Sample Petition to School Administrators

The petition can be adapted for use by individuals and groups wanting to express concern to school district decisionmakers about pesticide use policies or practices. The petition can be used to express opposition to particular school spray plans or policies, to encourage greater use of alternatives, or to demand action or adoption of a specific policy change.

Petitioning is a good way to educate the public and policymakers, and to start to build a mailing and phone list of community supporters. Good places to gather signatures include in front of the local library, in front of schools or at PTA meetings, at church services and meetings, in front of natural food stores, at local events, and more. As a courtesy, be sure to ask permission before petitioning at any of these sites. We also sent the petition (along with a cover letter) to local professors, doctors and naturopaths, a number of whom circulated it among their colleagues. Student environmental club leaders at one high school collected over 500 signatures in two days by circulating the petition in classes during the school day.

In Eugene, we collected over 2,300 signatures on the above petition in less than two weeks! The large majority of people approached to sign it said, "Of course I'll sign! Of course the school district shouldn't be using herbicides on the school grounds!" Thanks to the effort, we now have a large mailing list of local supporters of our cause, and the school district has tabled its proposal to increase herbicide use!

The sample petition consists of a first page with list of concerns and room for signatures, a back side with return information, and a second page for additional signatures.

Sample Petition [PDF 17k]

Customizing the petition: Be sure to customize the petition to make it appropriate for your local situation, policymakers and needs. Address the petition to the appropriate decisionmakers (Superintendent, School Board, etc.) If available, fill in local details (e.g., about specific school pesticide incidents or use practices, pesticide pollution in local waterways, water pollution education programs, etc.) If you are promoting a specific policy change, summarize it in the "We, the undersigned..." paragraph above the signature lines.

For example, when we used the petition in Eugene, we addressed it to Superintendent Margaret Nichols and the 4J School Board. We put a header on the top of it that said: "Help stop the Eugene 4J School District's plan to increase herbicide use on school grounds!" Beneath the "Whereas" statements and above the signature lines, we used the following leader: "We, the undersigned Eugene-area residents, urge the 4J School District to cancel plans to increase herbicide use, and to redouble its commitment to non-chemical weed and pest control alternatives, and to further reduction of pesticide use on all 4J school grounds." Under points 7 and 8 of the "Whereas" statements, we used the following examples suitable to our local area:

7. Pesticides can contaminate groundwater and surface water (over fifty different pesticides have been found in the Willamette River and its tributaries, and several home and garden weed killers and insecticides have been found in Eugene's Amazon Creek); and

8. The Eugene Public Schools receive payment from the City of Eugene stormwater program for their efforts to educate children about ways to prevent and reduce water pollution;