Incredible! In just over a day, more than 23,000 Change.org members have spoken out against the imprisonment of Kelley Williams-Bolar.
Kelley is a single mom in Akron, Ohio who was sentenced to 10 days in jail and 3 years probation for sending her kids to a safer school in her father's neighboring district, instead of the violence-plagued district where she lives.
The campaign is working. Kelley was interviewed from jail on Good Morning America yesterday. Time Magazine and the New York Times columnist Nick Kristof shined more light on the cause. The Roots even tweeted about the petition.
But there's a lot more to do, especially because if this "crime" stays on her record, Kelley won't ever be allowed to teach in Ohio. (She's just a few credits away from finishing her teaching degree and clearly passionate about education.)
We've already sent more than 23,000 messages to Ohio Governor John Kasich, demanding that he pardon Kelley. But we need him to know that the whole country is watching, so we've set an ambitious goal of 50,000 signatures this week.
Please sign the petition, then forward this email to everyone you know.
The judge in Kelley's case said that the harsh penalties for telling district officials that her children lived with Kelley's father, when in fact they lived with her in a different town, will serve as a message to other parents considering a similar move.
But our message is clear too: Ohio should be working to improve all schools, instead of punishing parents whose children are trapped in unsafe, ineffective schools.
Add your name now:
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/gov_kasich_pardon_ms_kelley_williams-bolars_unfair_sentencing_for_fraud_and_theft?alert_id=dGhFwLEpFr_yFpMSENrig&me=aa
Thanks for taking action,
Patrick and the Change.org team