No Child Left Behind

Friend,  No Child Left Behind (as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is currently known) is now nearly 14 years old, which means I have watched students enter and exit the K-12 education system under the same failed law. As Congress works to reauthorize ESEA, passed originally in 1965, it is clear we need a reset in federal education policy, one that creates the space and latitude schools need to teach children with a well-rounded curriculum rather than fixate on tests. The bipartisan bill to reauthorize ESEA, the Every Child Achieves Act, is centered on ESEA’s original intent of equity and support for our most vulnerable students and is a good start to that reset.  The Senate has begun debating the Every Child Achieves Act, and we’re hopeful they can agree on a bill that puts kids first. And while we support the bill, several amendments will be voted on in the coming days that could help make the Every Child Achieves Act stronger, getting us back to the original intent of ESEA. Will you take a minute and urge your senators to support key amendments that would strengthen the Every Child Achieves Act? Key amendments include:  Community schools: This amendment supports a comprehensive approach to education by addressing academic and nonacademic challenges faced by students. Community schools have been funded federally for a number of years and are critical to supporting coordinated wraparound and academic services. Resource equity: We support the resource equity amendment to ensure that states measure and implement a plan to address disparities in access to critical educational resources. Improving teaching and learning conditions: This past spring, the AFT conducted a survey of more 30,000 teachers that uncovered significant stress associated with their working conditions. One recommendation to come out of this survey was that the federal government fund a comprehensive study of workplace stress and working conditions. We fully support an amendment to allow states and districts to use Title II funds to conduct and publicly report on an assessment of educator support and working conditions that would be developed with teachers, leaders, parents, students and the community. Charter oversight and accountability: This amendment would improve oversight of charter schools, increase transparency, and support parent and community involvement. Student Non-Discrimination Act: This amendment would establish a federal prohibition on discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity that would provide protections for LGBT students and ensure that all students have access to public education in a safe environment free from discrimination, including harassment, bullying, intimidation and violence. It’s time for the Senate to pass a bill that maintains the federal commitment to equity by continuing to target federal funds for poor children while putting an end to the test-and-punish model and getting the federal government out of the business of teacher evaluations. The Every Child Achieves Act is a huge step in the right direction. Help me continue to fight to make sure our children are getting highest-quality public education possible.  Write your senators today and urge them to further improve the Every Child Achieves Act by supporting these amendments. In unity, Mary Cathryn Ricker AFT Executive Vice President Randi Weingarten, President Lorretta Johnson, Secretary-Treasurer | Mary Cathryn Ricker, Executive Vice President © American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. All rights reserved. Photographs and illustrations, as well as text, cannot be used without permission from the AFT. Contact Us | 555 New Jersey Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20001

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

We are working on a bill in California to reform civil asset forfeiture

About | Donate | Facebook | Twitter

Dear Friend, This is wrong, and with only a few minutes of your time, you can help fix it. Hi. Craig here. As you probably know, I'm the executive director of Justice Fellowship, the advocacy arm of Prison Fellowship. We are working on a bill in California to reform civil asset forfeiture. Senate Bill 443 will restore just process and protect each Californian’s personal liberty. Civil asset forfeiture occurs when law enforcement seizes property that they assume is involved in criminal activity without any burden of proof. Currently, California does not require a criminal conviction for the property to be forfeited indefinitely. This means that a person’s property doesn’t have to be returned even if they are proven innocent! The California legislature is considering SB 443 to fix this injustice and provide a more just process for all Californians very soon. The bill will help protect people’s property and fix perverse financial incentives by requiring that a defendant be convicted of a crime before their cash or property is seized permanently.   Please contact your representative and tell them to vote 'yes' on SB 443! Thank you for your time. Blessings,  Craig DeRoche  Executive Director, Justice Fellowship Prison Fellowship Ministries Justice Fellowship 44180 Riverside Parkway Lansdowne, VA, 20176

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Politicians funded by the telecoms industry are trying to gut the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

FRIEND, Right now, politicians funded by the telecoms industry are trying to gut the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prevent them from enforcing the Net Neutrality rules we won that guarantee access to a free, open internet. Our victory on Net Neutrality, which millions of Americans fought for, is being jeopardized by Time Warner’s donations to shadowy lobbying groups. So last week, at Time Warner Cable’s annual shareholder meeting, I confronted CEO Robert Marcus on his company’s attempts to undermine Net Neutrality. I brought 19,000 of your petition signatures asking him to disclose Time Warner’s political spending, and handed them directly to him in front of his shareholders. We’re pulling out all the stops to make sure big Cable doesn’t gut the FCC with sneak attacks through the budget appropriations process. Can you pitch in? Call your representative now to tell them to vote against backdoor attempts to gut the FCC. (We’ve got a sample script you can use) (19,000 petitions I delivered to Time Warner Cable’s multimillionaire CEO (On the right)) Our petition delivery definitely got the CEO’s attention, but without continued pressure, corporate money could still undermine our hard fought victory on Net Neutrality. Earlier in 2015, SumOfUs members played an important role in an historic victory on Net Neutrality. We can’t afford to let politicians play games in Congress that put the internet in danger again. Can you help make sure our victory is here to stay? Call your representative now to tell them to vote against backdoor attempts to gut the FCC. (We’ve got a sample script you can use) Please make a quick call to your representative to tell them to vote against attempts to gut the FCC. Thanks for all you do, Nick, Kaytee and the rest of the SumOfUs team ********** More information: Watchdog Calls For Time Warner Cable Lobbying Disclosures, Law 360, July 1st, 2015 SumOfUs is a worldwide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy. Please help keep SumOfUs strong by chipping in $3 . Have a great idea for a SumOfUs campaign? Start your own petition and the best ones could be emailed to to the whole SumOfUs community.

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Brazil clears Shell’s $70 bln purchase of BG

Jul 8th, 2015 

by John Donovan. 

No comments yet

Brazil clears Shell’s $70 bln purchase of BG

By Ron Bousso and Stephen Eisenhammer

(Reuters) – Brazil gave the green light to oil major Royal Dutch Shell to buy smaller rival BG, advancing the $70 billion merger — the largest of the past decade — closer to completion in early 2016.

Shell is set to become the largest foreign operator offshore Brazil after it buys BG, so the clearance from the country was a crucial step to complete the merger on time.

Brazil’s competition authority CADE said on Wednesday it had given preliminary approval to the transaction “without restrictions.” BG said that if no appeals were lodged or referrals made in the next 15 days, CADE’s clearance would become final. A spokesman for Shell confirmed the approval and the 15-day appeals period.

read more

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print

Like this:

Loading...

Posted in: BG Group, Bidness Etc, Brazil, Gas, Reuters, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell.
Tagged: BG Group · Gas · Royal Dutch Shell Plc · Shell

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Icebreaker key to Shell’s Arctic drilling program damaged, returns to port

Icebreaker key to Shell’s Arctic drilling program damaged, returns to port

Jul 8th, 2015 

by John Donovan. 

No comments yet

Alex DeMarban: Alaska Dispatch News: July 7, 2015

In another hurdle for Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic drilling program, an ice-handling vessel playing a key role in the operation has returned to Dutch Harbor after a gash was discovered in its hull.

The Fennica, a 380-foot Finnish vessel, was damaged Friday as it headed for the drilling grounds in the Chukchi Sea off the northwest Alaska coast, with a state-certified marine harbor pilot on board handling it. The vessel is one of 29 Shell plans to send to the area this summer. 

read more

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print

Like this:

Loading...

Posted in: Alaska, Arctic, Chukchi Sea, Climate Change, Environment, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, United States.
Tagged: Alaska · Arctic Ocean · Chukchi Sea · Environment · Royal Dutch Shell Plc ·Shell

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Shell Arctic Screw Part 2: Fennica Mishap, Negligence or Torpedoed by Greenpeace?

Jul 8th, 2015 

by John Donovan. 

No comments yet

Shell Arctic Screw Part 2: Fennica Mishap, Negligence, or Torpedoed by Greenpeace?

FROM A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR

The significance of the damage to the Fennica is made clear in the article below. It is carrying the “Capping Stack” which is required in order for drilling to proceed. A capping stack is an auxiliary blow out preventer (BOP) system which can be installed if a blow out occurs and the drilling blow out preventer is disabled for any reason. A capping stack was used to finally shut in BP’s Macondo blow out. 

Seehttp://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150707/NEWS/307079968/updated-8212-icebreaker-with-drilling-equipment-returns-to-alaska

read more

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print

Like this:

Loading...

Posted in: Alaska, Arctic, BP, Chukchi Sea, Environment, Gulf of Alaska, Oil Spill, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, United States.
Tagged: Alaska · Arctic Ocean · BP · Chukchi Sea · Royal Dutch Shell Plc · Shell

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

IRISH SHELL CORRUPTION COVER-UP CONTINUES

IRISH SHELL CORRUPTION COVER-UP CONTINUES

Jul 8th, 2015 

by John Donovan. 

No comments yet

As can be seen from the Irish Times article printed below, an Irish Shell manager was cross-examined under oath yesterday in court, about the free Shell alcohol used to reward Irish cops for their services (brutalising protesters) 

By John Donovan

The Irish Police (the Garda) are currently investigating allegations of harassment by recipients of bribes made on behalf of Shell by its then “Mr Fixit” company, OSSL.

The directors of OSSL are the subjects of the investigation, which the Garda warns may result in criminal charges.

I note that the recipients of the bribes are not suing for defamation on the grounds that the bribery allegations are untrue, but instead are complaining bitterly about being constantly reminded by OSSL that they caved in to Shell corruption. They accepted valuable gifts to smooth the path of the troubled Corrib project. 

read more

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Print

Like this:

Loading...

Posted in: Ben van Beurden, Bribery, Business Principles, Corrib Gas Project,Corruption, Environment, GoogleNews, Ireland, Irish Times, Litigation, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, Shell to Sea Campaign.
Tagged: Ben van Beurden · Corrib Gas Project · Gas · Ireland · Litigation · Royal Dutch Shell Plc · Shell

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Urge Congress to pass Bernie’s bill to break up the big banks

Wall Street bankers are exploiting Citizens United to grow more powerful than ever. But Bernie Sanders is fighting back! Bernie has introduced a bill to break up the big banks and restore power to the American people -- not the wealthy. “It’s time to break up the largest financial institutions in the country!If a bank is too big to fail, it is too big to exist!” ~ Bernie Sanders, May 26, 2015 We’re standing with Bernie in the fight to take back control of our political system. If you’re with us, we need to hear from you today: PETITION → Urge Congress to pass Bernie’s bill to break up the big banks >> http://act.endcitizensunited.org/Too-Big-To-Fail Thanks, -EndCitizensUnited.org   SIGN YOUR NAME →

The TRUTH will set you FREE.