Tag Archives: High school

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Cutting our deficit in half

11/05/2013 Nativegrl77

Cutting our deficit in halfLast week a new report had some big economic news you probably missed: Since 2009, we’ve cut our deficit in half — and it’s falling at its fastest rate since World War II.

Here’s what a milestone like that looks like (in animated form):

In addition to improving our nation’s long-term fiscal security by reducing the deficit, President Obama’s working hard to help strengthen the middle class. And in the past three and a half years, businesses have created more than 7.6 million new jobs.

Take a look and pass it on:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/cutting-our-deficit-half

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High School Athlete of the Week …

09/04/2013 Nativegrl77

Do You Know A High School Athelete of the Week?

During the 2013 High School Fall Sports Season, CenturyLink, Q13 FOX/JOEtv and the Seattle Seahawks will honor Washington State high school student-athletes that display exemplary performance on and off the field.
The CenturyLink H.S. Athlete of the Week program will honor one deserving student-athlete each week starting in September and culminating in November.
Winners will be selected from a candidate pool, identified by the Seattle Seahawks, CenturyLink, community leaders, high school coaches, teachers, peers, and parents!

Winners will receive:
* $1,000 to their school ASB Fund
* In-School presentation hosted by Sponsors
* Two game tickets + sideline passes to a Seahawks game
* Recognition in Seahawks Game Day Broadcast
* Weekly Q13 Fox / JOEtv segment announcements
* CentruyLink H.S. Athlete of the Week Letterman patch
(See complete details on form page)

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Lara S. Kaufmann, National Women’s Law Center

07/01/2013 Nativegrl77

We just had a major victory — and we hope you’ll help us celebrate!
As you know, pregnant and parenting students face a lot of challenges in school. Educational barriers and discrimination often make it hard for teen moms to succeed in school.
But this week, things are looking up.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights just released guidance for schools on Title IX and pregnant and parenting students, for the first time in 22 years. To get the word out, the Department is sending pamphlets explaining the guidance to thousands of school districts as well as colleges and universities across the country. The pamphlets help clarify what the law says when it comes to pregnant and parenting students — and that’s great news for teen girls.
But to be effective, the guidance has to be enforced. Please thank Secretary Duncan and remind him of the next important step for pregnant and parenting students — enforcement.
This Title IX guidance was sorely needed, and NWLC fought hard for it. We’ve been getting calls for years from young women who are being pushed out of school in violation of the law.
For example, some high school students in Georgia were told that they had to come back to school within a week of giving birth, or they’d be marked unexcused for any absences and wouldn’t be allowed to make up the work they’d missed. At the same school, pregnant and parenting students were prohibited from running for homecoming court and from being included in senior superlatives.
Sounds crazy, right? It’s 2013. Forty-one years after Title IX was passed, this shouldn’t be happening anymore. Not only should schools not be discriminating, but also there is a lot schools can and should do to support the success of pregnant and parenting students.
That’s another reason the guidance released this week is so important. It not only explains what schools have to do to follow the law — it suggests school strategies and program ideas to make a difference in the lives of young parents and their children.
Please join us in thanking Secretary Duncan for issuing this guidance and reminding him of the need for enforcement.
Thanks again for all of your hard work.
Sincerely,

Lara S. Kaufmann Senior Counsel & Director of Education Policy for At-Risk Students National Women’s Law Center

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Erick Warner via Change.org

11/19/2012 Nativegrl77

Change.org

My public high school threatened to suspend 20 students for wearing pro-gay t-shirts. Tell my school to stop discriminating and allow students to create a Gay-Straight Alliance.

Sign My Petition

The students at my high school need your help. I’m a 16-year-old junior at Celina High School — a public high school in northwest Ohio. We’re trying to make our school more accepting and safe for gay students, but the administration won’t let us.

Recently, 20 students tried to fight homophobia by wearing homemade t-shirts to school that said things like “Straight but Supportive” and “I Support [Rainbow].” Our Vice Principal told students that they had to stop wearing the shirts or face suspension.

I’m straight, but I think it’s wrong that my school is discriminating against gay students and suppressing students’ rights to express our opinions.

I started a petition on Change.org demanding that my school promote a more welcoming environment, including allowing students to create a Gay-Straight Alliance. Click here to add your name.

We all know that anti-gay bullying is a serious problem. In the past few years, we have seen so many kids tragically take their own lives because they were bullied for being gay or perceived to be gay.

I think it’s crazy that at my school, it’s not the kids doing the bullying. It’s the adults who are supposed to be our leaders and role models.

Well I’m not going to take it anymore. Other kids have gotten their schools to allow Gay-Straight Alliances after they started petitions on Change.org — I know that if enough people sign my petition, my school administrators will cease their shameful behavior and create an environment that is supportive for all students, not just straight ones.

Click here to sign my petition demanding that the administrators at my public high school allow students to create a Gay-Straight Alliance.

Thank you,

Erick Warner
Celina, OH

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Beyond 16 and Pregnant … Fatima Goss Graves, National Women’s Law Center

06/22/2012 Nativegrl77

Do your elected officials support pregnant and parenting students in school?

Send a copy of our groundbreaking report to your elected officials today.

Have you ever seen MTV’s show “16 and Pregnant?” It tells the stories of girls trying to graduate from high school while juggling the responsibilities of parenthood. Their struggles aren’t glamorous or pretty — they’re real and heartbreaking. While some of the girls stay in school and graduate, many drop out. It shouldn’t have to be that way.
It may seem crazy, but Title IX — the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education — was enacted 40 years ago this month, yet schools still bar pregnant and parenting students from activities, discourage them from staying in school, push them into alternative programs and penalize them for pregnancy-related absences. All of that violates Title IX and increases the risk that students will drop out.
Today, the National Women’s Law Center is releasing a new report: A Pregnancy Test for Schools: The Impact of Education Laws on Pregnant and Parenting Students. This report ranks your state and shows how the vast majority of state education laws and policies fail to adequately support these students.
Send a copy of our groundbreaking report to your elected officials today. They need to know where your state stands and what pregnant and parenting students need to succeed.
So where does your state stand?
NWLC’s new report ranks all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico on the extent to which their laws and policies help pregnant and parenting students succeed. Some states have made great strides forward, but the majority of states have few or no laws, policies, or programs specifically designed to improve outcomes for these students. The report includes a toolkit for taking action in your community.
These policies matter because these students matter. Please make sure your elected officials get this report.
Thanks for helping to give pregnant and parenting students the support they need to graduate and succeed.
Sincerely,

Fatima Goss Graves Vice President for Education and Employment National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Have you checked out FACES OF TITLE IX yet? This new online portal features nine diverse stories that put a human face on this groundbreaking law. Read our featured story about a 15-year-old “A” student who was isolated and ignored by teachers after she became pregnant.