I, like many other concerned grandparents, parents, and guardians, am extremely distressed by the current state of our local school system. This is not simply a general concern, but deeply personal. My own grandkids are not receiving the education they deserve and are being exposed to mistreatment on a daily basis.

Our children are the future of our society and it is incumbent upon us to provide them with a safe and nurturing learning environment. Instead, they are stuck in an unacceptable reality where their basic rights are violated and their potential throttled. Our schools are failing to meet academic standards — a failure that's not just alarming, but disastrous in its long-term impact on our children's future.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 37% of high school seniors are prepared for college level reading and mathematics. This contributes to a high dropout rate and poor college preparedness, impacting not just individual futures, but the overall social and economic health of our nation.

Furthermore, the issue of mistreatment within schools, an issue particularly close to my heart, continues to escalate unabated. Data from UNICEF indicates that globally, slightly more than 1 in 3 students aged 13-15 experience regular bullying.

It is therefore crucial that we address the deterioration in the quality of education and rise in mistreatment of students in our schools. We are calling on the local school board and Department of Education to enact immediate reforms – improved student treatment policies, increased scrutiny of educators' conduct, updated and effective pedagogic methods, among other urgent and necessary changes.

Promising our children a fulfilling, wholesome, and safe educational experience is not just a matter of policy. It is a matter of human rights, of societal well-being, and of our love and responsibilities to our children and grandkids. Stand with us, demand a change for our future generation. Please sign this petition.