In This Issue:
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ETHICS ANYONE? |
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BROWN
SIGNS LAW AUTHORIZING $3.5 BILLION IN SCHOOL DEFERRALS: All the
deferrals would likely occur even if voters approve the governor’s tax
measure |
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L.A. UNIFIED CAN APPLY FOR FEDERAL RACE TO THE TOP FUNDS: |
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ONLY ONE TEACHER DISMISSAL BILL REMAINS ALIVE AT STATE LEGISLATURE |
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HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS & THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT: The Rest (but
not necessarily the best) of the Stories from Other Sources |
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EVENTS: Coming up next week... |
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What can YOU do? |
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Featured Links:
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The President, Trustees, Faculty
and Graduating Class of
Bates College
announce that
Alana Folsom
is a candidate for the degree of
Bachelor of Arts in English
with a concentration in Creative Writing
and minors in Rhetoric and Philosophy
at the
One Hundred and Forty-fifth Commencement
Sunday, May twenty-seventh
Two thousand twelve
Ten o’clock in the morning
The Coram Library Quadrangle
So, sixteen years after crossing that threshold at Mt. Washington School
with the kindergarten candidate in hand we find ourselves in front of
the ivy-clad red brick library of a small liberal arts college in Maine
on a rhetorical-if-not-actual sunny morning in May – with a newly-minted
Bachelor of Arts in English: a creative writer and a rhetorician and a
philosopher.
What a wonderful strange trip it’s been.
I’m going to leave it at that. I’m not going to try and find words; I’m
not going to take pictures. I’m going to allow our small frail family
to inhabit the moment.
¡Everonward/Siempre adelante!
___________________________
Molecular biologist Bonnie Bassler, actor Robert De Niro and PBS
“Newshour” senior correspondent Gwen Ifill will speak and receive
honorary degrees during Bates College’s 2012 Commencement ceremonies on
Sunday, May 27.
The college’s 146th Commencement activities begin at 10 a.m. (7 a.m.
PDT) on its Historic Quad, at Campus Avenue and College Street.
ETHICS ANYONE?
by smf for 4LAKids News
May 24 2012 :: THIS AMERICAN LIFE, the NPR produced program from
Chicago, did an episode on monogamy (and polyamory) in mainstream
America in 1998. [http://bit.ly/KCiF9D]
They pointed to a news story largely lost amid the Lewinsky scandal: Roy
Romer, governor of Colorado, had an affair for nearly two decades with
his family's full cooperation.
The NPR program further profiled several couples that chose open relationships. The psychological after-effects were outlined | http://yhoo.it/LiHnNC
Romer left the Colorado governorship to become Chair of the Democratic
National Committee. When the story of his affair with his chief-of-staff
broke – not only an affair but a public sector employer-employee
conflict – broke he left the national stage to become Superintendent of
LAUSD – where he served for six years and became the longest serving
LAUSD superintendent in LA County.
Superintendent Romer was largely responsible of the LAUSD building
program – which he kept squeaky clean and free from political
shenanigans. And while at LAUSD he created the LAUSD Ethics Office,
which in part set the standards and tone for the above.
Ramon Cortines came to LAUSD as Deputy Superintendent in the waning days
of Romer’s superintendence from the LA Mayor’s Office (aka The Office
of Political Shenanigans). Cortines eliminated the LAUSD Ethics Office
during his superintendence following Romer’s, citing budget issues.
LAUSD could not afford an Ethics Office.
In Cortines defense he was never secretive about the appearance of a
conflict of interest in being a paid corporate board-of-director of –
and a stockholder in Scholastic – a textbook publisher with a major
contract with the District. He disclosed this – and the Board president
said she didn’t see the issue …which perhaps introduces a
lack-of-awareness on her part. Although Cortines had no direct
day-to-day decision making on the Scholastic contract, those who
reported to him directly did ...and had to be aware of his relationship
to Scholastic. http://lat.ms/Ld8HA7
The Scholastic contract was apparently created during Cortines previous interim- superintendency - before Romer.
Eventually there was a hue-and-cry in the media and Cortines resigned
from the Scholastic Board of Directors – but continued as a stockholder.
Then we had the rather colorful misadventure of former Superintendent
Ruben Zacarias (the superintendent before Cortines interim regime) and
his badge-flashing escapade – where he allegedly used an honorary LAUSD
Police Badge to make a traffic stop of a woman late one night.
Zacharias pleaded no contest to the charge. http://bit.ly/KGv3rs
Superintendent Deasy came to LAUSD under a well documented cloud about
his relationship with convicted felon Robert Felner and his own Ph.D.
degree – and allegations of resume inflation. http://lat.ms/JA58pS | http://lat.ms/hQuBQi
And now this current sexual/employee harassment half-a-million dollar settlement over Cortines' alleged actions.
• Half-a-million dollars could pay half a dozen classroom teachers for a year.
• And parents and the school community at the Cortines School for the
Visual and Performing Arts (The School Formerly Known as #9) are upset
anew that they were not consulted as Board Policy requires in the naming
of that school.
Excuse the double negative (4LAKids: No rule of grammar left unabused!)
but maybe LAUSD cannot afford to not have an Ethics Office.
That’s my opinion and I’m sticking with it.
BROWN SIGNS LAW AUTHORIZING $3.5 BILLION IN SCHOOL
DEFERRALS: All the deferrals would likely occur even if voters approve
the governor’s tax measure
By Kimberly Beltran, School Innovations and Advocacy.Cabinet Report | http://bit.ly/KmOMgF
Thursday, May 24, 2012 :: A week after it was publicly unveiled – and a
day after two Republican lawmakers proposed a constitutional amendment
outlawing the practice – Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Wednesday
that would protect the state’s cash flow next year by deferring $3.5
billion in payments to schools during the 2012-13 fiscal year.
The bill, AB 103, would authorize the payment delays to schools, as well
as the deferral of hundreds of millions more due to local governments
and the state university system. Officials said all of the deferrals
likely would occur even if voters approve the governor’s tax measure in
November.
Members of the governor’s staff have said the deferrals are consistent
with cash management schedules employed over the past two years and must
be adopted now to give local officials time to make necessary
adjustments to their own budgets – in the forms of more cuts or
short-term borrowing.
Brown had hoped to be in a position to begin paying back some of what
the state owes schools, but given the magnitude of the problems the
state still faces, he said last week he has few options.
On Tuesday, Republican Assembly members Brian Nestande of Palm Desert
and Kristin Olsen of Modesto held a press conference at the Capitol to
announce they were filing ACA 29, an Assembly Constitutional Amendment
prohibiting the state from deferring payments to California schools.
Passage of the measure requires a two-thirds vote of the
Democratic-majority controlled Legislature.
“We believe education funding should be a top priority, and this ACA
will end the use of budgetary gimmicks that result in our schools being
short-changed,” Olsen said in a statement.
“Deferrals are driving some school districts into bankruptcy,” added Nestande.
Just last week, the state’s watchdog on school finance – the Fiscal
Crisis Management Assistance Team – forecast the number of districts in
California at risk of insolvency would reach a record number this year.
As proposed, AB 103 would put into motion a series of deferrals and
repayments where no more than $1.9 billion would be held back from
schools at any time.
The moves would begin in July, when $1.2 billion would be deferred. In
August, another $600 million would be held. In September, $700 million
of the outstanding payments would be paid back. And in October, another
$800 million would be deferred.
In January 2013, the state would return $1.9 billion. Then, a $900 million payment due in March would be delayed until April.
An even bigger deferral is being contemplated if voters approve the
governor’s tax measure in November. As part of the revised May budget,
Brown has committed to paying back $2.6 billion of the $9.5 billion in
total payment deferrals.
But, based on a scheduled released by the Department of Finance this
week, that repayment is not likely to happen before May or June 2013.
PUBLIC COMMENT FROM HEATHER MATSON of Palos Verdes Estates, a former
educator, an active member of the local PTA, and parent of one
elementary school and one middle school student:
Here we go again! How are schools supposed to operate with deferred
cash? Do you suppose that the mortgage holders on teacher's houses will
take a deferred payment? Or will the government take a deferred payment
on taxes? What are we doing to our schools?
It is time for our elected officials to stop fighting with each other
and the governor and begin to take the steps needed to address the
spending and the 'kick the can down the road' crisis that got us here,
and they need to do it now! The concerns about re-election should be the
last thing on their mind. Our financial crisis continues because no one
wants to pay for services but everyone wants to have them. Every single
resident of California needs to have some ownership, both in the
problem and in the solution!
Instead of trying to patch and Band-Aid the budget, let's start from
scratch. Identify the most important needs first: 1. Education of our
citizenry, 2.Infrastructure, 3. Safety and Protection, and 4. Health and
Welfare. In order for California to work no one gets a free ride. We
can't expect the 'wealthy' to foot the bill because the definition of
wealth is very subjective; what constitutes wealth in one area is middle
class in another based on the cost of living. In many areas of the
state it is impossible to make ends meet without both partners working
full time. The income may look good on paper but in reality these
families may be just getting by. Increasing their taxes would actually
keep them from 'just making it.'
The persons who use the services need to have some financial obligation
for the maintenance of those services. How about tolls our freeway users
pay? How about community service opportunities for those who are
unemployed and receiving benefits? I am sure Caltrans could use some
help cleaning up. Instead of offering babysitting, how about setting up
co-ops so that parents can help each other? This was once a country of
creativity and invention and has now become a country of crybabies
wanting Big Daddy (aka government) to take care of them. Really? Give
our schools the tools to train our young citizens to use their minds to
create and innovate and thus eliminate the crybaby mentality that
pervades our society. Enough already!!
L.A. UNIFIED CAN APPLY FOR FEDERAL RACE TO THE TOP FUNDS:
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
WILL LET DISTRICTS BYPASS STATE OFFICIALS. L.A. UNIFIED WANTS FUNDS TO
ALTER THE TEACHER EVALUATION PROCESS
By Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times | http://lat.ms/LfoNG7
May 23, 2012 :: For the first time, L.A. Unified and other individual
school districts can apply for federal Race to the Top grants, bypassing
California officials, including the governor, who had objected to the
rules for receiving the education-reform incentives.
The draft rules, announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Education,
will allow school systems to vie for funds that had been unavailable to
any state that was unable or unwilling to compete for the grants.
"We're wide open to new strategies, new approaches," said U.S. Secretary
of Education Arne Duncan in a conference call. "Every district in
America can apply."
Race to the Top was launched by the U.S. Department of Education under
President Obama in 2009. It was intended to spur states into adopting
education policies favored by the administration, including revamping
teacher evaluations to include student test score data. Three times
California applied and lost.
Most recently, in 2011, senior state officials took California out of
the running: They declined to endorse an application submitted by a
consortium of districts, including those in L.A., Long Beach, San
Francisco and Sacramento.
The money was too little to pay for what was required, a particular
burden during the current budget crisis, according to state Supt. of
Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, Gov. Jerry Brown and other officials.
But there also were philosophical objections to using student test
scores as one measure to evaluate teachers.
The largest state teachers unions also have opposed using this data in
performance reviews, unless teachers approve it as part of a collective
bargaining agreement.
In 2010, the state's first application was weakened by the unwillingness
of some teachers unions and school districts to sign on.
The new guidelines for the $400-million pool include the requirement
that districts remake teachers evaluations. In Los Angeles Unified,
schools Supt. John Deasy is moving in that direction.
"We intend to apply," Deasy said. "We've been waiting for this. We're
ready for this. Everything we've done has laid the groundwork for a
strong application."
If successful, L.A. could receive $25 million, much less than the $100
million the district could have obtained in an earlier funding round.
Still, the money would prove valuable for advancing such district
initiatives as an evaluation system now being tested by volunteers in
some schools.
Deasy is planning to expand the program districtwide, but faces a legal
challenge by United Teachers Los Angeles, the teachers union.
UTLA could play a role in the Race to the Top bid.
"Local buy-in," including from teachers unions, "and commitment to reform is very important," Duncan said.
Stanford education professor Linda Darling-Hammond believes the emphasis is misplaced.
"Evaluation is actually a tiny aspect of the entire puzzle,"
Darling-Hammond said at a talk Monday to teachers and union activists at
the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools in Koreatown. "The big issue
for the U.S. is inequality." The nation has "continually disinvested in
schools that serve children who live in poverty."
A contrasting view appeared in a report released Tuesday by Communities
for Teaching Excellence, a locally based organization funded by the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation.
[smf: You can't tell the players w/o a scorecard - C4TE is Yolie Flores'
Astroturf/Grass Roots org | By the numbers: HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SCHOOL
DISTRICT IS INFECTED BY THE BROAD VIRUS http://bit.ly/jqDocs #29 also http://bit.ly/ejZdRT]
The report called for linking improved evaluations — including the use
of student data — to decisions on whether teachers should receive and
retain tenure protections.
The group saluted recent changes to tenure laws in other states. In
Tennessee, teachers now must work five years to earn tenure; California
teachers earn tenure after two years. Tennessee teachers also must rank
in the top two of five categories for overall performance in the two
years before achieving tenure. And teachers can lose tenure if they are
rated ineffective for two consecutive years.
ONLY ONE TEACHER DISMISSAL BILL REMAINS ALIVE AT STATE LEGISLATURE
By Tami Abdollah, Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/LoHBTg
3/25 - 3:21pm - Only one of three bills recently introduced in the state
Legislature that aim to make it easier to dismiss teachers is alive
today, and may continue on to change state law.
AB2028, sponsored by Republican state Assemblymen Cameron Smyth of Santa
Clarita and Steve Knight of the Antelope Valley, died in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee today — the end of the fiscal deadline.
The bill, which was significantly amended last month, would eliminate
the four-year limitation on introducing evidence to be used in
proceedings and allow the dismissal process to begin during the summer.
AB2028 passed out of committee in its amended form last month, but was
put "on suspense" in the Appropriations Committee because it cost more
than $150,000; a hearing was held today to take bills off suspense, but
AB2028 died without a vote, said Sabrina Lockhart, a spokeswoman for the
Office of Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway.
It would have cost the state $175,000 because of the expenses associated
with mandating schools keep records for longer than four years,
Lockhart said.
The California State Assembly Republican Caucus has pushed the bill,
which in its initial form mirrored the L.A. Unified school board
resolutions adopted on the dismissal issue after a recent spate of
teacher arrests for lewd conduct with children. The California Teachers
Assn. has vocally opposed the dismissal bills introduced at the
Legislature and called them a retraction of due process protections for
teachers.
"The committee approved hundreds of bills today, and I'm sure many of them cost more than $175,000," Lockhart said.
Lockhart said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's staff testified in support of
AB2028 in April and told legislators that it costs $300,000 to dismiss
one teacher.
Another bill, SB1059, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Bob Huff of Diamond Bar, never passed out of commitee in April.
Of the three bills, only SB1530 remains alive. It passed out of the
state Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday. It will go to the
state Senate next week for a vote. Democratic state Sen. Alex Padilla of
Pacoima worked with the CTA and committee members to amend the bill and
narrow its scope.
HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS & THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T
FIT: The Rest (but not necessarily the best) of the Stories from Other
Sources
TICKETS TO NOWHERE: ROMNEY'S EDUCATION VOUCHERS:
Themes in the News by UCLA IDEA Week of May 21-25, 2012 | http... http://bit.ly/LQ5pFE
LAUSD TO APPLY FOR PALTRY RttT GRANT: Posted by Michael Dunn, Modern School | http://bit.ly/K189iT Huck/Ko... http://bit.ly/LQ3vou
BIRMINGHAM HIGH SUBMITS PLANS TO FIX PROBLEMS, KEEP SCHOOL'S CHARTER: By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer, LA Daily N... http://bit.ly/Lqej6Q
LAUSD AND TWO MORE UNIONS, BUILDING TRADES AND SEIU, REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENTS ON 10 FURLOUGH DAYS FOR 2012-13!... http://bit.ly/Kqy2Fo
EMBATTLED CAL STATE CHANCELLOR CHARLES REED RETIRES: By Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.... http://bit.ly/LOChyz
ON.Y ONE TEACHER DISMISSAL BILL REMAINS ALIVE AT STATE LEGISLATUTE: By Tami Abdollah, Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC ht... http://bit.ly/KA3NN0
STATEMENT BY RAMON CORTINES REGARDING SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS: LAUSD, reblogged from Pasadena Star-News ht... http://bit.ly/LoG4Nb
The Condition of Education 2012: U.S. STUDENTS GET SERIOUS ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL: By Sarah D. Sparks, Ed... http://bit.ly/LnvrKq
California School Boards Association: VOTE FOR BOTH TAX PLANS - Battle between 'purists and pragmatists': By Joh... http://bit.ly/KLnpMh
A – G: FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL: AALA Update: Week of May 28, 2012 | http://bit.ly/KGKBZV ... http://bit.ly/KoHARh
PARENTS RALLY TO KEEP PRINCIPAL AT CARPENTER: Joe Martinez commits to stay at school for another year, despite o... http://bit.ly/KoHyJ7
SCHOOL DISTRICTS CUT MORE NURSES: By Tamara Audi, Wall Street Journal | http://on.wsj.com/LmOuVg May 24, 2012, ... http://bit.ly/MApI6G
THE LAUSD SOCIAL MEDIA SURVEY: John Deasy @DrDeasyLAUSD tweets Click here to take the #LAUSD's first Social... http://bit.ly/Kmf02H
LATEST LAUSD GRADUATES ‘ARE BLAZING NEW TRAILS’: By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer, LA Daily News | http://bit.l... http://bit.ly/Mwu0fl
ETHICS ANYONE?: by smf for 4LAKids News May 24 2012 – Lewiston, ME :: THIS AMERICAN LIFE, the NPR produced prog... http://bit.ly/LIz9UL
California’s Budget Crisis Part XII: IT'S SUMMER. TIME FOR A CALIFORNIA BUDGET CRISIS + more: Tracy Gordon | Br... http://bit.ly/Kt3js1
CALIFORNIA WANTS OWN 'NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND' RULES: San Francisco Chronicle Editorial | http://bit.ly/JUB5sG Arn... http://bit.ly/KjUJez
ROMNEY MAKES HIS CASE ON EDUCATION: Attacks Obama Ed policies, blames teacher’s unions + Randi Weingarten respon... http://bit.ly/Lt4F6c
FUNDING INCREASES FOR SCHOOL MEALS AMID EDUCATION BUDGET CUTS: By Adolfo Guzman-Lopez | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC ... http://bit.ly/KrMhKJ
Updated: L.A. UNIFIED TO SETTLE HARASSMENT CLAIM AGAINST CORTINES + Other coverage: The district will pay $200,0... http://bit.ly/Lb1e4E
SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIM AGAINST EX-LAUSD CHIEF SETTLED FOR $200,000: BY Howard Blume | LA Times | http://latimes... http://bit.ly/KQfwVi
RACE TO THE TOP: Count LAUSD in; others consider applying + smf’s 2¢: By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess | htt... http://bit.ly/LoD9Hb
LACCD Scandals: FUTURE OF VAN DE KAMPS FACILITY TO BE DISCUSSED. With their lease with a local charter school te... http://bit.ly/Kdwqyw
ACTIVISTS LAUNCH RECALL CAMPAIGN OF LAUSD BOARD MEMBER NURY MARTINEZ: By Vanessa Romo | KPCC Pass/Fail | http://... http://bit.ly/KdfacO
PROTESTERS GATHER TO OPPOSE CUTS TO ADULT ED: Thousands say adult education is crucial to their economic well be... http://bit.ly/Lo3dlx
L.A. UNIFIED CAN APPLY FOR FEDERAL RACE TO THE TOP FUNDS: For the first time, the U.S. Department of Education w... http://bit.ly/LCIVaR
AP EXAM FLAP BAFFLES CHATSWORTH HIGH STUDENTS: Missing test booklets force administrators to re-administer the e... http://bit.ly/KwhNp2
Expand
LACCD scandals: CHECKS TO L.A. COLLEGE FOUNDATION APPEAR FORGED: The payments to the executive director of the L... http://bit.ly/JCWNki
Torlakson: 188 SCHOOL DISTRICTS (INCLUDING LAUSD) IN ‘FINANCIAL JEOPARDY’; 12 (INCLUDING INGLEWOOD) NEAR BANKRUP... http://bit.ly/KI8SAo
®eform, Inc. Polemic Illustrated: “THE WORST UNION IN AMERICA”: 21 May :: OK: I was minding my own business, w... http://bit.ly/LdEVdX
UTLA Polemic: LINDA DARLING-HAMMOND AT THE COCOANUT GROVE TONIGHT - “The Fight for Equity and Justice in Public ... http://bit.ly/Mbqdnl
SCHOOLS’ UNHEALTHY DILEMMA: Many are cutting health classes to save money. Students, and teachers, lose out.: sc... http://bit.ly/Lu3shZ
EVENTS: Coming up next week...
MEMORIAL DAY SONNET
By Garrison Keillor, A Prairie Home Companion, May 29, 2004 | http://bit.ly/KQnNNh
We're here to honor those who went to war
Who did not wish to die, but did die, grievously,
In eighteen sixty-one and in two-thousand four
Though they were peaceable as you or me.
Young and innocent, they knew nothing of horror ---
Singers and athletes, and all in all well-bred.
Their sergeants, mercifully, made them into warriors,
And at the end, they were moving straight ahead.
As we look at these headstones, row on row on row,
Let us see them as they were, laughing and joking,
On that bright irreverent morning long ago.
And once more, let our hearts be broken.
God have mercy on them for their heroic gift.
May we live the good lives they would have lived.
*Dates and times subject to change. ________________________________________
• SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE:
http://www.laschools.org/bond/
Phone: 213-241-5183
____________________________________________________
• LAUSD FACILITIES COMMUNITY OUTREACH CALENDAR:
http://www.laschools.org/happenings/
Phone: 213-241.8700
What can YOU do?
• E-mail, call or write your school board member:
Tamar.Galatzan@lausd.net • 213-241-6386
Monica.Garcia@lausd.net • 213-241-6180
Bennett.Kayser@lausd.net • 213-241-5555
Marguerite.LaMotte@lausd.net • 213-241-6382
Nury.Martinez@lausd.net • 213-241-6388
Richard.Vladovic@lausd.net • 213-241-6385
Steve.Zimmer@lausd.net • 213-241-6387
...or your city councilperson, mayor, the governor, member of congress,
senator - or the president. Tell them what you really think! • Find
your state legislator based on your home address. Just go to: http://bit.ly/dqFdq2 • There are 26 mayors and five county supervisors representing jurisdictions within LAUSD, the mayor of LA can be reached at mayor@lacity.org • 213.978.0600
• Call or e-mail Governor Brown: 213-897-0322 e-mail: http://www.govmail.ca.gov/
• Open the dialogue. Write a letter to the editor. Circulate these
thoughts. Talk to the principal and teachers at your local school.
• Speak with your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Stay on top of education issues. Don't take my word for it!
• Get involved at your neighborhood school. Join your PTA. Serve on a School Site Council. Be there for a child.
• If you are eligible to become a citizen, BECOME ONE.
• If you a a citizen, REGISTER TO VOTE.
• If you are registered, VOTE LIKE THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT. THEY DO!.
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