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Petition Tag - teacher
We lost our instructor, who was teaching in LAF for a long time.
2. Empower Our Teachers, Protect Our Children 
To understand the gravity of the situation, you must simply examine the facts; no less than 259 school shooting related deaths have occurred since 1970.
Many Arkansans remember the incident at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, AR, where four students and one teacher were killed. The recent Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting has once again showed us the vulnerabilities of our public schools. The deaths of children in public schools can and will be prevented with proper training and security. The added security this petition calls for would be provided by the people directly involved, the teachers.
Local law enforcement and skilled security professionals (most of which would more than happily volunteer their time) would provide the training needed and if there was a cost incurred the school districts would cover any and all expenses. I believe, teachers need to feel empowered and secure. This reassurance can come through proper training. It is important that all teachers working in the state of Arkansas receive a basic defensive course and hostage training focused directly on altercations involving firearms, knives and other dangers involved in school invasion scenarios.
The training would be designed especially for teachers and school administrators to further mitigate the risks posed to students and staff. I believe in conjunction with the training, personnel that excelled in these operations (as well as agreed) would also receive basic marksmanship training in small arms and be issued a handgun (provided by the state) and kept stowed away, only allowing the teacher issued access to the weapon. Individuals selected by the schools concealed carry program would be selected by the school administrators and the training personnel. In school districts that wished to do so the teachers with a concealed carry license could "carry" These individuals would remain nameless to students and other personnel. The classes would be made available to these individuals as well.
The local law enforcement departments and key administrators would maintain a registry of all teachers involved in the program and be required to provide continued training (annually). Response times for local law enforcement departments vary and the possible delays for their officers are endless; therefore, it is up to us, the competent and common sense Americans to empower our schools and help to provide an environment that reduces the danger to our children.
3. Free Union Board Member & Teacher Mahmoud Bagheri
The Iranian Teachers Union is challenging the arrest of a member of its executive board, Mahmoud Bagheri, in a letter to the head of Iran’s judiciary.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that the letter to Ayatollah Larijani declares that Bagheri is one of the country’s model teachers and calls his incarceration “incredible and undeserved.”
The physics teacher has been sentenced to a total of nine and a half years in prison for two separate files. Even though the sentence was suspended, he was arrested on Monday to serve out his time.
The Teachers Union condemns the “unprecedented” sentence, saying Bagheri, in addition to being a model physics teacher with 27 years of lauded experience, is also a war veteran who served 18 months at the front during the Iran-Iraq War.
His arrest, according to the letter, has been a shock to his colleagues, students and the teaching community in general, as he is known as a “peaceful but concerned supporter of teachers’ rights.”
The union emphasizes that Bagheri is “completely innocent and his arrest is a severe blow to him and his academic community.”
The letter calls for his immediate release and a review of his file, saying: “Be certain that prison is not the place for people such as Bagheri, as they are the precious assets of this country.”
Bagheri was first arrested six years ago during a teachers’ demonstration in front of Parliament and, after a month in prison, he was given a suspended sentence of three and a half years.
He was later arrested in July of 2011 for his work with the Teachers Union and, after three months in Evin Prison, he was handed another six years in jail, which was later approved in the appellate court.
SOURCE : Radio Zamaneh
4. Save Edgewood Kindergarten Teacher
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!
Mr. Majeski is an art teacher at CHS. He is well respected by the students in all grade levels and is a mentor to many. With so many articles in Newsday about teachers who have broken the rules or acted unprofessionally, it's rare to find someone as inspirational as Mr. Majeski.
As a resident of our community, he is aware of the issues that we face such as bullying and heroin use. He's a positive role model as not only a teacher but also as a community member.
6. Help Get Ms. Flynn To Teach For Windsor Park Collegiate's Art Course!
Ms. Flynn has been teaching us art for about three years. She has been a part time teacher, filling in for Mrs. Sigmar, but was layed off in Fall, due to the new school year. Instead of Ms. Flynn, who has many information and knowledge about this topic Art, has been layed off for a teacher who knows nothing about Art. She's a history teacher for christ sake!
Let someone who has an Anthropology for BA with a minor in Geography, an MA in archaeology, a good portion of fine arts degree and also B. Ed, be the Fine Arts teacher for us students at Windsor Park Collegiate!
7. Dedicated Kindergarten Teacher for Yellow Grass
Yellow Grass School requires a dedicated Kindergarten teacher. There are ten children in Kindergarten and they are sharing a teacher with 21 Grade 1 and 2 students. These students have a very capable teacher who is doing the very best she can to give them the education they deserve. However, in a shared class of 31 very diverse students, it will be impossible to dedicate enough time to each student.
Research shows smaller classes "provide better quality and a richer environment for pupils, while making teaching more enjoyable for the teacher." Smaller class sizes result in higher achievement among students who are economically disadvantaged and those students with lower academic ability.
The principal does have the ability to decide how the existing teachers are allocated. However, it is not feasible or fair to re-allocate another teacher from Yellow Grass School, many of which are already teaching double grades.
Please sign this petition and show your support for the students and staff of Yellow Grass School.
8. Keep Becky Ugander As World Cultures / French Teacher at Moore Middle School
We the People Under signed do think that Becky Ugander is a Very Influential and loved teacher that teaches at Moore middle school.
9. Hire a Licensed Guidance Counselor at Barnum High School
In the past Barnum High School has employed a State Licensed Guidance Counselor. During the past two years Barnum High School has used a Dean of Students (who is a certified teacher/not educated or licensed as a Guidance Counselor) to fulfill the duties of a Guidance Counselor. The Barnum High School Students deserve a Licensed Guidance Counselor.
The hiring of a Guidance Counsellor is already in the Operating Budget of the school. This change will not eliminate any jobs as the teacher acting as a "Dean of Students" is tenured and will revert back to her teaching duties (without loss of pay or grade). Barnum High School Staff and Students deserve the immediate hiring of a Licensed Guidance Counselor.
10. Save Meadows Upper Elementary School
Due to Avondale School District's financial crisis a Building Utilization Study was conducted in the fall of 2009. This study was charged with the analysis of current and projected student enrollment, anticipated per pupil funding, residence trends, demographics, school building utilization, and school configuration.
The recommendation proposed was to close one of the five elementary schools in the district. The result of which will maximize opportunities for student achievement to deliver the best instructional program possible within the Avondale School District.
11. Ban punishment, rationing and denial of bathroom use in schools
District 87 has no restroom policy. It is left up to the teacher's discretion and at Irving Elementary that equates to, if you need to use the restroom frequently or when it is inconvenient you will receive a disciplinary mark equal to if you hit, bite, name call, or destroy property. I have contacted several teachers through out the years and this remains the same. I contacted the principal this year and yet it remains the same.
OSHA protects an adult right to use the restroom at anytime yet it is up to us to protect this right for our children.
Some might say just hold it is good practice as to not interrupt the class learning environment. To that I ask you to remember sitting at a desk doing the potty dance. Did you recall anything the teacher said? Were other student busy giggling at you instead of listening to the teacher?
http://www.nospank.net/frbw.htm
12. Make the School Superintendent Position an Elected One
For the time being the school superintendent is an appointed position, meaning that any person who is smooth enough to ingratiate himself or herself with the school board, regardless of their prior track record, can find themselves in charge of one of the largest school districts in Florida.
They have the power to give themselves and other school board members raises and appropriate public funds based on unilateral decisions that greatly influence the quality of education our children receive.
It is a position of substantial power and prestige; therefore, the decision to hire that individual should not rest in the hands of a small minority who for the most part have either been out of the teaching profession (in a classroom) for too long, have never even been a teacher in a classroom, or have no children attending public schools in Palm Beach County.
The power to hire the superintendent of the Palm Beach County School District should rest in the hands of the residents of Palm Beach County. The education of our children depends on it.
13. Allow piercings in Jennings County High School
I'd like for any student who goes to Jennings County High School who is willing to support the right to wear piercings at school to sign.
14. Save Gary Budgen
Due to discrepancies with London Metropolitan University’s data during an audit by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce), London Met has found itself in financial crisis, including an18 million pounds per year cutback and a 38 million pound debt to pay back over the next five years.
This has inevitably led to massive job cuts at London Met.
15. Keep Coach Darren Stevens @ Kingsbury Middle
I AM STARTING THIS PETITION TO TRY AND CONVINCE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND SUPERINTENDENT KRINER CASH TO KEEP COACH DARREN STEVENS ON STAFF AT KINGSBURY MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE 2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR AND BEYOND.
COACH STEVENS IS A GREAT TEACHER, COACH AND MENTOR TO OUR YOUTH, THERE SHOULD BE OTHER WAYS TO CUT THE BUDGET THAN LAYING OFF GOOD PEOPLE. COACH DARREN IS ALWAYS THERE FOR THE KIDS AS A COACH, TEACHER AND MENTOR. HE TRULY CARES!!
16. Petition for Adequate Staffing of CPS Schools
We demand an end to the sabotage of our schools. Every year, many schools, often the same schools CPS later wants to “turnaround”, end up short staffed. New staff are not hired until at least the 20th school day, causing classes to be overcrowded, without teachers, and resulting in massive schedule changes in October. Because enrollment is underestimated, kindergarteners are forced into classes of 40 students while the school waits for the board to approve another teacher.
In most cases, this travesty contributes to the educational disparities of students who already have social and economic disadvantages. The CPS formula for assigning teachers allows for no flexibility, and leads to split level classes, dropped electives, and overcrowded classes.
A formula that took into consideration the students’ needs would allow for smaller classes and more teacher availability.
Mr Jason Trusty has been a vital part of the IHS faculty for four years. He is a long-time community resident, graduate of Iberia, and hard-working baseball coach. He has been forced to resign or be fired by the BOE.
He was not supported by an administration which is weak and lacking in instructional leadership. This same "leadership" is not returning to Iberia-
18. In support of John Viverito
John Viverito is a teacher who not only teaches amazing history, but also teaches people how to pay attention to our futures. He is not only a teacher, but a person that has earned his way not through a system, but through the minds of his students.
Any who have had this teacher or met him at any given point can plainly see that this man is something different. His students would all tell you that he has had some sort of positive influence on their lives. Even if your not the best student, by the end of every class you can see this man loves what he does. It would be a shame to see such talent, such devotion go to waste.
Those whom signed this petition can clearly state that Mr. Viverito in some way, has shown positive influence. Don't let a brilliant mind go to waste, this man deserves our help!
19. Change "TGA" to "Homeroom" at Barnstable High School
"Teacher Guided Assistance," or "TGA," was originially intended to be a period in which teachers would help students with schoolwork and guide them in their studies. But TGA has changed in recent years to merely be a period for attendance and nothing else.
Therefore, we believe that "TGA"should be changed to "Homeroom," as this name suits the period's actual function and does not imply false ideas as to the period's purpose.
20. Help Promote Financial Literacy
As Americans we have all bought into the American Dream. Everyone wants to make a better life and have a little more. But keeping up with the Jones’ has finally caught up with us.
So let’s get this straight…the responsibility for the current financial crisis in America, especially the mortgage industry, rests on all involved parties; consumers looking to have more for less, industry professionals looking to make a better income, corporate America looking to increase the bottom line. No single sector caused the financial crisis that we face today. The truth is that Americans are in trouble because they have little or no Financial Literacy.
As a professional in the mortgage industry, I have first-hand experience dealing with those exact people in crisis. I spend 25 plus hours a week of my time helping those homeowners who got into bad loans, are about to lose everything and have nowhere to turn for help. My phone rings an average of 12 times a day, every day, with another desperate person on the other end who faces foreclosure or bankruptcy because they can’t cover all their expenses. Their desperation is overwhelming and their lack of knowledge about how to manage their money is appalling.
In response to what we have seen, two friends and I are starting a non-profit business, Dependable Consumer Counseling, to address what we see as the fundamental problem in this situation: People don’t have the basic knowledge, we call it Financial Literacy, to manage their money. Our plan is two-fold: to help people explore all their options so they can get out of the crisis they are in and to educate men, women and children so they can have a more secure financial future.
We have had an overwhelming response from everyone we have talked to about our venture. Individuals have shown great interest in attending seminars on Financial Literacy in which we would teach them the basics of budgeting, buying a house and the fundamentals about credit. This type of common sense knowledge is not taught in schools. The teachers and counselors we have spoken with have shown great interest in having us come as guest speakers to teach this program to the children who are our future.
The best part is that we want to offer our services free of charge so that they are available to everyone.
So the concept is sound and much in need, but we feel that in order to be successful we need to do this full time and are starting a non-profit corporation to that end. This is where we need your help. We have looked into government funding and it’s either not there or we don’t qualify for it. And we truly feel that to accomplish our goal, our services must be offered free of charge. Please make a tax deductible donation today so we can help to make a better tomorrow.
21. Bring (sir) Raffy Back (BRB)
Many issues have been plaguing the Olivarez College Community, particularly the Nursing Department. Amidst all the issues and chaos, one particularly dedicated and professional teaching staff has been affected -- Sir Rafael T. Salinas. He is allegedly being accused of misappropriating funds in the Nursing Department. This move has been initiated by certain co-faculty members who may have a personal vendetta on Mr. Salinas.
Based on personal talks with Mr. Salinas, we have come to know that there may have been an "injustice" with the way his case has been handled and processed. The decision to remove him from position has only been based on "Sworn Statements" and not on hard evidences. What about Mr. Salinas' own statements and his long, unblemished history of studying, working and teaching in Olivarez College? Doesn't his own sworn statement account for nothing? And allegedly his statements were obtained while under duress? What is the credibility of these accusing individuals and why does their sworn statement bear more weight than Mr. Salinas' own statements?
Although there are no "definite" arrangements or definite decisions yet, it is still possible to have Mr. Salinas retained in the Olivarez College Nursing Faculty -- at least as a part-time teacher -- not only for him to share his extensive knowledge and experience as a Teacher/Registered Nurse but more importantly to CLEAR HIS NAME of any malicious and misrepresented facts. At this point we are not trying to claim that he has no flaws nor is he all righteous -- but just to give him what is due him..
Mr. Salinas is an Olivarez College alumni and he has dedicated a large part of his teaching years in his beloved alumni, turning down generous offers from other institutions in favor of his alma mater. Most students will attest to his dedication and going way beyond what is expected of him to ensure that students will learn. He has tried his best to uphold the standards of the school even at the expense of personal friendships ... and this "injustice" is what he gets in return.
Mr. Salinas himself has stated his intention to stay on even as a plain part-time teacher, without the accouterments of the position of a level chairman. What kind of guilty person would like to stay on even if it meant enduring the hardship of persecution based on unfounded accusations? This only means that he will stay on if only to clear his name.
For now he may be in a literal BRB status (Be Right Back) -- but we want to Bring (sir) Raffy Back -- clear his name and let the truth be known.
Hopefully with this petition -- we will also bring to the attention of the OC administration that we are the supposed "Kings & Queens" of the Olivarez community -- because we are the clientele of the school. We the students, co-faculty and peers of Mr. Salinas -- we have a voice... we have something to say ... we want to be heard.
we should be able to access myspace from school... i think so because there are people that dont have a computer at home and i think it would be alot easier if instead of blocking myspace completely that they just have some little password code on the site and when people are done with there work they can just have a teacher sign them into the site and do their own little thing on myspace...
i for one get on mainly because im in a group home and i like to contact my mom through email because i dont like staff at the group home listening in on my conversations with my mom... sign if u agree..
23. Keep John Freshwater from teaching science in Mount Vernon, Ohio public schools
Science teacher John Freshwater teaches pseudo-science cloaked within a so-called freedom of inquiry and other bogus concepts that have no place in the public school science classroom. He teaches mush that graduates lazy students and lazy citizens.
Do a Google of John Freshwater and you can find all the information you want. In fact go to my blog - www.god-space.net - and read my stories on this subject and links to quality articles in the Columbus Dispatch.
24. World-Class Education for Arizona: Support School Libraries & Information Technology
Citizens across the state of Arizona are calling on state leaders to ensure that all Arizona elementary and secondary students have full-time access to school libraries and a certified teacher librarian.
It is our hope that Arizona voices can help reverse the trend of serious reductions to our school library programs by calling on our leaders to ensure that teacher librarians, library programs and technology training are no longer at risk. It is our wish that our children and their teachers have full and equal access to the literacy and collaborative opportunities provided by our school libraries and certified teacher librarians. It is our belief that information literacy and the technology training facilitated in our school libraries are crucial to our children, and that the teacher librarian's knowledge of student ability allows them to place "just right books" into the hands of students, fostering a love of reading and life-long learning.
The Arizona Republic published an article this year (3/11/08) which highlights just some of the cuts that have occurred in Arizona:
"Bill Myhr, superintendent of Fountain Hills Unified District, credits librarians with helping teachers and students lift his four schools to "excelling," the state's top rating. Still, he has proposed cutting librarians next year and replacing them with one district librarian.
Next year, eight schools in the Tempe Elementary District are likely to lose full-time librarians. Librarians who are serving 500 students all week this year will serve 900 students part time next year.
Tucson Unified schools must split a shrinking number of staff hours among a librarian, a counselor or another teacher."
Mesa Public Schools, Arizona's largest school district serving 74,000 students, recently announced a decision to eliminate librarians in all of its schools over a three-year period.
The results of numerous studies indicate that Arizona students and teachers would be best served by intact, fully-funded library and technology programs.
The U.S. Commission on Libraries and Information Science summarizes what decades of research have shown in state after state after state:
*Students in schools with good school libraries learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized test scores than their peers in schools without libraries.
*School Libraries have an important role in teaching. Certified teacher librarians are working with teachers to change what is possible in the classroom and support learning opportunities with books, computer resources and more.
*School libraries are leading the way for technology use in schools.
*School libraries inspire literacy.
*School libraries need to be staffed by a certified teacher librarian in order to have a positive impact on student academic achievement. (http://www.nclis.gov)
To access an extensive list of research please see http://www.lrs.org/impact.php
Dr. Michael B. Eisenberg, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Library and Information Science at the University of Washington, puts it like this:
“This is the information age. Key basic skills for all students are reading, communicating, information and technology literacy. To quote Bill Gates, ‘Computers today are a million times more powerful than 20 years ago. And, it’s going to happen again. In 20 years, computers will be a million times more powerful than today.’
What does that mean for our children? What will it mean to live and succeed in such a world? Our children will need to be more than literate – they will need to be fluent in reading, communicating, information processing and technology.”
We are encouraged and hopeful that the leaders of Arizona will review the research, consider the issues surrounding school library services, and will do what is necessary to see that school libraries, teacher librarians and information technology receive adequate and sustained funding.
______________________________________________
The authors of this petition have formed a state-wide coalition to advocate for the issues addressed in this petition.
If you would like to join the coalition or are seeking additional information, please visit fundourfuturearizona.org to learn more about ACS-lit The Arizona Coalition for School Libraries & Information Technology as well as to access a plethora of research on the issue.
For decades, dedicated parents have successfully taught their children at home, and most of these home teachers have not held a teaching credential. In California, a teaching credential is required only for public school teachers.
We know there are many great classroom teachers who understand that there is a difference between teaching in a classroom and teaching one’s child at home. If you have a teaching credential, we invite you to make the voice of classroom teachers heard by signing California Homeschool Network’s petition.
The information you provide will not be sold, and it will be kept confidential. We appreciate your support, but respect your privacy, so each field is optional.
Please send other teachers to this website. We know that there are thousands of dedicated teachers who support homeschooling, and we look forward to hearing from them!
School lasts too long for middle and high schoolers.
I say we abandon at least 2 hours and shorten it up. We have rights to our own lives.
I believe that we, as adolescents, should be able to spend more time doing what we decide to do by ourselves instead of being consumed in nothing but school type activities.
27. Substitute teachers should make at least 1/2 as much as regular teachers
Hi, I am a substitute teacher and am really enjoying what I do. However, I can’t help but feel that the job is seriously underpaid. I currently make between $70 - $80 dollars a day depending on the School District that I substitute for. I have some figures (they are only approximations).
Amount of education required for a Michigan teacher: 6 years
Average pay for a Michigan teacher: $56,000 a year.
Amount of education required for a Michigan substitute teacher: 4 years
Average yearly pay for a Michigan substitute teacher: $14,000
Lets say that a substitute teacher has roughly half the responsibilities of a real teacher. I think that is a fair assumption. A substitute does not have to grade papers or make up lesson plans (only teach them). So a substitute does not take their job home with them. A substitute is only working during school hours.
So a substitute has 2/3 the education of a real teacher, 1/2 the responsibility of a teacher
but gets paid less than 1/4 the pay of a real teacher? I personally think a substitute teacher is worth at least half of a real teacher. It’s no small wonder that there is a shortage of substitute teachers. The education to pay ratio for a substitute teacher has got to be the smallest of any job in this country.
I personally believe that every school district in Michigan (and this country) should be required to take the average of their teacher's salaries including benefits and then pay their substitute teachers exactly half that amount.
28. Homework line for Hudson Middle School students and parents
When my child was in the 5th grade he had a teacher that had a homework line, so if I thought for one moment that my son had homework when he told me he didn't, I called the homework line the teacher had set up and I heard a recording from that teacher what they did in class and what homework my son had.
A homework line would be beneficial in 3 ways;
1.) Parents can call to get the homework for the day,
2.) Children can call to make sure they wrote down all of their homework and didn't miss anything,
3.) Children can call if they are absent and do not want to get behind they can get that days assignments.
29. Do Not Release Hit and Run Drunk Driver, Colin Anderson
On May 19, 2002, while driving with a blood alcohol level well over the legal limit for New York State, Colin Anderson struck and killed Andrea Rizzo, a compassionate and exuberant 24 year old Special Education Teacher and childhood cancer survivor.
He then fled the scene leaving Andrea dead on the Cross Bronx Expressway. He was chased and stopped by good samaritans.
30. Keep Victoria Baschzok-Brown as our Teacher!
Victoria Baschzok-Brown is a wonderful teacher who has taught others to be tolerant of all different peoples. She is a woman who shows us it's okay to be one's self, and many fear that without her the school will fall upon it's self in ways of bullying and other depreciating matters.
Students of Penticton Secondary School whether she taught them or not find themselves learning new lesson just from being around her. She does not deserve to be laid off and many students agree as you see from the undersigned.
If you want real evidence just ask one of the many that have signed.