Action Alert

A Call to Action from advocate Terry Barradine:

We have reached critical mass in education. Several very important news stories have been in the media regarding Public Education. The most recent one is NDRN's national Investigative Report, 'School Is not Supposed to Hurt'.. The entire report can be read here:
http://www.napas.org/

I would urge anyone with children in public systems across the nation read these reports and then would urge all concerned parents and professionals alike to contact their United States Representatives and Senators. Today, Urgently.

I am of the belief that we need to address paddling school children and restraint and seclusion in NCLB, IDEA and SAMHSA regulations as well. We can no longer wait for states to 'do the right thing', because many states have demonstrated that they do not care. Keep in mind that with the stimulus bill, more money will be pouring into already flawed public systems. The time is now to act.

Human Rights Watch Investigative Report on Corporal Punishment

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/08/22/corporal-punishment-proves-be-discriminatory-ineffective

Check out www.stophitting.org and Look Up your own school district's corporal punishment records from US DOE records.

Twiggs County Announces Bringing back the paddle

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/07/21/twiggs_paddling_returns.html

And then there is this which lists the rates of paddlings reported in various counties/schools
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2008/11/29/met_502023.shtml

Urge your united states Representative and Senators to get on board with Congressman George Miller of California, Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Congressman John Barrow's office of Georgia to straighten out these very critical issues. Feel free to share these reports with them, especially those from Human Rights Watch and NDRN. It is critical that while we throw more money through stimulus packages, that we enact public education policy that works for all.

If we the people speak up now to our U.S. congressman in large number, We the people will change education for the better. If we all do the same thing and write and speak up, the change will come.

I would also urge whatever letter you send, you get it in your local newspapers, and newspaper hosted blogsites as well.