[AAACE-NLA] Literacy President Petition Update 12/7

[Jon Randall]

As of 10:15 Eastern Time last night, 3,211 people had signed the
Literacy President petition. We're 32% of the way to our goal of 10,000
signatures by December 17th.

With just over a week to go, the goal is still reachable. If adult
education and literacy classes around the country use the petition next
week as a tool for a civics lesson about the 2008 Presidential election,
generating 6,800 signatures is possible. Do literacy supporters have the
will to make it happen?

The Literacy President petition campaign shows which states consider
this student-led effort worthy of mobilizing and which ones remain
skeptical or complacent. To act or not to act is an individual decision,
but when in a large group like the adult literacy field, inaction is
human nature - the assumption being that others will do the work so you
don't have to.  

This petition effort introduces a level of accountability our field has
never before experienced. Individuals either sign it or they don't. So,
please do - and get others to sign too.

We all can see whether individuals we know have signed or not.  For
example, the inaction thus far by some of our state and national leaders
(individuals) sends a message to the field, perhaps one they don't
intend. 

On to the update ...

Tier 1 ... Pennsylvania breaks 400, coming in at 402! Illinois is in
second place with 378. Massachusetts is in third with 312. 

Tier 2 ... States above 250 include New York (270), Kentucky (264) and
Delaware with 262.

Tier 3 ... States with more than 100 signatures include North Carolina
(144), California (112), Arizona (107) and Tennessee with 101.

The Basement ... States that have yet to break 100 since the petition
was introduced on November 3rd ...

(a level) NJ = 72; DC = 69; NH = 65; VT = 60

(b level) WA = 43; IA = 42; LA = 37; MD & ME = 35 each; MO = 34; VA =
29; FL = 27; CT = 25

(c level) GA, RI & TX = 23 each; SC = 21; SD = 20; NM = 19; MI = 18; MN
= 15; AK, OH & WI = 14 each; NV = 13; KS = 10

(d level) IN = 9; OK = 8; MT & ND = 7 each; AL & AR = 6 each; OR = 5;
CO, MS & WV = 3 each; HI, NE & WY = 1 each

Make the Literacy President petition part of a civics lesson in your
classes. Make adult learners aware of the petition - many will sign it.
Your state will rise!

- Jon
jrandall at fastmail.fm