According to the Ontario Ministry of Education policies, if a student misses a test (whether they skip class or are sick) or if they cheat then the evaluation is not valid and they must not be given a zero. The student must have an opportunity to be re-evaluated on the material. Assignments can have a due date but if the student does not hand it in on the due date a zero cannot be assigned. The student must be allowed to hand in the assignment late without being penalized. In the past teachers would go out of their way to make sure they evaluated students, but when given an opportunity to be re-evaluated, the student had to turn up. Now you can offer the student a chance to be re-evaluated, and if they don't turn up they still cannot get a zero. Assignments can be handed in at any time during the year. If the whole class is doing the same assignment, the teacher can receive the finished assignments any time between the due date and the end of the year. If the teacher marks the assignments as he/she gets them and returns them as they are marked, then anyone who has not handed in an assignment can, if they are so inclined, copy an assignment that has been marked and turn it in as their own work. The only way around this is not returning the assignments until all of the students have submitted their work, but this delays essential feedback to the students. Teachers have to be able to indicate to students that a zero may given on missed evaluations and give penalty marks for work not done on time. The present policy is not teaching students the life skills they need. Time management, getting things completed by deadlines and working hard, are all values that these students will need when they enter the work force. They also have to realize there are consequences to cheating and plagiarizing. The consequences have to be more than just being reassessed by redoing the test or rewriting an assignment. This petition is asking that the ministry of education re-evaluate their position on this policy. After you sign in, there is a request for a donation , but you can continue without giving a one. PLEASE BE CAREFUL TO REGISTER YOUR SIGNATURE ONLY ONCE.. SOMEONE EMAILED ME INDICATING HE USED THE BACK ARROW AT SOME POINT AND HIS NAME WAS REGISTERED TWICE. KEEP THE SIGNATURES COMING!!