Aug 30, 2014 — Thank you for signing the petition asking legislators not to change the admissions standards at the specialized high schools! We need your help! There's a Democratic primary election on September 9 in Queens NYS Senate District 11 (Bayside, Fresh Meadows, Whitestone and Little Neck) where John Liu is running against Tony Avella. John Liu wants to CHANGE the SHSAT-only policy while Tony Avella wants to KEEP the SHSAT-only policy. Please ask John Liu to change his position. 1. Email him a letter such as: To: john@liunewyork.com cc: metro@nytimes.com, letters@nypost.com, voicers@nydailynews.com Dear Mr Liu, When some children do poorly on a test, do you blame the test? The sole use of the Specialized High School Admission Test is not the cause of lower enrollment of African-Americans and Latinos in our specialized high schools. In New York City, 30 percent of third- through eighth-grade students passed statewide tests in math and 26 percent passed tests in English. The SHSAT is not failing these students from attending a specialized high school. The school system is failing them with poor education starting long before the SHSAT is given. Let’s raise all children up instead of changing standards. Please don’t change the admissions process for the specialized high schools. The current admissions process is objective, color blind and incorruptible. Please don’t change the law protecting our specialized high schools from the tides of politics, pandering, and poor planning. 2. Tweet (@liunewyork) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Liu.NYC) him a message such as: Why do you want to make it even harder for hard working immigrant kids? #KeeptheSHSAT