Education Action Alerts from Care2

Tell Bush to Help Lift Millions of Women and Children Out of Poverty

Mon, 29 Aug 2005 00:00:00 PDT

Every minute, one woman dies in childbirth, 20 children die of starvation and two women die from AIDS. These are needless, preventable and unacceptable deaths.

Women and children disproportionately bear the weight of extreme poverty around the world. In many countries, women are routinely denied access to resources and even the most basic education, making it virtually impossible for them to adequately provide for their children and themselves.

Five years ago, all 189 members of the United Nations agreed to eight Millennium Development Goals, which set 15-year targets for, among other things, eradicating extreme poverty, enrolling every child in primary school, empowering women, reducing child mortality and improving maternal health. Meeting these goals, all nations agreed, requires a global partnership between countries both rich and poor.

On Sept. 14-16, the leaders of some 170 nations will gather in New York City for the World Summit, where they will take stock of their progress toward meeting the Millennium Development Goals. Time is running out. Many nations have made significant strides -- Tanzania now offers free primary education to all, Uganda reversed the spread of AIDS and Bangladesh narrowed the gender gap in school attendance. But without bold U.S. leadership to achieve the goals by the 2015 deadline, many countries will fall short of the targets.

Urge President Bush to demonstrate U.S. leadership by playing an active role at the Summit and reaffirming America's commitment to doing our part to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
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Teach Science, Not Intelligent Design

Wed, 12 Oct 2005 00:00:00 PDT

Studies show that American children are falling behind children in other nations in their knowledge and understanding of science. But instead of improving the quality of science education, movements across the country are trying to substitute ideology for fact in our classrooms.

The freedom of religion and the quality of public education are being put to the test in Dover, Pennsylvania, where a landmark court case is shaping up, as schoolteachers rebel against being forced to teach creationism in their biology classrooms along with evolution.

At issue in Dover, PA, is a new policy requiring all ninth-grade biology teachers to read a statement on "Intelligent Design" before teaching evolution lessons. The district is believed to be the first in the country to require such a disclaimer.

But the problem with this policy is that science is based on facts and testable predictions; religion is based on faith. And unfortunately, "intelligent design" is no more than religious creationism dressed up with a new name. A quality science education teaches children to weigh evidence, think critically, and apply the scientific method to test theories. A study of "intelligent design" does none of these things.

For the sake of our children and the competitiveness of our country, urge your state governor to defend the integrity of science education in our schools!
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Georgia Poised to O.K. Bible Study in Public Schools

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:00:00 PDT

The Georgia State Senate passed two pieces of legislation that pose a serious threat to the separation of church and state. One would create state-funded Bible classes in Georgia public schools. The second would allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed by county governments.

Both bills are on Governor Sonny Perdue's desk, and he is contemplating whether to sign them. That's why we need you to take action today.

The religious right will stop at nothing to push their theology in the public square or our public schools. And now, they want to use public dollars to do it!

Take action now and demand that Governor Perdue defend the Constitution and Georgia's citizens from these attacks on the doctrine of separation of church and state.
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Make Higher Education an Option for All Students

Fri, 09 Jun 2006 00:00:00 PDT

This time of year, parents around the country will beam with pride as their child crosses the stage at graduation. But for many students, meeting this milestone moment is no easy task. At risk students from low-income neighborhoods face as many challenges outside of school as they do within the classroom.

Project GRAD, an educational non-profit, works to change the culture of schools and communities serving low-income students, challenging the acceptance of failure and setting expectations that every student can succeed given the chance. Project GRAD serves the most disadvantaged public schools in the twelve cities where it operates, establishing independent non-profit entities that work in partnership with each local school system.

At Project GRAD's oldest site, high school graduation rates have increased by 94% and the number of students going to college has increased by 400%. This spring, almost 1500 students will qualify for a Project GRAD scholarship that will provide the opportunity to pursue a college degree.

If we hope to empower all students through public education, we must not let these successes go unrecognized.

Please take a moment to send a message of hope and congratulations to a Project GRAD graduate. Help sustain programs like Project GRAD by letting students know that their achievement matters to you.

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Don't Let California Turn Its Back on Physical Education

Fri, 09 Jun 2006 00:00:00 PDT

Our children face all time high risks for diseases like obesity and diabetes in their future, largely because of sedentary lifestyles. Yet as we speak, Physical Education funding in California schools are being cut.

Governor Schwarzenegger proposed $85 million in additional PE dollars for ongoing funding, but the California Legislature has SLASHED this funding!

Kids need to become more active, they need to receive the skills needed to sustain healthy, active living habits as they mature through adulthood. If children are our future, we need to invest in ongoing funding to improve the quality of our state's Physical Education courses now.

The Governor and Leaders of both parties in the Senate and Assembly will be making a final decision on PE funding within the next week, so make your voice heard now!

Tell your state leaders that funding for better Physical Education programs for California's children should be a top priority.
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It's Time to Support Sex Education

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 PDT

"Family values." Anti-choice politicians just love using this catch-phrase to support the inaccurate, unproven "abstinence-only" programs they're forcing our nation's schools to teach.

The U.S. has the highest teen-pregnancy rates in the Western industrialized world, so we think it's about time to set the record straight: Misleading young people about sex and birth control is NOT a "family value," it's setting our kids up for greater rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

We're working for change - and accurate sex education - by inviting parents around the country to sign on to the Parents' Petition to support accurate sex education in our schools.

Are you a parent? Do you know a parent? Then sign the Parents' Petition to oppose "abstinence-only" programs and support the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act, legislation that would set up the first-ever federal sex-education program!

As parents, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles � we all want our young loved ones to grow up to be informed, responsible and safe. By coming together to demand more for our families, we can make it happen.
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Help Henry Run

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 00:00:00 PDT

Meet Henry Wanyoike. His story begins in Kenya � where he was being groomed to join an elite team of runners. But in 1995, he had a stroke that left him blind.

Rather than surrendering to his condition, Henry entered a program for the blind, supported by Christian Blind Mission International (CBMI). There he received enough support and training to help him become self-sufficient, without his sight.

What's more, Henry began to run again. With the help of a guide runner, he quickly established himself as a world-class non-sighted runner, earning a spot on the Kenyan national squad in the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.

Now Henry is running again - this time to raise awareness and support for a cause dear to his heart � the Christian Blind Mission International's (CBMI) 100,000 Miracles campaign.

The 100,000 Miracles Campaign seeks to help the 17 million people who are blind because of cataracts. Eighty-five percent of these people live with blindness because they can't afford the simple operation to help them see again. CBMI's goal is to see 100,000 cataract surgeries performed in 100 days.

You can help Henry set a new world record for visually impaired runners and raise awareness about CBMI's 100,000 Miracles campaign.

Sign below with a message of your choice to support Henry in this courageous effort! Your name and comment will be delivered directly to Henry through CBMI.
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Keep Education On Track for California's Kids

Fri, 04 May 2007 00:11:00 PDT

California's top decision makers are at it again. They are trying to slash budgets and make it extremely tough to chart whether or not our schools are giving kids the tools they need to succeed.

California's learning standards got an A grade and are so successful that other states are looking to adopt them. [1] But the Assembly Budget Subcommittee is trying to cut the program that measures if our kids are meeting these standards.

Gutting our school assessment system by eliminating funding for the 2nd grade standards test will leave parents and school administrators in the dark until students reach the 4th grade! By then, the learning gap could be too big, and students who would otherwise be given the help they need could fall through the cracks.

It's hard enough for educators to give our kids the education they'll need to succeed. Don't let politicians undermine our schools' efforts to make sure every child can read by the end of third grade, or take away the one way to find out which schools are failing our kids.

We know that 2nd and 3rd grade reading scores are strong predictors of future student success. Tell the Governor to reject the Assembly Budget Subcommittee's action to cut this funding and keep our kids, and the future of California, on the right track!

[1] Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Center for American Progress, February 27, 2007

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Don't Cut Funding for California's Public Schools!

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:00:00 PDT

In neighborhoods where 70 percent or more of children are eligible for free or reduced price lunch, California's public charter schools provide an education that is critical to success in the 21st century. But without funding to keep these school buildings open, the most disadvantaged students will fall even further behind. Despite an endorsement from the Governor, the SB 740 Charter School Facility Grant Program is in danger of being cut from the budget. SB 740 provides immediate funding for the facilities crisis our schools are facing. Without a reliable way to address the rising costs of rent and building maintenance, it may be almost impossible to give California's most disadvantaged children alternatives to unsafe, low-performing schools. Public charter schools give teachers, parents, students and community members the opportunity to create and maintain schools that are open to all students and have high-learning standards. Let's make sure they stay open! Don't let bureaucrats fail California's kids. Tell our decision makers to fully fund SB 740.
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Stronger School Leaders Make Stronger Students!

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:00:00 PDT

�Getting Down to Facts,� an extensive ground-level research study of California schools, makes it clear we need to give schools more say in key decisions that shape student learning. It also makes it clear that in order to boost student achievement, we need to do a better job preparing school leaders. Assembly Bill 1415 would allow principals and administrators to be better equipped to give students the tools they need to succeed. By improving the accreditation process, school leaders get the skills they need to provide a high quality education for all of California�s children. The new accreditation process would be much more focused on making sure our programs are preparing leaders to improve student achievement and turn around struggling schools. The bill wouldn�t rely on outside parties, but would bring together school stakeholders to measure the impact of the new accreditation programs. We must improve the quality of our administrative services credential programs. The Appropriations Committee has put the bill on hold. Urge them to move this important legislation forward onto the Senate floor!
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California Senators: Fight a School Slashing Budget!

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:00 PDT

Just days ago the California Assembly passed a budget that will cost schools that serve some of our neediest students $18 million. But the State Senate still has time to make it right. In neighborhoods where 70 percent or more of children are eligible for free or reduced price lunch, California's public charter schools provide an education that is critical to success in the 21st century. But without funding to keep these school buildings open, these students will fall even further behind. What's at stake: * Facilities funding for disadvantaged charter schools will ensure more resources go directly to the classroom. Charter schools shouldn't be forced to take money away from teachers and books to cover the costs of buildings. * Charter schools tend to enroll students most underserved by the traditional public school system. * Facilities funding for charter schools will help ease tensions between charter schools and their local district offices and provide better learning environments for all students. Tell California State Senators to protect the budget for charter schools that serve low-income communities!
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Make Education a Top Priority for 2008 Candidates!

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:00:00 PDT

Schools are in crisis. Seventy percent of our eighth graders are not proficient in math, and 69 percent are not proficient in reading. A million students drop out of school every year. And that's the average. Poor children, children of color, children with disabilities and children whose first language is not English face even higher hurdles. That's not fair to the child and it hurts our democracy, economy and our communities. Despite the importance of public education, the men and women who want to win the 2008 presidential election have said almost nothing of substance about education in the debates, in speeches, or online. Let's change that! Demand they tell us their plans to: * Raise standards of achievement in our public schools. * Ensure that every child has access to high quality early education programs. * Improve high school graduation rates, making sure that our students are ready for college and the workforce. * Put a highly effective teacher in every classroom. Urge the next President of the United States to make our schools an important part of their campaigns!
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Give Darfur Kids Stability Through Education

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 08:00:00 PST

For the past 18 months, thousands of children from the Darfur region of Sudan have sought refuge in Eastern Chad after being driven from their villages. Many of these children have never been inside a classroom. Many of them have also witnessed horrendous atrocities that are extremely difficult for any adult or child to explain or overcome. But there is help. Educational activities strongly contribute to helping children overcome traumatic experiences � and can bring a sense of protection and normalcy to their lives. The School-in-a-Box program has become part of the UNICEF standard response in emergencies around the world. The kit contains supplies and materials for a teacher and up to 80 students. Support this effort to bring school supplies to the Darfur children. Tell UNICEF you want School-in-a-Box to go to more children from Darfur!
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Support a New GI Bill

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PDT

Our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan deserve every opportunity for re-integration. After World War II, attending college gave veterans time to readjust to civilian life, and prepared them for careers as innovators and leaders. Not only that, but for every dollar spent on the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, seven dollars went back into the economy in the form of increased productivity, consumer spending, and tax revenue. Soldiers studying. Today's GI Bill only covers 60% of the tuition at an average public university. Also, structural and bureaucratic delays discourage veterans from using their GI Bill benefits. Many forego education altogether. The newest generation of veterans deserves real educational benefits that make college tuition affordable. Tell Congress to take action, and pass a 21st-century GI Bill.
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Make Pre-k Available for Every Child

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT

For the first time in four years, the number of governors recommending increases in pre-k funding declined. With 22 states facing deficits, the economic downturn felt coast to coast threatens to halt years of positive momentum to make quality pre-k available to every three and four year old.

The Pre-K Act would change that by providing billions of dollars to support preschool programs nationwide. It would:

* reduce student-teacher ratios;
* recruit and retain qualified teachers with bachelor's degrees in early childhood education;
* address the cultural and linguistic needs of English Language Learners;
* provide full-day vs. half-day programs, and
* other activities that support program quality.

Preschool has proven to be highly beneficial to children, preparing them mentally and socially for their upcoming education. Quality preschool shouldn't be only available to the wealthy. Make it possible for every child -- sign the letter today.

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