prayer every morning in Public schools. It offers no such privilege to any other faith.

A Canadian court has already ruled enacting this policy as discriminatory, coercive & exclusive. It stigmatizes children & denies them their religious freedom.

This practice still continues in a number of our diverse Public schools resulting in the segregation of children & families.

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WE ASK MPPS TO VOTE NO TO BILL 13 BECAUSE:


1. Bullying is addressed only on a selective basis:

- Bill 13 privileges one group of students (LGBT) above others.

- An anti-bullying bill should treat all students equally.

- Bill 13 does not give enough local control to school boards over bullying policies.

- Bullying will be best solved by mediation between the bully and the victims, with their families, at the school level.
___________

2. Mandates sexual curriculum beginning in Kindergarten:

- It mandates a radical equity curriculum beginning in Kindergarten, in order to create more social approval for LGBT sexual activity. This curriculum will be in conflict with the values of various faith families

- People of faith do not receive any protections in this bill for their freedom to speak traditional views on sexual morality.
___________

3. Imposes provincial Code of Ethics on religious organizations, independent schools and churches

- religious organizations, schools and churches renting public school property, will have to yield their doctrine to a yet-to-be-defined provincial code of conduct This would be a direct violation of the right to religious expression granted under the federal Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

___________

THEREFORE: We ask the government to retract or amend Bill 13 to focus only on anti-bullying and not social engineering.


Petition:

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As you all know, Bristol has redistricted our elementary and middle schools. They closed some of the elementary schools to fill the two newly built schools in Forrestville and West Bristol with students and are shuffeling around most students within the district to different schools after the summer.

The number of students will not change within the district, however it has come to my attention that several of our teachers have gotten pink slips.
The board of education is pink slipping by seniority, meaning they will get rid of the newer teachers.

One of them is my son's Kindergarten Teacher at Edgewood Elementary, Miss N. She is a fantastic teacher, with a lot of compassion, enthusiasm and motivation for her job and her students. She is the kind of teachers we need to give our kids a great future. She cares about the school and about our kids. I believe the teachers should be based on ratings versus seniority.

I am calling on all Edgewood parents and residents of Bristol, CT and those that care about it, to please help me save Miss N. from being out of a job at the end of the summer.

Many more teachers have gotten pink slipped I am sure, but the number of students will not change after the summer, this would mean increase in class sizes, which also translates in less one on one time for teacher student interaction, so the ones that are behind already, will fall even further behind. Our kids education and future are on the line here.

Please help save our great teachers!

Thank you!

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Reggae and the music has been around for the past 50 years to date with the mission of bringing people of all races, class and creeds together as one voice and in one love.

It is for a healing of the nations.

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Ontario - Bill 13, Accepting Schools Act, 2012 is before the Ontario Legislature. In short the bill amendments to the 'Education Act' are to:

- Provide a clear definition of bullying of "the behaviour is intended by the pupil to cause, or the pupil ought to know that the behaviour would be likely to cause, harm, fear or distress to another individual, including psychological harm or harm to the individual’s reputation, "

- Bullying behaviour includes the use of any physical, verbal, electronic, written or other means.

- Require boards to develop and implement an equity and inclusive education policy

- Promote a positive school climate that is inclusive and accepting of all pupils, including pupils of any race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status or disability;

- Promote the prevention of bullying

- The third Sunday in November in each year is proclaimed as Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week.

Note: All facts can be validated here: http://ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2549

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The death penalty has become time consuming, cost-inefficient and has had no clear effect on the deterrence of crime. In a time of economic recovery, the call to abolish a wasteful punishment is way past due.

It is time we stop allowing the government to put our budget in the death penalty and start putting it into education and health care.

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Title 34: Education
PART 106—NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Subpart B—Coverage
§ 106.13 Military and merchant marine educational institutions.

This part does not apply to an educational institution whose primary purpose is the training of individuals for a military service of the United States or for the merchant marine.
(Authority: Secs. 901, 902, Education Amendments of 1972, 86 Stat. 373, 374; 20 U.S.C. 1681, 1682)

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Over 90% of Nigerians rely on Public Education. Without constitutional guarantees that ensure funding and education access to the needy, the corrupt political class will deny quality education to current future generations of Nigerians.

This petition will generate support for a constitutional amendment to Section 18 (3) of the Nigerian constitution.

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Physical education is lacking in our youths today. With technology controlling majority of youth time, youths are not being active. Not being active also increases the risk of obesity.

Children are playing video games two to three hours a day, listening to their IPods (without dancing), and sitting in front of a computer over three hours a day.

None of the mentioned above is active. Children need exercise!

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Studies show that smaller class sizes lead to an efficient learning environment. Large class sizes often have a higher rate of distractions and disturbances, and the teacher won't be able to focus on every student.

However, if the class size is small, then the teacher will be able to reach every student and will be able to avoid disturbances and interruptions.

This will mean more learning time, and everyone will absorb knowledge at the end of the day.

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As a group, young people have the lowest turnout in elections and we believe this means that they are underrepresented in politics.

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Great Hearts Academies, a non-profit network of charter schools based in Phoenix, Arizona, is seeking to bring its unique approach to public education to Davidson County. Great Hearts leaders have hosted informational sessions for parents in Sylvan Park, Hillsboro Village, East Nashville, Antioch, and North Nashville.

Great Hearts' teachers and administrators believe in the power of a classical liberal arts education, with an emphasis on the great books and writers of Western Civilization. By holding students to the highest standards and instilling them with a love for learning, Great Hearts graduates students with the ability to excel in some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the nation. Their current schools consistently rank in the top 1% of the public schools in their state, and the National Merit Foundation recognizes nearly 19% of Great Hearts graduates. More importantly, their students also graduate with "great hearts:" a commitment to working towards a more just, humane, and philosophical society.

Nashville's Metropolitan Board of Public Education will consider Great Hearts Academies' charter application in May of this year. A critical factor in their decision will be the opinions of parents from all across Davidson County. This petition is meant to demonstrate to the School Board that Nashville parents are excited about and supportive of this new opportunity for their children.

Names and information collected for this petition will not be used for any commercial purpose.

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The Baha'i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE), characterized by the New York Times as "an act of self-preservation," is a decentralized network of teachers both in and outside of Iran providing college level classes to those denied the ability to go to a university in Iran because they are members of the country's largest religious minority, The Baha'i Faith.

In May 2011, the government of Iran implemented a systematic raid on the homes of students, lecturers, and any associated with the BIHE. Many were arrested, all materials were confiscated, and their crime was educating Baha'i youth. The “Education Under Fire Campaign” seeks to empower campuses around the country to stand up for Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – the right to education, by looking at ways that they can help those youth in Iran to continue their education.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and President of East Timor Jose Ramos-Horta has called on the International Academic Community to review the coursework of the BIHE in order to consider acceptance of BIHE students into their university. Around the country universities are benefiting from the example of Harvard's Graduate School of Education, that school formally agreed to accept the BIHE credits. The review of possible acceptance of the BIHE credits can serve to allow those who have had the benefit of its programs can continue to higher levels of study.

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